Creamy Alfredo Tortellini with Broccoli
Creamy Alfredo tortellini with broccoli is ready in under 20 minutes with almost no prep work! This easy pasta dinner a great option on a busy night or you just want warm, cozy comfort food.
This Alfredo tortellini with broccoli was my boys’ transition to adult food, go to meal.
Like so many kids, they loved mac and cheese and would eat that non-stop.
When I finally got them off it (mostly) as their go to meal, I used this creamy pasta.
I found it was a great way to sneak in extra veggies to their diet too.
And, with a cook time of less than 20 minutes, it really wasn’t much harder than making boxed mac and cheese.
Ingredients
Alfredo tortellini with broccoli only needs a few ingredients to make the rich, creamy sauce.
Here’s what to have on hand.
- Broccoli florets – You can use a head or use precut florets. Either way, they need to be roughly chopped. I recommend avoiding frozen, but it can still work for the recipe if needed.
- Refrigerated cheese tortellini – You can pick your favorite brand and use either regular, three cheese, or your preferred variety.
- Butter – This helps add some richness to the sauce.
- White onion – If you have yellow, you could use that instead.
- Minced garlic – I love freshly minced, but if you want to use a shortcut, you could get minced garlic from your local store.
- Red pepper flakes – You can omit if you don’t want the added heat.
- Half & half – Definitely want to use full fat half and half. Whole milk can work in a pinch, but it will be a bit thinner in consistency.
- Shredded Parmesan cheese – You can get shredded Parmesan or shred your own.
- Salt & pepper – These are to taste and add a little extra flavor and heat.
How to make
To start, steam the broccoli until it is just fork tender and set aside.
Serving and storing
Tortellini Alfredo is best served hot from the stove.
I love added more Parmesan cheese to the top.
I also recommend adding mozzarella or Italian blend cheese to the top too if you like.
For added protein, you could add in some cooked chicken.
Left overs or rotisserie work well.
You could also add cooked shrimp.
Just add the cooked protein at the end when you toss the sauce with the tortellini and broccoli.
On the side, both biscuits and crusty bread pair well with the the pasta.
You can serve the warm from the oven or at room temperature.
If you can’t finish the Alfredo tortellini, you can store leftovers for about 3 to 4 days in the fridge. J
ust place them in an air tight container before placing in the fridge.
To reheat, you can microwave a bowl of leftover or gently heat them in a small pan over low heat on the stove top.
Tips and tricks
- I recommend fork tender broccoli, but you can cook it a bit longer for a softer texture or just blanche it if you prefer.
- To change the flavor slightly, you can experiment with adding chicken or shrimp with different seasonings like Cajun, blackened, or even buffalo. Alfredo can accommodate several flavor variations so don’t be afraid to try different seasonings.
- Don’t over cook the tortellini. It can get very mushy and become less edible.
- If your sauce is too thin, you can add additional Parmesan cheese or add a rue of 1 tablespoon cool water mixed with 1 tablespoon flour. The mixture should thicken the sauce without making lumps.
Other pasta recipes you may like
My family started eating this broccoli and tortellini Alfredo when my boys started to transition from mac and cheese to more adult pasta.
If you want a pasta that can add some veggies to your kid’s diet, you should try it tonight.
If you love pasta as much as I do, you should check out these other pasta recipes sure to delight the whole family:
If you’ve tried this CREAMY ALFREDO TORTELLINI WITH BROCCOLI, or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!
Creamy Alfredo Tortellini with Broccoli
Ingredients
- 6 cups broccoli florets roughly chopped
- 1 12 oz pkg refrigerated cheese tortellini
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1/2 white onion diced
- 3 tsp minced garlic
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 cups half & half
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese plus extra for garnish
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Steam the broccoli, just until fork tender. Set aside.
- Cook the tortellini according to the package directions. Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water, and drain the rest. Set aside.
- While the pasta's cooking, begin the sauce by melting the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Stir in the onion, and let it cook until tender. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking for roughly two minutes or until fragrant.
- Stir the half & half into the skillet, and allow the mixture to come to a simmer. Allow the mixture to simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Reduce the heat to low, and stir in the Parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted.
- Add the reserved pasta water, and stir until it's incorporated into the sauce. Allow the sauce to thicken, stirring as needed.
- Add the cooked pasta & broccoli to the skillet, tossing gently to coat.
- Season with salt & pepper, to taste, and serve. Top with extra shredded Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Notes
- I recommend fork tender broccoli, but you can cook it a bit longer for a softer texture or just blanche it if you prefer.
- To change the flavor slightly, you can experiment with adding chicken or shrimp with different seasonings like Cajun, blackened, or even buffalo. Alfredo can accommodate several flavor variations so don't be afraid to try different seasonings.
- Don't over cook the tortellini. It can get very mushy and become less edible.
- If your sauce is too thin, you can add additional Parmesan cheese or add a rue of 1 tablespoon cool water mixed with 1 tablespoon flour. The mixture should thicken the sauce without making lumps.
Nutrition
recipe adapted from Spicy Southern Kitchen
