Tortellini with Mushroom Alfredo Sauce

The quality of store bough Tortellini these days, really allows everyone to cook like a star, with actually very little work.  Here I use some packaged cheese tortellini to make a simple Tortellini with Mushroom Alfredo Sauce that is tastes awesome and only takes about 30 minutes to cook.  The longest time is sautéing up the mushrooms, but it’s time well spent, as you end up with a sauce that has a great earthy flavor, so much more complex than a traditional alfredo.  And for the mushroom lover, it can’t be beat.  Give it a try and let me know how it goes.

Recipe Overview & Keys to Success 

To make the best Tortellini with Mushroom Alfredo Sauce just make sure to do the following

1. The tortelinni can cook quickly, and over cooked tortellini is bad.  So watch it carefully, and make sure to pull them out of the water when al dente, and then finish cooking them for about 30 seconds in the sauce
2. I like to cook the mushrooms for about 20 minutes over medium heat until most of the moisture is out.  That condenses the flavor, and I think gives them a slightly chewy, meaty texture, which I really like
3. Finally, alfredo sauce made this way tends to thicken quickly as it cools, so I err on the side of too thin in the pan, knowing that after a couple minutes on the plate, it will thicken up to the perfect consistency - otherwise it may just clump up on you.

• 1 lb packaged cheese tortellini
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 cup diced crimini (brown) mushrooms
• 1 pint heavy cream
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

• Bring a large saute pan to temp over medium heat and coat the bottom with olive oil
• Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine
• Continue to saute the mushrooms, tossing every few minutes until they are browned, and most of the moisture in them has evaporated
• While cooking the mushroom heat a pot of salted water to the boil
• Once the mushrooms are cooked, and add 3/4s of the cream
• Drop the tortellini into the water, and cook per the directions; however, I like to take them out generally about 1 minute early to ensure they are al dente
• Manage the heat over the cream sauce so it continues to simmer, reducing by about 25% by the time the tortellini is cooked - it’s better to over reduce the cream, as you can always add some water to thin it back out
• Right before you drain the tortellini, add the parmesan cheese, a pinch of salt, and several grinds of fresh ground black pepper; string both in
• Once drained, add the tortellini to the mushroom alfredo sauce, now over high heat, and toss gently to combine for 1 - 2 minutes
• If needed you can add a bit more cream or even water to thin the sauce (remember it will thicken as it cools).
• Taste to check for seasoning, adjust and then plate up
• You can garnish with a bit more parmesan cheese, or even some finely chopped parsley

Let’s admit it, this recipe has a good amount of fat between the cream and the cheese.  That, combined with the mushrooms, makes it perfectly acceptable to match a red with this dish, and I’d go for a California Pinot Noir.  It’s a favorite of mine to pair with mushrooms, and should have the structure to stand up to the richness of this recipe.