20-Minute Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato and Spinach Tortellini
20-Minute Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato and Spinach Tortellini
Ingredients
- •20 oz refrigerated three-cheese tortellini
- •2 tablespoon oil reserved from sun-dried tomato jar
- •0.5 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and sliced into strips
- •4 cloves garlic, minced
- •0.5 cup low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
- •1 cup heavy whipping cream
- •1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- •0.25 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- •5 oz fresh baby spinach
- •0.75 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- • to taste kosher salt
- •0.25 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- •2 tablespoon fresh basil leaves, chopped
Instructions
- 1.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil over high heat.
- 2.
While water heats, warm the reserved sun-dried tomato oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sliced sun-dried tomatoes and minced garlic, sautéing for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant, being careful not to brown the garlic.
- 3.
Pour the broth, heavy cream, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes into the skillet. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce slightly thickens.
- 4.
Drop the fresh tortellini into the boiling water and cook according to package directions, typically 3 to 4 minutes, until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the tortellini.
- 5.
Reduce the skillet heat to low. Stir in the fresh baby spinach and grated Parmesan cheese, stirring constantly until the spinach is wilted and the cheese is fully melted into a silky sauce.
- 6.
Gently fold the drained tortellini into the sauce to coat thoroughly. If the sauce is too thick, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of the reserved pasta cooking water. Season with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
- 7.
Remove from heat, garnish with fresh basil and additional grated Parmesan, and serve immediately.
Tips
- 💡Using refrigerated fresh tortellini rather than dried cuts cooking time down to just a few minutes and yields a much tender texture.
- 💡The oil from the sun-dried tomato jar is packed with intense flavor—always use it instead of standard olive oil for sautéing the aromatics.
- 💡Grate whole-block Parmesan instead of pre-shredded cheese to ensure a smooth, velvety sauce that melts without clumping.
Recipe from TheCookbook.ai
Created by Basil Roux