One Pot Creamy Tortellini (Printable)

Cheese tortellini cooked in a creamy tomato sauce with garlic, herbs, and Parmesan cheese in a single pot.

# What's Needed:

→ Pasta

01 - 18 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
04 - 3 garlic cloves, minced

→ Sauce

05 - 14 oz canned crushed tomatoes
06 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
07 - 2 cups vegetable broth
08 - ½ cup heavy cream
09 - ½ teaspoon dried oregano
10 - ½ teaspoon dried basil
11 - ¼ teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
12 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Cheese & Finish

13 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus additional for serving
14 - Fresh basil leaves for garnish (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add finely chopped onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Incorporate crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, vegetable broth, dried oregano, dried basil, chili flakes, salt, and black pepper. Stir well and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
04 - Add cheese tortellini to the pot, stirring to ensure they are submerged. Cover and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tortellini are tender and cooked through.
05 - Reduce heat to low. Stir in heavy cream and grated Parmesan until the sauce becomes creamy and cheese is fully melted.
06 - Taste the sauce and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
07 - Dish out the pasta hot, garnished with extra Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves if desired.

# Tips for Success:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one pot, so you're not juggling multiple pans or facing a sink full of dishes afterward.
  • The sauce clings to every pillow of tortellini, creamy and tangy in all the right places.
  • It tastes like you simmered it for hours, but you'll be eating in half an hour.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully and somehow taste even better the next day.
02 -
  • Don't skip covering the pot while the tortellini cooks, it traps steam and helps everything cook evenly without drying out.
  • Add the cream after you turn down the heat or it can split and look grainy instead of silky.
  • Stir occasionally while simmering or the tortellini will settle and stick to the bottom in a clump.
03 -
  • Use a pot that's wider than it is tall so the tortellini cooks in a single layer and absorbs flavor evenly.
  • Grate your own Parmesan from a block, the pre-shredded kind has anti-caking agents that make the sauce grainy.
  • Taste the sauce before adding the cream, that's your chance to fix the seasoning while the flavors are still bright.

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