Description
A quick and easy 20-minute recipe combining store-bought cheese tortellini with fresh cherry tomatoes and basil pesto for a comforting, no-fuss dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 9 ounces cheese tortellini (fresh or refrigerated)
- 1 to 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- ⅓ cup basil pesto sauce
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- Optional: fresh basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add about 1 tablespoon of salt to the water.
- Boil the cheese tortellini for 3 to 5 minutes, or according to package instructions, until al dente.
- While pasta cooks, halve the cherry tomatoes and mince the garlic.
- Reserve about ½ cup of the pasta cooking water.
- Drain the tortellini in a colander and transfer it to a large mixing bowl while still hot.
- Add the pesto sauce, minced garlic, and lemon juice to the warm tortellini. Toss gently to coat.
- If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time until smooth and silky.
- Fold in the halved cherry tomatoes and drizzle with olive oil. Toss lightly to combine.
- Season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Adjust seasoning as needed.
- Serve immediately, sprinkled with grated Parmesan and torn fresh basil leaves if using.
Notes
Do not rinse pasta after draining to help pesto stick. Reserve pasta water to loosen pesto sauce if needed. Use fresh pesto for best flavor or enhance store-bought with extra garlic or lemon zest. Avoid cooking tomatoes to keep their fresh texture. Can substitute gluten-free tortellini or dairy-free pesto for dietary needs.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup cooked tortell
- Calories: 425
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 16.5
- Saturated Fat: 3.5
- Carbohydrates: 52.5
- Fiber: 2.5
- Protein: 13.5
Keywords: quick dinner, pesto tortellini, cherry tomatoes, easy pasta recipe, weeknight meal, vegetarian, Italian pasta