Tortellini alla Panna

Tortellini alla Panna a comforting and rich Italian dish made with Tortellini pasta in a good creamy parmesan sauce. This recipe is easy and takes 15 minutes to make. Grab a glass of vino and dig in!

Usually, they're served as they are or with the addition of peas for a little freshness.

This is a rich and indulgent pasta recipe but it's insanely good and the kind of meal you make every now and then when you want something quick and extra comforting.

Serve it with a glass of vino rosso and an espresso for afterwards!

See the recipe below including notes on ingredients, step by step photos, tips, variations and a video tutorial. For the full printable recipe scroll to the bottom or click the recipe link below.

Ingredients you need

See the photo below that shows you everything you need to make Tortellini alla Panna plus some key notes on the ingredients!

• Tortellini – you can use fresh or frozen tortellini. Traditionally they're filled with meat (carne) and that's the filling we used for this recipe but other fillings will also work.
• Heavy cream – (double cream UK) don't use a low-fat cream.
• Frozen peas – you can use fresh if you like but frozen are easy and convenient.
• Garlic – fresh garlic is a must, don't use powder.
• Nutmeg – a pinch adds a lovely flavour to the cream although it's optional so you can skip it if you want.
• Parmigiano Reggiano – finely grate the cheese so it melts into the sauce quickly. Always grate it yourself and avoid pre-grated cheese.
• Olive oil – for frying the garlic, you could use butter instead.

How to make Tortellini alla Panna step by step

Preparation tips!

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a generous amount of salt.
• Grate the Parmigiano Reggiano so it's ready to be added to the sauce.

Step 1) Add a little olive oil to a frying pan and add the garlic. Fry until fragrant but don't let it brown (photo 1).

Step 2) Next, add the cream and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, turn it down to a slow simmer. Add the peas, cheese, nutmeg and a pinch of salt and pepper (photos 2-4).

Step 3) Add the tortellini to the boiling water and cook according to packet instructions (usually around 1 minute). Once cooked, add to the cream sauce. Turn off the heat and stir to coat in the sauce (photos 5 & 6).

Recipe tips and FAQs

• Variations – common additions are peas, cubbed prosciutto cotto (ham) or sliced mushrooms. You can also add extra Parmigiano Reggiano to taste.
• Tortellini or Tortelloni – if you can't find Tortellini you can also use Tortelloni which are similar but bigger in size.
• Reserve pasta water – it's a good idea to reserve about 1/2 cup (120ml) of pasta water in case you need to adjust the consistency of the sauce (you won't need it all).
• Keep the heat low – once the cream comes to a boil turn the heat down low so it's slowly simmering. If it's too hot it can overboil or thicken too quickly.

Should we use fresh or frozen tortellini?

You can use either, follow the packet instructions for cooking times.

Can we freeze this?

No, we don't recommend freezing it's best served immediately.

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Ingredients

Makes 6 servings

• 1.1 pounds Tortellini (fresh or frozen (500g))
• 2 cups heavy cream ((480ml))
• 1 clove garlic (crushed)
• 3/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano ((50g))
• 1 cup frozen peas ((145g))
• small Pinch nutmeg
• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and pepper (to season)

Method

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a generous amount of salt.

2. Add the olive oil and crushed garlic to a large frying pan or skillet. Heat on a medium heat and fry the garlic for around 1 minute until fragrant (don't let it brown).

3. Next, add the cream and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to a low simmer and add the peas, Parmigiano Reggiano, nutmeg and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

4. Add the tortellini to the boiling water and cook according to packet instructions (usually around 1 minute).

5. Keep the sauce slowly simmering, stirring every now and then so a skin doesn't form. The sauce should be thickening.

6. Once the tortellini are ready, reserve around ½ cup (120ml) of pasta water then drain the tortellini and add them to the sauce. Turn off the heat and stir to toss them in the sauce, if you find the consistency a little too thick you can add a splash of reserved pasta water to loosen it.

7. Serve in bowls topped with a little more black pepper and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.

Kitchen notes

• Variations common additions are peas, cubbed prosciutto or sliced mushrooms. You can also add extra Parmigiano Reggiano to taste.
• Tortellini or Tortelloni if you can't find Tortellini you can also use Tortelloni which are similar but bigger in size
• Leftovers and freezing this recipe is best served straight away. Leftovers do not keep well and we do not recommend freezing.