Classic Cheese tortellini with prosciutto and peas in a Parmesan cream sauce is a quick and delicious weeknight comfort food Italian dinner.
Cheese tortellini is comfort food alone but, add this delicious Parmesan cream sauce, starchy peas and salty prosciutto and you have a tasty comfort food pasta you’ll want to eat again and again. It’s an authentic Italian, classic pasta dish!
It’s also great in soup. Try my Spinach and Tortellini Soup with Sausage!
What’s more is that this pasta dinner is ready in just 20 minutes with a few basic ingredients, making it a great weeknight dinner.
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Tortellini alla Panna Recipes
Store-bought Tortellini
I used a specialty tortellini from an Italian store who makes their own pasta to make this recipe but, you can certainly use store-bought tortellini. If you use fresh tortellini instead of frozen, it will cook in much less time.
Cream Sauce
“Panna” is the Italian word for cream. The cream sauce in this recipe makes it rich and even more filling than the cheese-filled pasta.
Parmesan Cheese
I use 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese in this recipe but, you could use less if you prefer. I like the flavor it adds but, Parmesan cheese is optional in the classic recipe.
Heavy Cream
You’ll need 2/3 cup of heavy whipping cream for this recipe. The fresher the cream, the better this dish will taste.
Pasta Water
Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining the tortellini to add to the cream sauce. It’ll make it a little more creamier.
This easy and TASTY dinner comes together quickly with little prepping making it the perfect weeknight dinner when you’re tired and just want to eat. Plus, you don’t need a big portion to feel full. It’ll last 3-4 days in your refrigerator.
Prosciutto
Ask the deli counter person to cut you a 1/2 inch slice of prosciutto. It’ll likely weigh about 1/4 of a pound and be enough for this recipe.
You’ll cut it into small 1/2 inch cubes as seen above. If you can’t find prosciutto, you can use cooked ham instead.
Star by cooking the chopped onions in the oil for three minutes and then adding the prosciutto, peas, salt and pepper to taste. Cook five minutes or until the sweet peas are tender.
Then, add the cream, pasta water and Parmesan cheese. Cook a few more minutes and then add the tortellini and cook a couple of minutes longer to reheat the tortellini.
This classic Italian pasta dish is not only delicious comfort food, it’s also easy-to-make with few ingredients. This dish can be great pasta dish for parties because it’s easy to make ahead.
You may also like
Creamy Garlic Chicken and Broccoli Tortellini
Spinach and Tortellini Soup with Sausage
See more Italian recipes.
Tortellini alla Panna with Prosciutto and Peas Recipe
Ingredients
- 16 oz frozen cheese tortellini
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 1/4 lb prosciutto, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (or substitute cooked ham)
- 1/2 cup onion, chopped
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
- 1/2 cup pasta water
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- First, cook tortellini (16 oz) according to package directions and drain but, reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
- Meanwhile, add oil (2 tbsp) and onions (1/2 cup) to a large frying pan and cook for 3 minutes on high heat.
- Next, add peas (1/2 cup,) prosciutto (1/4 lb,) salt and pepper to taste. Cook 5 minutes or until peas are cooked through.
- Then, add heavy cream (2/3 cup,) parmesan cheese (1/4 cup,) and pasta water (1/2 cup) and stir. Continue to cook five more minutes.
- Last, add the cooked and drained tortellini to the cream mixture and stir. Cook two more minutes to reheat tortellini.
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