Cheese Tortellini in Garlic Butter Sauce
This easy, delicious recipe for Cheese Tortellini in a simple Garlic Butter Sauce with basil transforms into a warm party appetizer in a crockpot or a comforting weeknight meal in 15 minutes or less.
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Topping all my other tortellini recipes, this easy crowd-pleaser becomes my go-to again and again, perfect for both appetizers and main dishes.
While this cheesy tortellini recipe is undeniably delicious, ditch the low-sodium chicken broth for this dish – it needs bolder flavors to shine. For the richest flavor, elevate this dish with homemade chicken broth, or whip up a batch from “Better than Bouillon”; store-bought broth just won’t cut it here.
Ingredients notes
- Chicken broth:Ditch the low-sodium broth for richer flavor – opt for homemade chicken broth, “Better than Bouillon,” or vegetable broth for vegetarians (Culinary Hill may earn commission through this link).
- Cornstarch:All-purpose flour can be substituted for cornstarch, though you might need to simmer the sauce for an extra 3 to 4 minutes to achieve the same thickness.
- Cheese tortellini: This recipe is based on frozen cheese tortellini, but you can substitute fresh or refrigerated tortellini by cooking for 2-3 minutes (until floating) or dried tortellini according to package instructions (typically 10-11 minutes).
- Butter: Do not substitute unsalted butter or your sauce may be bland.
Step by step instructions
1.While heating the remaining broth to boiling, whisk the cornstarch into 1 ½ cups of reserved broth in a small bowl.Cook the tortellini according to package instructions (until floating and reaching 165°F internally), then drain gently and set aside.
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2.In a non-stick skillet, melt butter over medium heat until foaming, then add garlic and dried basil and saute for 2 minutes.
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3.Then, simmer the broth-cornstarch mixture until thickened (1-2 minutes) after adding it to the pan and bringing it to a boil.
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4.Once the tortellini is cooked al dente, toss it with the garlic butter mixture to coat every piece, then garnish with fresh basil or parsley and Parmesan cheese for a finishing touch.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield:This recipe yields 4 generous main courses, but can be easily doubled to serve 8 as an appetizer or first course. Leftovers can be kept warm in a slow cooker for a delightful buffet option.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Mushroom:For richer flavor, start by sweating fresh mushrooms in olive oil with a sprinkle of salt, then add the garlic in step 2.
- Mor-mix-ins:For a more substantial dish, elevate your tortellini by tossing in cooked shrimp, prosciutto, crispy bacon, or blanched broccoli, red bell pepper, olives, or artichokes, aiming for a mix of textures like soft and crunchy.
- Tortellini skewers:For an elegant appetizer presentation, thread Cheesy Garlic Tortellini onto toothpicks or small skewers.
- Tortelloni vs tortellini:While shaped similarly, tortellini (around 2 grams each) are notably smaller bites compared to their larger cousin, the tortelloni (typically around 5 grams each).
- Tortellini cooking times:Cook refrigerated (soft) tortellini for 2 to 3 minutes, frozen tortellini for 3 to 5 minutes, or dried tortellini for 10 to 11 minutes.Tortellini is done when it floats to the surface and reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
- Tortellini with marinara:Elevate leftover cooked cheese tortellini with a quick marinara sauce, stir in cream cheese for extra richness, top with mozzarella, and broil for a delicious baked tortellini treat.
- Tortellini pasta salads:Unleash your creativity with cheese tortellini as the base for your next pasta salad! Swap rotini for tortellini in my Italian Pasta Salad recipe, or transform the Easy Cold Pasta Salad into a delightful tortellini version.
- Sausage Tortellini Soup:Whip up this satisfying meal in 30 minutes: cheese tortellini, Italian sausage, and fresh kale, with the option to add cream for a richer soup or swap kale for spinach for a twist.
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tortellini Soup:This crock pot chicken noodle soup gets a delightful twist with cheese tortellini, guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser.
![Cheese Tortellini in Garlic Butter Sauce](https://allgoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1716341458834.jpg)
Cheese Tortellini in Garlic Butter Sauce
This easy, delicious recipe for Cheese Tortellini in a simple Garlic Butter Sauce with basil transforms into a warm party appetizer in a crockpot or a comforting weeknight meal in 15 minutes or less.
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Appetizer,Main course
- Cuisine: American,Italian
Ingredients
- 32 ounces chicken broth or vegetable broth, divided (see note 1)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch (see note 2)
- 1 (16 ounce) package frozen cheese tortellini (see note 3)
- 4 tablespoons butter (see note 4)
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese for garnish
- Fresh basil chiffonade, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring 2 ½ cups broth to a boil, add cheese tortellini, and cook for 3 minutes, or until the tortellini float to the top of the water, then drain completely. The internal temperature of a tortellini should be 165 degrees.
- While whisking together the remaining 1 ½ cups broth with cornstarch, melt butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until foaming, then stir in garlic and basil and cook for 2 minutes.
- Once the broth-cornstarch mixture thickens after simmering for about 2 minutes, add the cooked tortellini to the skillet and toss to coat.
- Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil, for an extra touch (optional).
Notes
- chicken broth:For a richer flavor, use full-sodium chicken broth; homemade or Better Than Bouillon (affiliate link) work well. To make it vegetarian, simply swap in vegetable broth.
- cornstarch:All-purpose flour can be substituted for cornstarch, though you’ll need to cook the sauce an additional 3 to 4 minutes for it to thicken properly.
- Cheese tortellini:The cooking times in this recipe are based on frozen cheese tortellini, but you can substitute fresh or refrigerated tortellini and cook for 2-3 minutes (until floating) or dried tortellini (follow package instructions, typically 10-11 minutes).
- Butter: Do not substitute unsalted butter or your sauce may be bland.
- Yield:This recipe yields 4 generous main courses, but can be stretched to serve 8 as an appetizer or first course. For a buffet, keep it warm in a slow cooker.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
- Calories: 508kcal
- Sugar: 3g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 21g
- Cholesterol: 77mg
Keywords: Cheese Tortellini in Garlic Butter Sauce