One Pot Creamy Tomato Tortellini (Printable)

Cheese tortellini cooked in creamy tomato sauce with herbs, ready in 30 minutes with minimal cleanup.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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 Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, vegetable broth, dried oregano, dried basil, chili flakes if using, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.
04 - Add cheese tortellini to the pot, submerge fully, cover, and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tortellini is cooked through and tender.
05 - Reduce heat to low. Stir in heavy cream and grated Parmesan cheese until the sauce is creamy and the cheese has melted.
06 - Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan and fresh basil leaves if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one pot, so you spend more time eating than cleaning.
  • The sauce clings to each plump tortellini like it was made just for them.
  • It tastes like you simmered it for hours, but you'll be sitting down to eat in thirty minutes.
  • Even picky eaters go quiet when this hits the table.
02 -
  • Don't skip stirring the tortellini occasionally or they'll stick to the bottom and tear when you try to scrape them up.
  • Add the cream off the heat or on very low heat, because high heat can cause it to break and look grainy instead of silky.
  • If the sauce looks too thick after the tortellini absorb some liquid, splash in a bit more broth to loosen it up.
03 -
  • Use a wide, heavy-bottomed pot so the tortellini cook evenly and don't crowd each other.
  • Grate your own Parmesan instead of using pre-grated, it melts smoother and tastes fresher.
  • Let the dish rest for a minute or two before serving so the sauce thickens just enough to cling to each piece.

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