Cheese Tortellini Alfredo

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 20

Servings: people

Cheese Tortellini Alfredo is a rich, creamy 20-minute dinner made with tender cheese-filled pasta, Parmesan, butter, cream, and a touch of nutmeg.

Ingredients

1 pound pasta Cheese Tortellini
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
ground pepper, fresh
nutmeg, a few grinds

US - Metric

Instructions

Cook the cheese tortellini in a large pot of salted water according to the package directions, removing them a couple of minutes early for al dente.
Reserve about one cup of the pasta water, then drain the tortellini and return them to the same pot.
Add the butter and gently stir until completely melted and coating the tortellini.
Add the freshly grated Parmesan cheese and heavy cream. Gently mix until the tortellini are coated in the creamy sauce.
Add a few grinds of nutmeg and freshly ground black pepper. If needed, add a little reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce.
Finish with more freshly grated Parmesan and serve immediately while hot and creamy.

Equipment

Notes

Bring the butter and heavy cream to room temperature before you start. They will blend more smoothly with the hot tortellini.

Cook the tortellini a couple of minutes less than the package recommends. You want them al dente, so they stay intact when mixed with the sauce.

Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining. A small splash is all you need if the Alfredo sauce becomes too thick.

Use freshly grated Parmesan. It melts beautifully and gives the sauce a richer, smoother flavor than pre-grated cheese.

Add the nutmeg. Just a few grinds bring warmth to the sauce without overpowering it.

Mix the tortellini gently so the delicate pasta does not break apart.

Serve immediately. As the Italians say, “You wait for pasta; pasta does not wait for you.”

Nutrition

Giangi's Kitchen provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as a registered dietician does not calculate them.