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Basil Pesto Cream with Tortellini is a fantastic dish that can be on the table in under 30 minutes.
If you’re wondering what to do with all that pesto we made earlier this week, wonder no more!
Last summer I attended a convention with my husband in Clearwater Florida. At one of the banquet dinners they served a wide variety of foods with one table filled with pasta dishes. I fell in love with the pesto cream sauce ladled over tortellini which is saying a lot because I hardly ever “like” banquet food. They had food tables positioned in the four corners of the convention hall and almost 500 people lined up to fill their plates with the huge variety. I skipped most of the food tables but did go back for seconds on the tortellini.
I’ve thought about that dish several times over the past year and finally had to make it for myself.
There is something about this recipe that I love and can’t wait to make again. Maybe it’s the fresh, bold flavor of the pesto, or the salty grated Parmesan cheese that lures me in – but whatever it is, I’m smitten. I threw in the broccoli to make this a complete meal and am thrilled with the results. I don’t mind telling you that my version is way better than the banquet recipe!
The sauce could not be more simple to make.
Half-n-half, cream or milk is combined with pesto and simmered for a few minutes until thickened. Grated Parmesan is added to the sauce along with fresh ground black pepper. Toss in the cooked tortellini and fresh steamed broccoli and dinner is ready. If you made the pesto ahead of time, you can probably put dinner on the table in under 15 minutes!
This would be a great dish to serve a crowd, like a banquet with 500 convention attendees. The cheesy tortellini holds up well in the sauce and soaks up the amazing pesto flavor without falling apart. Can you tell I like this dish? My husband and I shared this bowl and had plenty of leftovers that I devoured the next day – and it was still good!
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PRINT THE RECIPE!
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup basil pesto click HERE for recipe
- 1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese plus more for garnish
- 9 ounces cooked cheese tortellini
- 2 cups steamed broccoli florets
- Fresh grated black pepper
- Cook tortellini according to package directions. Set aside to drain.
- Combine the half-and-half, butter and pesto in a large skillet. Heat until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Add 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese and stir until melted and combined.
- Remove from the heat and season with ground pepper. Toss the sauce with the cooked broccoli and drained tortellini.
- Serve immediately garnished with additional Parmesan if desired.
Whole milk or heavy cream can be substituted for the half-and-half. If using cream, omit the butter, if using milk, add another tablespoon of unsalted butter.
adapted from a recipe on food.com
And finally, I found a visitor in my garden enjoying dinner – but she wasn’t eating our vegetables … so no garden-to-table post today!
Praying Mantis are such an amazing insect and the females are quite ruthless. They actually eat the males after mating – so … yeah. There’s that. Praying Mantis have very strong front arms used to capture their prey and then eat it alive. Hateful little things aren’t they?
She was getting tired of me bothering her while eating dinner – but how cool is that? I took these photos with a 100mm macro lens that allows you to be a little father away but still grab that closeup shot.
Hope you enjoyed the little bug lesson and this amazing recipe!
Here is a link to some of the camera equipment I use to shoot pesto and bugs, and while traveling:
The Canon 5D Mark III and the Canon 100mm Macro Lens
I also love the following lenses and often use the 50mm for the blog. The wide angle lens is my favorite for landscapes and large area photos.
The Canon 50mm and the Canon 17-40mm wide angle zoom lens
The small print: If you decide to purchase something at Amazon after following my affiliate link, I receive a small commission, at no additional cost to you, which I use to pay for web hosting and services for this blog.
Okay then – have a wonderful weekend and thank you so much for stopping by!
Tricia
Katherine | Omnivore's Cookbook says
Love basil pesto and tortellini and broccoli! I guess it’s safe to say this is my kind of dinner!
Sara says
My kids are all finally enjoying tortellini (I had one holdout for the longest time!). This looks fabulous, can’t wait to make it for dinner.
Tricia Buice says
Thank you Sara! I remember how hard it was to cook for a family when you have “holdouts!” Thanks!
Robyn @ Simply Fresh Dinners says
Such a perfect summer recipe, Tricia! So creamy and yet light and delicious – just love it! Love your shots of that praying mantis, too!
I love my little nifty fifty lens – it brings something special to the shot, doesn’t it?
My basil is still going wild so it’s time to cut some more for pesto. Sharing:)
Hope your weekend is fabulous!
Tricia Buice says
Thank you Robyn – I love all my lenses and with my husbands encouragement, I often try new things and that keeps me out of the rut. So happy to have found photography!
cakespy says
OMG, this is the most gorgeous thing I have seen all day! It’s just past lunch time but I am ready for dinner! 🙂
Tricia Buice says
You are so sweet! Thanks for stopping by and for commenting!
Mimi says
Banquet food is horrible! But this looks lovely. Sometimes instead of cream I use canned goat milk just for another kind of creaminess.
Tricia Buice says
I have never tried goats milk but you planted a seed now. Agreed – banquet food is yuck 🙁 Have a great weekend!
Pat says
I make this quite a bit, but never with tortalini – that takes it up a notch! In winter I add cooked greens and often peas as well (not a big broccoli fan). In summer, it makes a great cold pasta salad with a pasta that holds sauce. Can substitute mayo for the cream sauce, too. I love basil pesto!
Tricia Buice says
Pat this all sounds great!~ What a terrific addition with the mayo – I have to try it. Thank you so much.
Monica says
I can see why you and your husband love this! I’m sure it is far better than the banquet version but I thank them for inspiring you. ; ) I especially love that it even holds up as leftovers. It’s so nice to look in the fridge and have something excellent like this waiting for you.
Tricia Buice says
We like to eat well Monica – at least every now and then. Hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Larry says
Looks delicious Tricia – I don’t believe I’ve eaten creamy pesto.
Tricia Buice says
I hope you will give it a try Larry – so delicious! Happy travels 🙂
2sistersrecipes.com says
Delicious dish – easy and light! our favorite kind of meal! Have a nice weekend!
Tricia Buice says
You too! Hope things are getting back to normal for you and your family. Have a lovely weekend.
[email protected]'s Recipes says
What sexy green colour! A wonderful recipe and beautiful photography, Tricia.
Tricia Buice says
Thank you Angie – have a lovely weekend!
Gerlinde & Sunnycovechef says
Cream and pesto, I love it. It’s fun to try out new recipes. Your photos are amazing , I have a lot to learn.
Tricia Buice says
Creamy pesto is wonderful Gerlinde – let me know what you think if you give it a try. Have a wonderful weekend!
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers says
Love this dish! The basil cream sauce sounds so delicious and must be lovely with the tortellini 🙂 Your bug photos are awesome, too. (And love that you featured the 17-40 lens. It’s my absolutely favourite lens ever!)
Tricia Buice says
Thanks Jennifer – do you shoot all your photos with the 17-40? I have shot some food with it but mostly travel – which I need to do more of! I adore the lens too. Thanks!
Nicole says
Any idea if Almond Milk would work instead of regular milk or half and half?
Tricia Buice says
Hi Nicole – I have not tried using almond milk but I’m intrigued! I would use the unsweetened non-vanilla almond milk. Please let us know if you try it. Since there are only a few ingredients at least this is not hard to make. Good luck!
sue | theviewfromgreatisland says
My husband’s out tonight, I’m home alone and hungry — wish I had this! Your pesto is so vibrant and beautiful 🙂
Tricia Buice says
Thanks Sue – hope you got a great dinner! Nights like that I love a bowl of cereal haha
Chris Scheuer says
This looks like a perfect summer dinner. I love traveling, being inspired by new and interesting dishes and then recreating them at home. This one definitely looks like a keeper!
Tricia Buice says
There is a lot of inspiration out there but I never thought convention food would do it for me! Haha – have a great weekend.