Easy, budget friendly, and filling, this tortellini with homemade sauce will likely have you returning for seconds…….or thirds. And, kids love it!!

Three Cheese Tortellini

My family loves pizza and pasta! Three Cheese Tortellini is an easy pasta recipe that helps break away from the typical spaghetti nights. If your spread thin and short on time, using your favorite jar of sauce will have you a quick dinner in minutes.

What Sauce Goes with Three Cheese Tortellini?

There are two types of sauce that pair well with three cheese tortellini. The first is a tomato based, red sauce. That is what we’re using in this easy pasta recipe. The second type is alfredo sauce! For a delicious Three Cheese Tortellini Alfredo Sauce, click here. You can’t go wrong with either.

Now, for a quick dinner recipe, there’s nothing wrong with using store-bought sauce from a jar. It’s hard to beat homemade sauce, though!

How to Make the Best Homemade Tomato Sauce for Three Cheese Tortellini

Add fire roasted tomatoes, a quartered onion, minced garlic, and garlic seasoned salt, and olive oil to a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, add fresh basil, and let simmer for approximately 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Be careful to not disperse the basil when stirring. To help avoid this, you can tie the basil stems together using butcher’s twine.

Remove the pot from heat, take the bundle of basil out, and dump the sauce into a blender/food processor. Blend until it reaches your desired consistency. I typically land somewhere between chunky and smooth. Return to pot and add 1-2 basil leaves and 3-4 halved garlic cloves. The chunks of garlic are a welcomed burst of flavor hidden within the tortellini. Allow to simmer on low for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Tips for the Best Tortellini Alfredo

Add Chicken. Turn this easy meal into Chicken Tortellini by adding some chopped grilled chicken breasts or some pulled chicken from your Air Fryer Whole Chicken. You can even use a rotisserie chicken from the store to keep it super simple.

Use Fresh Ingredients. As with most simple and delicious recipes, fresh ingredients are best. You’ll notice that the homemade sauce calls for fresh basil and fresh garlic cloves but don’t let it stop there. Sprinkle some fresh parmesan over the top of the pasta and garnish with some fresh chopped Italian herbs.

Other Pasta Recipes

Three Cheese Tortellini Alfredo

Slow Cooker Pasta Fagioli

One Pan Shrimp Pasta

Three Cheese Tortellini

Name: Three Cheese Tortellini
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 1
Ingredients: 1 Bag of Three Cheese Tortellini; 2 cans of fire roasted tomatoes; 1 onion quartered; 3-4 garlic cloves; 1 stem of basil (with the leaves on); 1/2 tsp minced garlic; 1 tbsp olive oil; Fresh grated parmesan cheese to taste

Easy, budget friendly, and filling, this three cheese tortellini with homemade sauce will likely have you returning for seconds…….or thirds. And, kids love it!!

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

1 Bag of Three Cheese Tortellini
2 cans of fire roasted tomatoes
1 onion quartered
3-4 garlic cloves
1 stem of basil (with the leaves on)
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
Fresh grated parmesan cheese to taste

Instructions

The Sauce:

Add 2 cans of fire roasted tomatoes, 1 onion (quartered), 1/2 tsp of minced garlic, 1 tbsp of garlic seasoned salt, and 1 tbsp of olive oil to a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, add basil (saving 1-2 leaves), and let simmer for approximately 20 minutes, stirring occasionally (be careful to not disperse the basil when stirring). Remove the pot from heat, take the basil out of the pot, and dump the sauce into a blender/food processor.. Blend until it reaches your desired consistency. I typically land somewhere between chunky and smooth. Return to pot and add 1-2 basil leaves and 3-4 halved garlic cloves. The chunks of garlic are a welcomed burst of flavor hidden within the tortellini. Allow to simmer on low for 10-15 minutes before serving.

The Pasta:

Bring 4-6 quarts of water to a boil and cook the pasta per the instructions on bag. The Barilla Tortellini says to cook for 10-11, but I tend to push it a couple minutes longer to reach my liking.

Drain pasta

Add the sauce. If you don't want to mess with making your own sauce, add your favorite store-bought, red pasta sauce. My number one for this dish is Mezzetta Whole Garlic and Sweet Basil. Newman’s Own Tomato & Basil is a good one, too.

Stir gently.

Serve in a bowl and cover with the desired amount of grated parmesan cheese.

Notes

Add some chopped grilled chicken tenders!