Dreamy Tomato Basil Creamy Tortellini with fragrant butter garlic cream sauce and topped with shaved parmesan cheese!
Bless my heart for all I know, I could eat this dreamy creamy tortellini for the rest of my life and never look back! Too much? My guess is that you need to try it, and by that I mean experience the magic. 🙌🏻
It’s no secret that I love a good tortellini recipe. This Veggie Tortellini Soup for example marked the beginning of an era. There is the before tortellini life, a sad looking black and white memory playing in my head, and the after tortellini life with this Tomato Basil Creamy Tortellini, colorful and delightful as it can be.
In all seriousness, this creamy tortellini is a great option to eat either by itself or paired with a steak, fish or chicken. It offers the convenience of a quick meal and the comfort and satisfaction of a well prepared dinner.
what’s the difference between tortellini and ravioli?
The difference between tortellini and ravioli are basically in the shape. Ravioli is made with two layers of pasta that form a pillow-like shape whereas tortellini is one folded into a hat-like form. Generally tortellini are smaller than ravioli. There is also the mini-tortellini called "umbellico" due to their belly button shape.
how to cook tortellini for tomato basil creamy tortellini
Although all tortellini packaging offers cooking instructions, I find that more often than not it turns out overcooked, soggy and losing it’s shape which is a tragedy if you ask me. This said I suggest that you cut down on the cooking time about 1-2 minutes shorter, especially if you are going to add to a hot pot of sauce or sauté with other ingredients to add flavor, like in this Tomato Basil Creamy Tortellini recipe.
Note: Cook 1-2 minutes less than recommended 🙂
how to make a dreamy creamy tortellini sauce
Ah-ha! Now we get to the fun part. To save time I suggest that you work on the sauce while the tortellini is boiling. If those two are cooking simultaneously, it should only take about 10-12 minutes total.
Start by heating up the oil and sautéing the garlic and shallots until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and cook until they start to soften. You can either use a whole tomato quartered or grape tomatoes halved, both will work just fine.
Then you add the butter, cream and a little bit of the reserved pasta water. This sauce is definitely not overly creamy and heavy, that would overpower this dish. I want to be able to taste the tomato and basil as well, not just cream.
Finally the tortellini is added to the sauce with fresh basil. Since the tortellini is already cooked this process should only take 1-2 minutes. Fold the tortellini into the sauce and top with shaved parmesan cheese.
If you wish to add a protein to this meal, this Baked Asparagus Stuffed Chicken is a great pairing.
If you make this Tomato Basil Creamy Tortellini recipe, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love to hear from you and always do my best to respond to all your comments. Also, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram for a special shutout and/or a chance of being featured in my newsletter!
Tomato Basil Creamy Tortellini
Ingredients
- 9 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini
- 2 whole tomatoes quartered or 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoon shaved parmesan cheese
- 1 pinch sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions **(1-2 minutes shorter)**. Reserve ¼ cup of pasta water. Drain tortellini and set a side
- Meanwhile heat oil in large casserole. Add garlic and shallots, sauté until fragrant (1-2 minutes). Add tomatoes and cook until tomatoes start to soften 2 minutes). Add butter and cream, stir. Season with salt and pepper according to your taste.
- Now add the tortellini, basil and the reserved pasta water. Briefly fold to combine. Top with shaved parmesan cheese and serve.
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Kathleen Felton says
Had a lot of tomatoes left from garden. Excellent way to use them. (Doubled amount called for in recipe).
Chris says
Am I really supposed to heat the oil in a large casserole and add the shallots and garlic? A casserole?
Silvia Ribas says
Yes Chris, you can add the oil in while the casserole is heating then when hot add shallots and garlic. Let me know how it comes out