Tortellini Sauce
This Creamy Tortellini Sauce has an Asiago and Parmesan cream sauce with browned butter, garlic, and the best blend of herbs and seasonings. Make this with frozen or refrigerated tortellini for a quick, gourmet-style meal.
Be sure to try my Ravioli Sauce and Baked Ravioli recipes next!
Tortellini Sauce
Now that we’ve nailed down the perfect ravioli sauce recipe, I think it’s time we make room for this incredible Tortellini Sauce. This sauce is speedy enough to be an easy weeknight meal, but it’s also fancy and indulgent enough for date night!
What Makes It Different
Browned butter adds a slightly sweet, nutty flavor that perfectly offsets the savory Parmesan and Asiago cheese. Smashed garlic cloves infuse the sauce with just the right amount of garlicky flavor and the simple blend of herbs and seasonings takes this sauce to the next level.
How to Make It
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Smash the garlic cloves and add them to a deep, 12-inch skillet along with the butter. Melt the butter over medium heat and cook for about 5 minutes, swirl the pan often while it cooks for even coloring. Once it turns brown, add a splash of olive oil to prevent it from burning. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the chicken broth in splashes and stir continuously.
Slowly stir in the half and half, then the seasonings. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Boil tortellini in a separate pot of salted water according to package instructions. Drain.
Reduce heat of the sauce to low and stir in the shredded Asiago and Parmesan cheese.
Add the drained tortellini to the skillet and stir to combine. It will continue to thicken upon standing. Garnish with parsley and serve.
Pro Tips
- Browning the butter is optional, the flavor is very subtle but it does add a touch of gourmet. There is a fine line between browned butter and burnt butter. A splash of olive oil is added to mitigate burning it, but feel free to simply melt some butter and let it start to foam without browning it.
- Shred the cheese from a block, it will melt and tastes much better than packaged shredded cheese. Belgioioso is my brand of choice for the Parmesan and Asiago.
- All Parmesan cheese can be used or a combination of Parmesan and Romano if you don’t have Asiago.
- I use Rana 5-cheese tortellini for this recipe but a variety of options work well!
- Heavy cream may be used instead of half and half, the sauce will be thicker. A splash of milk can be used to thin it out slightly if desired.
- Sautéed mushrooms can be prepared in a separated skillet and mixed into the sauce at the end.
- 20 oz. ravioli can be used with this recipe as well.
Storage
- The flour in this sauce helps it to maintain it’s consistency when cooled and reheated.
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- To reheat it back to it’s original consistency, thaw it overnight and use a makeshift double boiler to reheat it on the stove top. I’ve found that to be the best way to reheat cream sauces.
- If you expect leftovers, I recommend that you store the sauce separately and boil fresh pasta for serving if possible.
Tools For This Recipe
(Amazon affiliate links)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.
- This is the Le Creuset skillet I used in this recipe, (and in 90% of my recipes). It’s pricey, but it conducts heat really well and is oven safe. The size is perfect and the quality is great.
- Box Cheese Grater– Lets you finely shred the cheese. (Always shred from a block instead of using packaged shredded cheese.)
- Pasta Strainer– This is the one I use, it’s the perfect size.
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Tortellini Sauce
Ingredients
Sauce
- 1 ½ cups half and half
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon EACH: dried basil, oregano, parsley
- ¼ teaspoon EACH: onion powder, mustard powder, pepper
Sauce/Tortellini
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 splash olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 tablespoons flour
- ½ cup parmesan cheese, finely shredded
- ½ cup asiago cheese, finely shredded
- Salt/Pepper, to taste
- 20 oz. tortellini, refrigerated or frozen. See notes
- Fresh Parsley, to garnish
Instructions
- Combine sauce ingredients in a large measuring cup with a spout and set aside. Measure out remaining ingredients before beginning.
- As you continue with the following steps, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Heat the butter and smashed garlic over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Lift the pan and swirl it around frequently as it cooks for even coloring. When it starts to turn brown, add a splash of olive oil. The light golden color of the butter will give it a subtle sweet, nutty flavor and the splash of olive oil will prevent the butter from burning.
- Add the flour and stir continuously for 1 to 2 minutes, until the raw flour smell is cooked off.
- Add the sauce mixture in small splashes, stirring continuously. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- Let the sauce simmer, uncovered, while you cook the tortellini to al dente according to package instructions. Drain once cooked.
- Reduce heat of the sauce to low and gradually stir in the parmesan and asiago cheese. Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper, as needed.
- Add the drained tortellini and toss to combine. The sauce will continue to thicken upon standing. Serve!
Notes
- Browning the butter is optional, the flavor is very subtle but it does add a touch of gourmet. There is a fine line between browned butter and burnt butter. A splash of olive oil is added to mitigate burning it, but feel free to simply melt some butter and let it start to foam without browning it.
- Shred the cheese from a block, it will melt and tastes much better than packaged shredded cheese. Belgioioso is my brand of choice for the Parmesan and Asiago.
- All Parmesan cheese can be used or a combination of Parmesan and Romano if you don't have Asiago.
- I use Rana 5-cheese tortellini for this recipe but a variety of options work well!
- Heavy cream may be used instead of half and half, the sauce will be thicker. A splash of milk can be used to thin it out slightly if desired.
- Sautéed mushrooms can be prepared in a separated skillet and mixed into the sauce at the end.
- 20 oz. ravioli can be used with this recipe as well.
Storage
- The flour in this sauce helps it to maintain it’s consistency when cooled and reheated.
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- To reheat it back to it's original consistency, thaw it overnight and use a makeshift double boiler to reheat it on the stove top. I've found that to be the best way to reheat cream sauces.
- If you expect leftovers, I recommend that you store the sauce separately and boil fresh pasta for serving if possible.
This looks like such an amazing recipe. Asiago cheese is very hard to get my side of the world… do you have any suggestions for what I could sub it with? Thanks, as always, for posting your recipes!
Hi Tarryn! You can use Romano instead, or use all Parmesan. 😊
Very tasty Alfredo sauce! Followed the directions. Served with grilled chicken & salad. Made it extra special.
I’m so happy to hear that Cindy! I love that you served this with grilled chicken and salad, amazing!! 🩷🩷🩷
First of all, my daughter-in-law introduced me to your recipes and we both love everything we’ve tried, so thank you! I want to try this recipe and am wondering what you think would go better with it, Italian sausage or rotisserie chicken?
I am sooooo happy to hear that! Thank your daughter in law for me and tell her that I said hi! And thank you both for your support. I think that Italian Sausage would be amazing with this! Rotisserie chicken would work too, but my first instinct was sausage! 🙂
Thank you! And my daughter-in-law was so tickled you said hello! You are like a celebrity to her! And me! Thanks again. 🙂
AWWWWW you two are the best!!! ❤️❤️❤️
I made this last night, and it was absolutely delicious! Such a hit! My family gave it a 10/10! I did serve it with Italian sausage and it was great. Thank you!
I am so happy to hear that Catherine! Excellent news, thank you so much for taking the time to let me know how it came out with the sausage!! 🙂 You’re the best!
Delicious!
I’m so happy that you loved it Kim! Thank you!! 🩷
Made this tonight.. one of the better Alfredo sauce recipes I’ve made. Make this!
Thanks so much Meg, I’m so happy you liked it!
I used this recipe tonight for a dinner party. Everyone loved it! Thank you so much!
I am soo happy that it was a hit at your dinner party BeLinda!! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review!!! ❤️