Pesto Alfredo Tortellini

Name: Pesto Alfredo Tortellini Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 20 oz refrigerated three cheese tortellini; Salt; 1/3 cup prepared homemade pesto; 2 Tbsp butter; 2 large clove of garlic; 1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream; 3/4-1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese; ½ cup dry Parmesan cheese*; 2 Tbsp sour cream; Salt and fresh cracked black pepper; 1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese; More fresh grated Parmesan for topping

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Pesto Alfredo Tortellini is so comforting and easy to make in just 30 minutes! Cheese tortellini is tossed in a cheesy, creamy homemade pesto Alfredo sauce that’s deliciously vibrant.

Enjoy more comforting recipes like Pesto Pasta and Fettuccine Alfredo.

Pesto Alfredo Tortellini in a bowl scooped onto a fork.

Table of Contents

I love pesto all year round, but especially during the summertime! It’s just so wonderfully vibrant and freshly flavored. This pesto tortellini is a great comfort food for when you want something rich, creamy and cheesy, but still bright enough to enjoy on a warm summer evening.

Another huge reason to love this tortellini recipe is the simplicity of it. The list of ingredients is delightfully short and the steps really couldn’t be more simple. It’s a fabulous pasta recipe, even if you’re just learning how to cook! Serve it to your family on a weeknight or for friends on the weekend – it always delights and impresses.

As much as I love pesto all by itself, something pretty magical happens when you combine it with homemade Alfredo sauce. This tortellini recipe is supremely cheesy, creamy, and bold. Everything you love about fresh pesto combined with creamy Alfredo? Yes, please!

Ingredient Notes

Labeled ingredients for pesto alfredo tortellini on a wood surface.

Heavy Whipping Cream – For the best rich and creamy Alfredo sauce, it’s best to use heavy whipping cream and nothing with lower fat content (like half and half). I really do NOT recommend substituting it.

Butter – I recommend using unsalted butter. That way, you can better control how much sodium is in your dish.

Parmesan Cheese – A combination of fresh grated and pre-grated is ideal for the flavor and the consistency of the Alfredo sauce. Freshly grated Parmesan cheese melts like a dream, but pre-grated Parmesan will add a slightly different texture.

Mozzarella Cheese – For the very best consistency, this cheese should be freshly grated off the block.

Garlic – I recommend not adding too much garlic because you don’t want it to overpower the other ingredients. Note that pesto already has garlic in it as well.

Pesto – For the very best flavor, consider making my favorite Homemade Pesto! It takes just a few minutes to make and has the most incredible fresh flavor.

See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.

How to Make Pesto Alfredo Tortellini

Collage of four images of making alfredo sauce in a pot.

Cook the tortellini. Cook tortellini in a large pot with some salted water according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

Sauté the garlic. In a small sauce pot, melt butter over medium heat and add pressed garlic (1).

Make it creamy. Sauté until fragrant (just a few seconds) and slowly add heavy cream WHILE whisking (2). Heat through on medium heat, keep stirring slowly.

Add final sauce ingredients. Add the sour cream, Parmesan cheeses, salt and pepper (3). Keep cooking on medium-low heat for about 5-7 minutes, stirring often, until all smooth (4).

Collage of two images mixing pesto together with tortellini and then adding cheese and alfredo sauce to the pot.

Add the pesto. In the pot where you cooked the tortellini, add pesto and mix well (5).

Finish it off. Add Alfredo sauce and Mozzarella cheese (6).

Mixing pesto alfredo in a pan with the tortellini with a plastic spoon.

Stir. Stir everything together and serve immediately (7).

scooping pesto alfredo tortellini out of the pan with a wooden spoon.

Tips for the Best Pesto Alfredo Tortellini

Use heavy whipping cream! It’s the best option to use for the comforting, rich, creamy and delicious Alfredo sauce.
Use fresh grated parmesan cheese and some pre-grated parmesan cheese. The combination is so satisfying!
You can cook the tortellini while preparing the sauce. That way, the whole dish will only take 15-20 minutes.
DO NOT bring the cream to boil! Cook over medium to medium-low heat. It’s okay to bring the cream to a low and slow simmer, but you’ll need to turn the heat down right away.
For the very best results, use Homemade Pesto! However, if you need to save time, you can get a store-bought jar. Just make sure you get one that you already know you like the flavor of. Store-bought pesto often don’t taste the best and will affect the taste of the dish.

Storing and Reheating

Let your pesto Alfredo tortellini fully cool to room temperature prior to storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Properly stored, it’ll keep for about 3-4 days.

Reheat your leftovers in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring each time it stops, until warmed all the way through. This microwave method works best for individual portions.

To reheat the entire dish, I recommend tossing it back into a pot over medium-low heat and stirring often until warmed back up. If pasta soaked up too much sauce, you can add a little milk to re-invigorate the sauce.

Using a wooden spoon to scoop up some of the pesto alfredo tortellini in a pot.

Recipe FAQs

How can I make this tortellini dish gluten free?

Luckily, I have seen gluten free tortellini at quite a few stores, so yes – you can certainly make this dish gluten free! The Alfredo sauce in this recipe does not have any flour, so it’s already gluten free, as is the pesto. I always recommend that you double check the ingredients listed on your products to make sure.

Can I substitute the heavy whipping cream?

Heavy whipping cream is the best option for a rich and creamy Alfredo sauce. If you’re in a bind, you can use half and half but it will be slightly thinner and not as rich. To make the sauce thicker when using half and half, add about 1/2 tbsp of flour while whisking the melted butter and garlic. You can also use a little more parmesan cheese. Don’t use anything less rich than half and half!

Can I add chicken?

Of course! Feel free to add leftover meats like chicken, turkey, ham or seared steak. You can also use rotisserie chicken and mix it right into the dish. If you feel like adding some veggies, chopped broccoli florets would be great here.

pesto alfredo tortellini in a bowl and adding parmesan cheese on top.

More Comforting Pasta Recipes To Try

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Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles in January 2019.

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