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4.77 from 21 votes

Brown Butter Bacon Tortellini

Recipe from Two Peas and Their Pod

Cheese tortellini with bacon, asparagus, Parmesan cheese, and the most luxurious brown butter sauce. This simple pasta dish is a weeknight favorite!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Pasta
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: tortellini
Servings: 6
Calories: 477kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 pound cheese tortellini
  • 6 tablespoons butter, cut into tablespoon pieces
  • 6 slices bacon, chopped
  • 3/4 pound asparagus, remove tough ends and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1/3 cup freshly chopped basil
  • Crushed red pepper flakes and extra Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the tortellini and cook according to package instructions. Reserve about 1/4 cup of the starchy cooking water, then drain the pasta and set it aside.
  • In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat, stirring often, until it foams, smells nutty, and browns. This will take about 5 minutes. Scrape the browned butter into a small bowl and set aside.
  • Add the chopped bacon to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes. Add the asparagus pieces and shallot; cook for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want the bacon to be golden brown and crispy and the asparagus to be crisp, but tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  • Add the cooked tortellini to the skillet. Pour in the browned butter and stir until the pasta is well coated. Add a splash of the reserved pasta water. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and basil. Add more salt and pepper, if desired.
  • Serve warm and garnish crushed red pepper flakes and extra Parmesan cheese.

Notes

Store the leftover tortellini in the fridge for up to 4 days. 
Feel free to swap the asparagus for your favorite veggies. 

Nutrition

Calories: 477kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 699mg | Potassium: 193mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 922IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 230mg | Iron: 3mg