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Cheese Tortellini in Garlic Butter Sauce Recipe

Cheese Tortellini in Garlic Butter Sauce – An easy, delicious recipe for Cheese Tortellini in a simple garlic butter sauce with basil. Keep it warm in a crockpot for a party appetizer, or serve up in a big bowl for a comforting weeknight meal in 15 minutes or less.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 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

  1. In a large pot, bring 2 1/2 cups broth to a boil. Add cheese tortellini. Return to a boil and cook until the tortellini float to the top of the water, about 3 minutes. The internal temperature of a tortellini should be 165ºF. Drain completely.
  2. Meanwhile, whisk together remaining 1 1/2 cups broth with corn starch. In a large non-stick skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat until foaming. Stir in garlic and basil and cook 2 minutes.
  3. Add broth-cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil; simmer until the mixture thickens, about 2 minutes longer. Add the cooked tortellini to the skillet and toss to coat.
  4. Pour into a serving dish and garnish with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil, if desired.

Notes

  1. Chicken broth: Do not use low-sodium chicken broth or the sauce may be bland. Homemade chicken broth is fine or you could mix up a batch with Better than Bouillon chicken base (Culinary Hill may earn money if you buy through this link). For a vegetarian version, substitute vegetable broth.
  2. Cornstarch: All-purpose flour can be substituted for cornstarch. However, you may have to cook the sauce an additional 3 to 4 minutes.
  3. Cheese tortellini: The cooking times in this recipe are based on frozen cheese tortellini. To substitute fresh or refrigerated tortellini, cook it for 2 to 3 minutes (it should be floating). To substitute dried tortellini, follow the instructions on the package (should be about 10 to 11 minutes).
  4. Butter: Do not substitute unsalted butter or your sauce may be bland.
  5. Yield: This recipe will make 4 hearty main course servings. Or, feed 8 as an appetizer or first course. If serving as part of a buffet, keep warm in a slow cooker.
  6. Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Keywords: pasta recipes, dinner recipes, pasta for dinner recipes