Creamy Garlic Butter Sauce for Tortellini
A rich, velvety garlic-butter and Parmesan cream sauce that clings beautifully to tortellini. Done in 15 minutes and perfect for cheese or chicken tortellini with optional add-ins like spinach or sun-dried tomatoes.
Ingredients
- 18 oz refrigerated cheese or chicken tortellini, cooked per package
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta water (use as needed to loosen sauce)
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or basil (optional)
- 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning or red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Cook tortellini in salted water according to package directions. Reserve about 1/2 cup pasta water and drain.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter until foamy. Add minced garlic and sauté 1–2 minutes until fragrant but not browned.
- Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook 2–3 minutes, stirring, until slightly thickened.
- Reduce heat to low and sprinkle in Parmesan, stirring until melted and smooth.
- Season with salt and black pepper. If the sauce is too thick, stir in splashes of reserved pasta water until glossy and pourable.
- Add the cooked tortellini to the skillet and toss to coat evenly in the sauce.
- Stir in Italian seasoning or red pepper flakes if using. Garnish with parsley or basil and serve hot.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 480kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 18gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 12gSodium: 690mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3g
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