Cheese Tortellini in Garlic Butter Sauce

Piping hot Cheese Tortellini served in a simple, delicious garlic butter sauce. Double the batch because everyone is going to love it!

All of my best memories are intertwined with food.
“Event XYZ happened, and this is what we ate that day.”
Is this how everyone is, or is it just me?

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I first tried Cheese Tortellini in garlic butter back in 2004 at a Pampered Chef party. It’s not that I went on to build a Pampered Chef business or that I made life-long friends at that party. I don’t even recall if I bought any products that day.
What I DO remember, with perfect clarity, is the food.
This was right at the start of my own personal food renaissance when I began to realize the power of good food. I knew I would be able to connect with people if I served a delicious appetizer such as this one, and I’ve been using food to make friends ever since.

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I like this recipe because flavors are infused all across the board.  It only takes minutes to prepare but tastes like something you’d get at an Italian restaurant.
Although I typically purchase low-sodium chicken broth and unsalted butter, this particular recipe tasted a little off when I tested with those ingredients.  So, in this one instance I do not recommend the low-sodium options.  If that’s what you have, just add a little salt to the finished dish until it tastes perfect.
You can also easily make this dish vegetarian. Just use vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth.

Cheese Tortellini in Garlic Butter Sauce

Piping hot Cheese Tortellini served in a simple, delicious garlic butter sauce. Double the batch because everyone is going to love it!

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 576 kcal

Ingredients

• 32 ounces chicken broth divided
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 (16 ounce) package frozen cheese tortellini
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese for garnish
• Minced fresh parsley for garnish, optional

Instructions

1. In a large pot, bring 2 ½ cups broth to a boil. Add cheese tortellini. Return to a boil and cook about 5 minutes. The tortellini will float to the top when cooked and the internal temperature should be 165ºF for at least 15 seconds. Drain completely.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together remaining 1 ½ cups broth with corn starch. In a large non-stick skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat until foaming. Stir in garlic and basil and cook about 2 minutes.
3. Add broth-cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil; simmer until the mixture thickens. Add the cooked tortellini to the skillet and toss to coat.
4. Pour into a serving dish and garnish with Parmesan cheese and parsley, if desired.

Recipe Notes

1. To make this dish vegetarian, substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth.
2. Serves 8 as an appetizer or first course. Keep warm in a slow cooker if serving a buffet.

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