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This creamy tomato tortellini recipe is so easy to make in one pan for a fast and comforting weeknight dinner with barely any clean-up!
Don’t have any tortellini on hand? Try my Super Easy Creamy Tomato Pasta instead.
Why you’ll love it
I can’t resist a silky tomato sauce for pasta from scratch. It’s just so cozy and a homecooked meal that just feels special and like it came from a restaurant. Pairing the sauce with cheese tortellini makes it as delicious as it is simple to throw together!
This tortellini with a tomato cream sauce is definitely going to be a winner with the kids as well. Sometimes the most basic recipes are the most satisfying, especially for picky eaters, and with this one you’ll never want to open up a jar of store-bought pasta sauce again.
What you’ll need
- Cheese tortellini – I used the refrigerated kind, not the dry kind found in the pasta aisle, to make this a one pan meal. If using the dry kind, boil it first separately and cook the sauce a bit longer prior to adding the tortellini so it thickens up.
- Butter – for sautéing
- Garlic – savory goodness
- Tomato paste – to add lots of concentrated tomato flavor and richness
- Tomato sauce – for my UK readers, tomato sauce is similar to passata
- Heavy cream – it gives the sauce a luxurious restaurant-worthy quality
- Italian seasoning – this is my go-to dried herb blend for sauces since it’s just so tasty and conveniently in a single jar!
- Parmesan cheese – definitely recommended to take it over the top
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- I always grate my parm from a block with my Microplane for ultimate freshness and texture.
- My handy garlic press is great to mince garlic since you don’t even need to peel the cloves.
- This butter dish has measurements right on it for ease.
Pro tip
An old chef’s trick is to add a pinch of sugar to tomato sauces to cut the acidity. It balances it out without making it sweet. Feel free to do that here if your sauce is a bit too acidic for your tastes!
How to make creamy tomato tortellini
This is an overview, and full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
- In a deep skillet, sauté the garlic in the butter for about a minute, then stir in the tomato paste, tomato sauce, cream, and Italian seasoning. Whisk until you’ve got a smooth sauce.
- Stir in the tortellini, and then cover the pan and cook until done. Test to see if the pasta is done, and cook it for a little longer if needed.
- Season with salt & pepper and enjoy with some freshly parmesan grated over top. That’s it!
Substitutions and variations
- I don’t recommend subbing the cream with something that has a lower fat content (e.g. half-and-half or milk) as it may curdle due to the acid in the tomatoes. You could try coconut milk for a dairy-free option, but I have not tested it.
- This is a fairly basic recipe, so you can definitely play with it! Adding in some fresh herbs like basil would work especially well, for example, or change up the variety of tortellini.
- The sauce thickens up quite quickly as the tortellini cook and release their starch. If the sauce gets too thick at any point, add in a bit more cream or some chicken or vegetable broth to thin it out.
What to serve with this pasta
- I’m a big fan of serving any pasta with a big slice of Extra Cheesy Garlic Bread.
- If you’d like to pair it with a salad, try some mixed greens with this Simple Italian Dressing, or this Arugula Salad with Fennel and Cheese is a slightly fancier option.
Leftovers and storage
- Leftovers of this tortellini recipe will keep just fine in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Simply reheat in a small saucepan, stirring occasionally, over a low heat until warmed through. You can also microwave it in 30-second increments.
- I wouldn’t suggest freezing this one. Dairy generally won’t hold up after thawing.
If you made this easy tortellini recipe, please let me know in the comments below! I would love to hear from you. Find me on Instagram as well.
Creamy Tomato Tortellini
Ingredients
- 2 (9 ounce) packages refrigerated cheese tortellini
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 (14 fluid ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese for serving, to taste
Instructions
- Add the butter to a skillet over medium heat. Once it melts, add the garlic and sauté for about a minute, stirring constantly.
- Add in the tomato paste, tomato sauce, cream, and Italian seasoning. Stir/whisk until it's nice and smooth.
- Stir in the tortellini (no need to boil it first). Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pan and cook for 5 minutes.
- If the tortellini is still a little firm, continue cooking it for another few minutes (stoves and pans vary). If needed, increase the heat a bit. If the sauce thickens/reduces too much (the pasta releases starch, thickening the sauce as it cooks), add another splash of cream or a little chicken/veg broth.
- Season with salt & pepper as needed (I'm fairly generous with both).
- Serve immediately with plenty of parmesan cheese grated over top.
Notes
- I don’t recommend subbing the cream with something that has a lower fat content as it may curdle due to the acid in the tomatoes.
- Since this is a one pan meal and the tortellini isn’t cooked ahead of time, be sure to use the refrigerated variety of tortellini… not the dry stuff found in the pasta aisle.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I had a hard time getting the tortellini done enough. I cooked it longer, and kept adding more cream and chicken broth to make sure there was enough liquid to properly cook the pasta. It ended up being very tasty though.
Did you use refrigerated tortellini?
Could this be made in the crock pot?
Hmmm not really sure how. Tortellini cooks in like 5 minutes, so you’ll end up with mush slow cooking it for hours.