Cheese Tortelloni with Pesto {3 Ingredients}

The three ingredients you need to pick up from the grocery store or add to your Costco shopping list. You can likely find everything at your grocery store or even Aldi, too:

1. Prepared Cheese Tortelloni: I buy the 2-pack at Costco, but any cheese tortellini will work.
2. Prepared Jar of Pesto: The Kirkland pesto is absolutely delicious and is a staple in our fridge. One jar lasts us a long time. You can use any prepared pesto from your grocery or make homemade pesto if you prefer.
3. Cherry Tomatoes: You can also use grape tomatoes. Any bite-sized tomato is perfect.

From your pantry, you'll add a little olive oil and if you desire, a little grated parmesan sprinkled over the top.

Prep the Tomatoes

We are obsessed with roasted tomatoes as a side dish in our family. I add them to so many meals because they take almost no time to prepare.

Once roasted, the tomatoes get extra sweet. I swear they're tastier than candy.

Line a baking sheet with foil. Add the tomatoes and drizzle olive oil over the top.

Gently toss the tomatoes in oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and pop in the oven at 425°F for 10 minutes.

Prep the Cheese Tortelloni

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil and add the cheese tortelloni.

Tortelloni cook very quickly, in just 2 minutes, but you want to be sure that the water is a vigorous boil like this:

The pasta will float to the top. I use my cooking spoon to gently stir them and make sure the tortelloni at the top get a chance to be submerged in the hot water.

Drain the pasta after just 2 minutes, don't let it overcook or it will get mush. Set aside.

Prep the Pesto

You would think that a prepared pesto could just be added to the pasta but if you're not careful and the pot is too hot, the pesto turns an unsightly brown color.

I have found that if I add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pasta pot while it is off the burner and away from direct heat and then stir in the pesto, it stays a beautiful green color.

Stir the pesto into the oil and then add the drained tortelloni to the pot.

Gently stir them together so you don't break apart the tortelloni.

Assemble the Dish

By now the tomatoes are likely done roasting. You know the tomatoes are perfect when they have a slightly wrinkled appearance and have just burst like this:

Scoop a serving of cheese tortelloni into a bowl and then top with a serving of the roasted tomatoes.

Variations

This ridiculously easy dinner gives you so much room to play and make the dish your own.

Easy variations you could make to switch things up include:

1. Sausage Tortellini or Other Flavors: Any flavor of tortellini you love will work in this dish. Chicken, prosciutto, sausage, spinach, would all be delicious.
2. Roasted Vegetables: Roasted some veggies this week and have some leftovers in the fridge? Leftover roasted peppers and onions or broccoli would be amazing.
3. Baby Spinach: Add a handful or two of baby spinach to the tortellini when you stir it into the pesto. The spinach will wilt down.
4. Leftover Chicken or Other Meat: Have some leftover chicken, sausage, pork, or shrimp? You can add a little protein to the dish. Warm it up in the microwave before stirring it in or add it to the pesto to warm through before you add the pasta. Or you could try this tuna pesto pasta instead.

And if you really love the flavor of chicken and pesto together, don't miss my easy chicken pesto sandwich recipe.

More Easy Pasta Recipes

If you want more easy pasta recipes you can cook even on the busiest nights, don't miss my favorite lemon butter pasta with chives or the easy chicken bologonese.

The creamy pesto chicken casserole is a great way to use leftover pesto from your Costco jar and this pasta rosa with sausage is one of my kids' very favorite dishes to cook for us.