Cheese Tortellini in Garlic Sauce Is a Weeknight Hero
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A lot of recipes that feature herbs as a primary flavor will tell you to use fresh ones, and it’s very hard to beat the fresh flavors of just-picked herbs. But convenience counts when it comes to cooking, and it’s not always possible to use heirloom Italian basil hand-picked from Ina Garten’s kitchen garden. Sometimes a person has a bunch of stuff in their pantry and just wants a good dinner on the table in less than 15 minutes, like this cheese tortellini in garlic basil sauce. It has the cheesy, savory flavors of garlic bread, and it makes good use of dried basil. With a few pantry staples you could likely make it at the last minute, without even having to go to the store for fresh ingredients.
Start by boiling cheese tortellini in broth or salted water. (You probably won’t want to add salt if you’re cooking the tortellini in chicken or vegetable broth, but if you’re using water you’ll want to be sure it’s well-seasoned.)
Drain the tortellini and mix up a combination of broth and cornstarch. Sauté some minced garlic and the dried basil in butter for about two minutes. The basil and garlic should be fragrant, but don’t let them burn. Then mix in the cornstarch and broth and let it simmer until the broth thickens to a nice sauce consistency, add in the cooked tortellini and toss it to make sure all the pasta is coated.
You can serve the pasta by itself at that point, either as an easy, quick main course or as a low-effort appetizer or side dish. But if you do have fresh basil at hand, try using some as a garnish along with some freshly grated Parmesan for a real upgrade.
Get the Recipe: Cheese Tortellini in Garlic Butter Sauce from Culinary Hill
