Tortellini with Rosemary-Tomato Sauce

This is a quick, easy meal that’s perfect for an evening when you just don’t feel like eating meat. The sauce is different from a traditional red pasta sauce. It’s light, fragrant and flavored with just enough butter and cream to give it a rich consistency without being heavy. Use a good brand of either dried or refrigerated tortellini to keep the dish light. Serve with a salad of field greens tossed with a lemon vinaigrette for a complete meal.

Tortellini with Rosemary-Tomato Sauce

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Cheese tortellini with a sauce of tomatoes, fresh rosemary, sweet onions and a bit of cream makes a light but satisfying meatless meal.

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time : 20 minutes mins

Total Time : 30 minutes mins

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Ingredients 

• 12- ounces cheese tortellini, see notes
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium sweet onion, quartered and thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 cups diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1/4 cup half-and-half
• 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped (see notes)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions 

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil for the tortellini.
• Heat the butter and olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft and translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking until fragrant, 1 minute longer.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the water. Cover and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly caramelized, about 5 minutes longer. If necessary, add a little more water to keep the onions from browning.
• Raise the heat to medium, add the tomatoes and 1 tablespoon of the rosemary. Allow to heat through, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Taste and add more rosemary if desired. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Stir in the half-and-half and keep warm.
• Cook the tortellini according to the package directions. Drain and divide among 4 shallow bowls. Top with the sauce and add a bit of freshly ground black pepper and a short sprig of fresh rosemary for garnish if desired.

Recipe Notes

About the tortellini: We find that a mild-flavored, 3-cheese variety makes the best choice for this dish. Tortellini made with a single, sharp cheese tend to compete with the flavor of the rosemary in the sauce.

About the rosemary: Fresh rosemary can vary in flavor intensity, so start with a tablespoon, let the sauce cook for a minute or two, then add more if desired. We used the full 2 tablespoons, but our rosemary leaves were very tender and not overly strong. If necessary, you can substitute 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried rosemary for the fresh.

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