Six ingredients make this: cheese tortellini, basil pesto with pine nuts, oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan, red pepper flakes and fresh basil.
The pesto is folded into the hot tortellini in the pot they cooked in, with a splash of cooking water if needed. Nothing creamy is added.
Ingredient Notes
- Refrigerated cheese tortellini
- Twenty ounces, kept chilled until they go into the water.
- Basil pesto with pine nuts
- Half a cup. Pine nuts are a tree-nut allergen, and prepared pesto may also contain dairy.
- Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
- Half a cup, drained and sliced into strips.
How to Make It
Tortellini cooked, water reserved
Cook the cheese tortellini according to the package directions until tender. Save 1/4 cup of the cooking water and drain.
Pesto folded through
Return the tortellini to the warm pot and fold in the basil pesto, adding a splash of the saved cooking water if needed to coat the pasta.
Sun-dried tomatoes and half the Parmesan
Fold in the sliced sun-dried tomatoes and half the Parmesan.
Bowls finished with Parmesan, chili and basil
Spoon into bowls and finish with the remaining Parmesan, red pepper flakes and fresh basil.
Four Flavours in One Bowl
- Herbal1/2 cup basil pesto and torn fresh basil
- Coats every tortellini and brightens the top.
- Sweet-tart1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
- Chewy strips folded through the pasta.
- Salty-savoury1/3 cup Parmesan and the cheese filling
- Half stirred in, half sprinkled over.
- Heat1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- A gentle warmth added at the end.
Loosen with a splash of the saved cooking water if the pesto looks thick.
Why This Recipe Works
- The heat of the just-drained pasta loosens the pesto so it coats every piece.
- A little starchy cooking water thins the pesto without diluting its flavour.
- Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes are already soft and just need slicing.
- Splitting the Parmesan puts some through the pasta and some on top.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this contain nuts?
Yes. The pesto contains pine nuts, a tree-nut allergen.
Is there cream in the sauce?
No. The pesto coats the tortellini directly with a little cooking water.
Success Tips
- Fold the pesto in off the heat so the basil stays bright green.
- Add the cooking water a spoonful at a time until the pesto just coats.
- Pat the sun-dried tomatoes with a paper towel so excess oil stays out.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate
Keep uncooked tortellini refrigerated until cooking, and refrigerate any leftovers promptly.
Serving Ideas
Serve in shallow bowls with the green-coated tortellini, red sun-dried tomato strips, a final dusting of Parmesan and torn basil on top.
