Cheese tortellini is one of the most delicious pasta dishes around. It’s also surprisingly easy to make at home, with just a few ingredients.
This blog post will show you how to create your cheese tortellini with a simple marinara sauce. Let’s get started!
Best Tortellini to Look for
When you want to buy tortellini, you should look for one with a relatively high amount of cheese. This is because the pasta will be cooked in boiling water, making it difficult to get enough flavor from the cheese. You want something like mozzarella or cheddar, as these are both full-bodied cheeses that won’t melt too much during cooking time.
Avoid dried tortellini that comes in a package, as these are often filled with preservatives and other artificial ingredients. Instead, try to find tortellini made from fresh pasta dough. This can be found at your local grocery store or an Italian specialist shop.
Frozen tortellini can also be a good option, but make sure you read the label carefully. Some brands add unhealthy ingredients like hydrogenated oils or high fructose corn syrup.
Making the Dough
The dough for tortellini is quite simple to make. You’ll need some flour, eggs, and a pinch of salt. Simply mix all of these ingredients in a bowl until you have a smooth texture. If the dough is too sticky, add more flour until it’s manageable.
Forming the Tortellini
Once your dough is ready, it’s time to form the tortellini. You’ll want to use a large spoon or spatula to scoop up some of the dough and then roll it into long strands about half an inch wide by five inches long (or whatever size you’d like). Next, cut each strand into small pieces about one inch wide. Then, using your thumb and pointer finger, press down in the center of each piece to create a small well. Finally, fold the edges of the dough up around the well to form a tortellini shape.
Cooking the Tortellini
Now it’s time to cook your tortellini! Fill a pot halfway with water and bring it to boil over high heat. Once boiling, add the tortellini pieces one at a time, so they don’t stick together in clumps; cook for five minutes or until al dente (soft but not mushy).
Making the Marinara Sauce
Tortellini is best served with marinara sauce, so we’ll show you how to make a really simple version. Start by mashing up some canned tomatoes with an immersion blender until they’re smooth (or chop them finely with a knife if you don’t have one). Then add salt and pepper as desired before mixing in olive oil until it reaches your desired consistency – typically, a thinner sauce is better with tortellini.
How to Prepare the Best Creamy Marinara Sauce
If you’re looking to make an even more luxurious marinara sauce, here are a few secrets to keep in mind:
• Use a good quality olive oil. This is the key ingredient that will add flavor and richness to your sauce.
• Add some butter. A small amount of unsalted butter can take your sauce up a notch.
• Use fresh herbs. Chopped parsley or basil can add a delicious aroma and flavor to your sauce.
Goat Cheese vs. Cow Cheese, Which one is Healthier?
You may have learned that goat cheese is healthier than other alternatives. It is true! This type of cheese has some advantages over others. These include;
Goat cheese is easier to digest. This cheese has a different protein structure and less lactose than cow cheese; hence, people who are allergic to lactose can digest goat cheese.
Goat cheese has more minerals and vitamins than cow cheese. Goat cheese is richer in important nutrients than cow cheese. It has more potassium, magnesium, iron, calcium, and vitamins A and B.
It has fewer calories than cow milk. Cheddar has about 155 calories, Swiss has 108 calories, and mozzarella has 85 calories per ounce, compared to Goat’s cheese which contains about 75 calories per ounce.
Can You Prepare This Meal Gluten-Free?
Yes, you can! There are great brands of gluten-free tortellini in the contemporary market. There are various alternatives in both frozen and refrigerated varieties. But you should steer away from dried tortellini.
What Can You Serve with Cheese Tortellini?
This recipe is perfect for a quick dinner. It takes about twenty minutes. You can pair it with a simple side dish. It is perfect for impressing your close relations with a tasty vegetarian feast or meatless Mondays. Besides, it can be served as a pasta side dish to chicken or baked salmon.
It may be overwhelming to find side dishes that complement cheese tortellini nutritionally or works with flavors, but it is easy to come up with one while handling the main dish. Below are some of the favorite side dishes you may select:
Asparagus: This side dish takes about five minutes to broil. It is a good source of fiber.
Broccoli
Simple salad
Cheese Tortellini with Marinara
Ingredients
- 4 oz Goat cheese log
- 8 Fresh basil leaves
- 3 cups Chopped or tightly packed spinach leaves
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 1 tsp Dried oregano
- 2 tsp Garlic powder
- 1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 28 oz Crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
- 12 to 16 oz Refrigerated or frozen cheese tortellini
Instructions
- Boil the tortellini(Frozen tortellini for about 2 to 5 minutes, fresh for about 2 to 3 minutes)
- Drain the tortellini
- Put basil leaves, spinach, kosher salt, oregano, garlic powder, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and crushed potatoes in a large skillet.
- Boil the mixture for about 10 minutes while the pasta cooks
- Then add the pasta to the skillet.
- Crumble the mixture into the goat cheese sauce
- Stir until you see a creamy formation.