Stuffed with cheese or meat, this cute tiny ring or navel-shaped pasta kind of resembles a tiny croissant or a wonton, it is similar to ravioli, however the shape is fairly obviously different.
From soup to pasta, there are many ways to enjoy tortellinis because they are versatile when it comes to sauces or side dishes to pair along with.
What to eat with tortellini? Tortellinis are served in both tomato or cream-based sauces, and also pair wonderfully with meats to add protein and variety of cheese that melts easily on the dish.
To make a tortellini dish for dinner or special occasion, pair with a nice glass of medium-bodied wine. However, the wine pairing will vary based on the sauce that the tortellinis are served with.
From fresh salad to meatballs or chicken, garlic bread, and roasted vegetables, there are many ways to enjoy tortellini other than sauces.
Most people prefer tortellini with sauces, but that barely scratches the surface of the endless possibilities with this classic dish since it’s truly a blank slate. Wondering what can be paired with tortellini? Read through to find out more!
How is tortellini traditionally served?
Tortellini, especially meat tortellini, are traditionally served in broth or soup. They are also enjoyed with toppings such as cream sauce, cheese sauce, tomato sauce, or pesto sauces.
Whether it is creamy or tomato-based broth, if you are serving tortellini in a soup, add a side of garlic or olive bread.
This pasta type is mostly served during Christmas, but it is known as popular comfort food. Compared to ravioli, tortellini are traditionally stuffed with ricotta cheese that blends well with tomato-sauce or even served without sauce.
What sauce to serve with tortellini?
Due to plain and mild cheese stuffed tortellini, it goes well with all types of sauce to create simple pasta dish. It is important to toss the pasta with sauce to add taste, texture, and flavor to tortellini and ensure it’s gooey and not dry.
Classic sauces to serve with tortellini are:
- bolognese
- marinara
- ragu
- carbonara
- alfredo
- pesto
- olive oil
- asiago and parmesan cream sauce
- butter sauce
What meat goes with tortellini?
Meat can transform tortellini dishes from good to incredible in an instant. When pairing meat and tortellini, be sure to use spicy sauces to compliment the natural flavors of meat.
If you are considering to add meat to a sauce or serve as sides, here are recommended meats that goes well with tortellini:
- Beef: ground beef, flank steak, short ribs, stew meat
- Pork: ground pork, bacon, loin fillet, tenderloin, pork loin, pork chops, sausages, ham, meatballs
- Chicken: chicken breast, cutlets, thighs, rotisseries
What cheese goes with tortellini?
In general, tortellinis are filled with a three cheese blend including fresh creamy ricotta, aged parmesan, and romano. However, depending on the soup or pasta sauce, you can add additional cheese to the dish.
Cheese adds texture and flavor to tortellini. Some cheeses to use with tortellini include:
- ricotta
- romano
- parmesan
- mozzarella
- fontina
- mascarpone
- cheddar
- blue cheese
What to serve with tortellini?
Tortellini can be served with a variety of side dishes and ingredients because of its mild and subtle taste of the cheese blend covered with egg pasta noodle.
- Fruits: oranges, blueberries, pineapples, cantaloupe, honeydew melon
- Vegetables: yellow squash, zucchini, snap peas, asparagus, green beans, kale, eggplant, carrots
- Seeds: poppy seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds
- Nuts: walnuts, pine nuts
- Herbs: sage, basil, cilantro, mint, parsley, oregano
- Spices: red pepper, garlic, chili powder
- Bread: garlic bread, olive bread
- Seafood: shrimp, mussels, squid, clams, scallop
- Fish: salmon, cod, sea bass, tuna
What wine goes with tortellini?
The wine to pair with tortellini is significantly impacted by the sauce selection. Typically, tortellini pairs beautifully with a medium red wine or a bold white wine.
- Red wine with tomato-based sauce: Merlot, Rosso di Montalcino, Grenache, Sangiovese, Zinfandel
- White wine with seafood-based sauce: Chablis, Muscadet, Rose, Grenache Blanc, Pinot Grigio
- Cheese-based sauce: Pinot Noir, Pinot Bianco, Chardonnay, Riesling
Eat with Tortellini: Conclusion
The classic tortellini is a comfort food that is versatile to serve as a hearty soup or in simple pasta with your favorite sauce. Therefore, it can be enjoyed for dinner or lunch with multiple pairings made possible.
Traditionally, tortellini is served in the tomato or cream based soup. However, now days, it can be consumed as pasta or even dessert with a sweeter filling and sauce.
From meat to cheese, sauces and wines, there are many ways to serve tortellini without overpowering the dish. Choose the ingredients and sauces based on the stuffing filled inside the tortellini.
When using cheese-based tortellini, consider bold flavor sauces such as bolognese or marinara sauce to balance the taste. And if the tortellini only contains cheese and not meat, adding sausages or ground meat to the sauce for extra protein as well as give the sauce a meaty flavor.
Adding a glass of wine with tortellini is the perfect way to enjoy dinner with family and friends. Generally, tortellini pairs well with medium red wine or bold white wine, but this can vary based on tomato, seafood, or cheese-based sauce selection.
With the classic pairings listed above, you can never go wrong. Try these food and wine pairings to enjoy tortellini on your own preparation.