Ready yourselves for one of the most legit pasta dishes your dinner table has ever seen! We're whipping up an irresistibly cheesy Tortellini Alfredo that comes equipped with a creamy, garlicky homemade Alfredo sauce. Serve it with a side of toasty garlic bread and watch the family swoon!
The sauce you're about to make comes together in a mere 10 minutes, and it straight-up beats the pants off of anything store-bought. Consider this Tortellini Alfredo your quick fix dinnertime rescue for busy weeknights when you want something homemade on the table, but need it done in a jiff!
Looking for more awesome pasta recipes to try? Bookmark our super cheesy Shells and Cheese in your internet browser for next time!
WHAT MAKES THIS THE BEST TORTELLINI ALFREDO RECIPE!
Many other Tortellini Alfredo recipes out there call for casserole dishes, 30 minutes of bake time, and a cream cheese base...but why? This is an entirely unnecessary (and elongated) process. In fact, you can have this dinner ready, from stovetop to table, in less than 20 minutes. If quick dinners are a must in your household, check out our 30-minute meals for quick and delicious recipes!
And, we've got nothing against cream cheese around these parts, but this isn't the way to go if you're looking to serve up a restaurant-quality Alfredo dish at home.
No, this sauce comes together entirely from scratch, and the best part is, it's still insanely easy to make. The sauce starts with a roux -- a scary word but a mixture that's seriously easy to make. It really just means you're going to mix butter and flour on the stovetop.
Beginning the Alfredo with a roux helps the sauce to stay together, unbroken, even when reheated! A win-win for the pasta lovers.
HOW TO MAKE TORTELLINI ALFREDO
- Cook the tortellini.
- Saute garlic and sprinkle with flour.
- Add the dairy and simmer.
- Stir in Parmesan and seasoning.
- Add tortellini and serve!
Love a good tortellini dish? Be sure to check out our Chicken Tortellini Soup as well!
1. COOK THE TORTELLINI
Tortellini Alfredo comes together extremely fast, so get that water boiling right off the bat! It will be the most time-consuming part of the entire recipe. How's that for good news?!
Once your water is boiling, add the pasta and cook the tortellini according to package directions.
WHAT TYPE OF TORTELLINI DO I BUY?
I prefer to use refrigerated, three-cheese tortellini for this recipe. But you can use just about any type of stuffed tortellini you like! If you're wondering where to find fresh tortellini, it is typically packaged near gourmet deli items in your grocery store. My go-to brand is Buitoni.
2. SAUTE GARLIC AND SPRINKLE IN FLOUR
While the water is boiling and/or the pasta is cooking, you can whip up that quick and easy homemade sauce for your Tortellini Alfredo!
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Do not allow the butter to brown. If you'd prefer to use olive oil instead of butter, feel free to do so.
As soon as the butter has melted you'll add the garlic, and sauté for about one minute, just until it has become fragrant. Then you will sprinkle in the flour, and whisk the flour and butter together until the flour no longer looks dry.
3. ADD THE DAIRY AND SIMMER
Add the half and half to the pan one big splash at a time, whisking well after each and every addition. This little "splash hack" is how you make an incredibly smooth sauce! If you prefer a thicker, richer sauce, use heavy cream in the place of half and half.
Once the mixture begins to resemble pudding, you can stream in the remaining half and half and milk, whisking constantly.
Allow the mixture to simmer for about 5 minutes, just until it has slightly thickened, and take care to stir occasionally.
4. ADD PARMESAN AND SEASONING
Then, you will add in all of the grated Parmesan cheese followed by the kosher salt and pepper. Stir until the cheese has melted and the sauce is looking perfectly smooth. Then you can add in your pasta and your Tortellini Alfredo is ready!
Love this recipe? Try our Shrimp Alfredo next!
A NOTE ABOUT PASTA WATER
If your Alfredo sauce is ready well before your noodles, you might find the sauce has thickened. This is why I recommend reserving a cup or so of pasta water once the tortellini has finished cooking. This way, if you'd like your sauce just a bit thinner, you can simply add a tablespoon or two of pasta water at a time until it reaches the consistency you'd like.
CAN I ADD VEGGIES OR MEAT TO TORTELLINI ALFREDO?
If you'd like to add a little more sustenance to your Tortellini Alfredo, there are plenty of delicious routes to go!
Throw in some steamed broccoli, wilted spinach, or pan-seared mushrooms to get your veggie count in for the day.
If you're thinking more along the lines of a protein-type addition, you can go wrong with sliced chicken breasts or blackened shrimp.
And, if you're looking for the best of both worlds when it comes to adding both protein and veggies to your Tortellini Alfredo, steamed peas and diced ham most definitely does the trick!
6 MORE PASTA RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
- Cajun Chicken Alfredo
- Steak Pasta
- Quick Pasta Pomodoro
- Chicken Primavera
- Stuffed Shells with Meat and Cheese
- Turkey Pasta Casserole
Stuffed Shells with Meat
Cajun Chicken Alfredo Pasta
Steak Pasta Recipe
Quick Pomodoro Sauce Recipe
Chicken Primavera Pasta Recipe
Turkey Casserole
Tortellini Alfredo
Ingredients
- 1 (20-ounce) package fresh, refrigerated tortellini (such as Buitoni)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cup half and half
- 1 ½ cup whole milk
- 1 ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving (if desired)
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the tortellini according to package directions and set aside. Save 1 cup of the pasta water just in case you'd like to thin out the sauce at the end.
- In a large saute pan over medium-low heat, melt the butter and add garlic. Saute for 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the garlic and stir until coated.
- Increase heat to medium and begin to add the cream a splash at a time, stirring after each addition. Once all of the half and half has been incorporated, stream in the milk, whisking all the while, and simmer 5 minutes. Stir occasionally until slightly thickened.
- Add the Parmesan, salt, and pepper, and stir once more.
- Add the tortellini to the alfredo sauce, stir to coat, and serve!
Nutrition
Philip Anthony says
One of my all time favorite comfort foods. Simple but classic and delicious recipe.