This delicious Basil Pesto Tortellini cooks in just a few minutes in the Instant Pot or on the stove. It's a versatile meal even my kids can put together on a school night! Simply cook and toss store-ready tortellini with homemade pesto (or store-bought), and enjoy!
This Basil Pesto Tortellini recipe (also known as pasta al pesto) is a two-step meal that can be prepared in a matter of minutes with this easy homemade pesto, or your favorite store-bought pesto.
It's creamy, satisfying and with a few tips and tricks, you will have this vibrant pesto tortellini on the table in less than 30 minutes.
My girls simply adore this, and I love it since it's a delicious and nutritious way to get in more greens. Sometimes, I sneak in a handful of spinach in the pesto to bump up the greens!
Whether you serve it as a quick and easy weeknight meal for the family or a simple dinner for two, this basil pesto tortellini recipe is pleasing to the eye and palate.
Easy Instant Pot Recipe for Pesto Tortellini
My girls love to cook this Basil Pesto Pasta. They prefer making it in the Instant Pot because it allows them to set-it and forget-it. Here are a few more reasons why they love this recipe:
- No babysitting a large pot of boiling water on the stovetop.
- No more starchy water foaming over on the stovetop.
- Following a simple formula, they can use this recipe for any shape of pasta, and get perfectly cooked pasta every time!
Ingredients For Basil Pesto Pasta Recipe
Two ingredients are all you need to reach pesto pasta bliss. You will need:
- Tortellini: You can use fresh tortellini, which can be found in the refrigerated food section of supermarkets, or dried, shelf stable tortellini- the choice is up to you!
- These days you can find a variety of filling choices as well- cheese, spinach, herbs etc, all will work here.
- You can also substitute the tortellini for any kind of pasta you like. Simply adjust the cooking time of this pasta by following this Instant Pot Pasta Cooking time chart.
- Pesto: A classic homemade pesto sauce is far more superior than any jarred or store-bought variety. You'll be amazed by its vibrant green color and luxurious flavor.
- You can make this 2-3 days ahead of time, top it off with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, and store it in the refrigerator in an air-tight container.
- If you're short on time, use your favorite brand of pesto. A 6-ounce jar will be sufficient for this recipe.
How Much Pesto Do You Need For A Pound Of Pasta
I typically use ¾ cup pesto for every 12 ounces of pasta (or 1 cup for every 1 pound), along with a few tablespoons of the pasta cooking water (more on this later!). This helps take the guesswork out of trying to figure out the proper pasta to pesto sauce ratio.
How Do You Use Pesto in a Jar of Pasta
Simply toss cooked pasta with the jarred pesto sauce. No need to cook it. Add a couple of tablespoons of pasta cooking water to emulsify the sauce.
How To Make Pesto Tortellini In Instant Pot
Step 1: Prepare Pesto
Homemade pesto sauce can be made in under 10 minutes and only requires a few ingredients. Here's a detailed recipe and video for Homemade Pesto. In a nutshell, this is how I make it:
- Simply add olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and pine nuts to your blender (steps 1-4).
- Continue by adding cheese, salt, pepper and basil (steps 5-7).
- Blend for about 30 seconds, scraping down the sides of the blender halfway through (step 8).
If you don't have time to make pesto sauce from scratch, your favorite store-bought pesto will do. It's still a delicious weeknight meal and certainly better for you (and cheaper!) than ordering a take-out meal.
Step 2: Cook Tortellini and Toss in Sauce
- Add tortellini to the pressure cooker pot. Add 2 cups water along with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and seal.
- Cook on pressure cook or Manual at high pressure for 3 minutes. When pressure cooking is complete, perform an Intermittent Quick Release (see details below). Open the lid once the pin drops.
- Reserve about ½ cup starchy cooking water, then drain the pasta and transfer it to a large serving bowl.
- Toss the tortellini in a large bowl with the pesto, adding a few tablespoons of the starchy cooking water until your desired consistency is reached. For best results stir vigorously for 1-2 minutes. That helps emulsify the sauce and makes it creamy (steps 3-4).
How To Release Pressure When Cooking Pasta - Intermittent Quick Release
Sometimes a quick pressure release can create a big mess if the starchy pasta water sprays out of the pressure knob.
To avoid that, I release the pressure in bursts. Which means, I press down (Ultra model), or rotate the pressure knob (Duo model) gently to release pressure 1-2 seconds at a time, then stop.
I repeat this until most of the pressure has released and its intensity has gone down. After that, when I do a full release of pressure, nothing squirts out of the knob.
Stovetop Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and liberally season with salt. Add the tortellini and cook according to the package directions until al dente, or with a slight bite in the center. Reserve about ½ cup of the pasta cooking water.
- Drain and toss in a large bowl with the pesto, adding a few tablespoons of the pasta cooking water until your desired consistency is reached. For best results and a creamy sauce, stir vigorously for 1-2 minutes.
What Goes Well With Pesto Tortellini
Once the pesto is tossed with the warm pasta, all the work is done! Here are some additions and toppings that compliment the pesto pasta and make this easy meal a bit more interesting:
- Halved grape or cherry tomatoes - a classic pairing in Italy!- simply toss them with hot tortellini and pesto sauce. They soften just a bit and provide a nice acidic contrast to the creamy and nutty pesto paste.
- Toasted pine nuts- a classic and flavorful topping.
- Fresh chopped basil- a must for basil lovers.
- Freshly grated Parmigiana-Reggiano cheese- adds more richness to this delicious dish
- Grilled chicken, salmon, tuna, shrimp or roasted vegetables.
- Or simply serve this dish with garlic bread.
Can I Eat Pesto Pasta Cold?
Yes, this basil pesto pasta makes a great make-ahead dish to enjoy right from the fridge throughout the week.
It's also wonderful to bring to summer parties and picnics when fresh basil is in peak season. Serve it as a cold pasta salad side dish with family and friends.
Storing, Freezing & Meal Prep
Storing and Freezing: Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, or in the freezer for up to a month.
Reheating: To reheat, add a few tablespoons of water to loosen the sauce and microwave for 1-2 minutes.
Meal Prep: This recipe is a great addition to my meal prep routine. I prepare the pesto and cook the tortellini ahead of time and store them separately in the refrigerator or freezer.
If frozen, I thaw both in the refrigerator overnight. When ready to eat, you can warm the tortellini in the microwave for a minute, along with a few tablespoons of water, then toss the pesto with it. Alternatively, you can skip warming it and eat it cold.
Try a Variation: What Kind Of Pasta Is Best For Pesto Pasta
You can substitute the tortellini for any kind of pasta you like. Simply adjust the cooking time of this pasta by following this Instant Pot Pasta Cooking time chart. Some of my favorites include:
- Long Noodles: Any type of long noodle pasta will do, such as spaghetti, bucatini, linguine or fettuccine - note that you must break the long pasta in half and lay it in a criss cross pattern. Simply spread half of it width-wise in the sauce, then layer the remaining half vertically on top.
- Shaped Pasta: For even more flair, try any shaped, short-grain pasta such as penne, rigatoni, farfalle or fusilli.
- Filled Pasta: Ravioli (large or mini) adds another level of flavor in this dish
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Do not heat the pesto. This will ruin the flavor, color and texture of your finished sauce. The residual heat from the cooked tortellini will be enough to heat the pesto through.
- Reserve about ½ cup of the pasta cooking water. This is the secret many Italian chefs use when cooking any pasta entree. A few tablespoons of the starchy cooking water not only helps thin out the pesto sauce, but if stirred vigorously for 1-2 minutes, the starch naturally emulsifies with the sauce, creating a luxurious, creamy consistency.
- Release Pressure by performing an Intermittent Quick Release: To prevent the starchy pasta water from spraying through the pressure knob, I release the pressure in bursts. Pressure knob gently for 1-2 seconds at a time, then stop. I repeat this until most of the pressure has released and its intensity has gone down. After that, when I do a full release of pressure, nothing squirts out of the knob.
- Wash the lid and clean the pressure valve of the Instant Pot after cooking the pasta. Since the pasta starch and scum may have caused a blockage in the Instant Pot, this could affect the next cooking cycle. Make sure to wash it out with warm, soapy water.
- Switch the tortellini for your favorite pasta shape by following this Instant Pot Pasta Cooking time chart.
- To prepare this recipe for meal prep, you can prepare the pesto and cook the tortellini ahead of time and store them separately in the refrigerator. When ready to eat, you can warm the tortellini in the microwave for a minute, along with a few tablespoons of water, then toss the pesto with it. Alternatively, you can skip warming it and eat it cold.
Common Questions for Pesto Tortellini
I do not recommend heating the pesto sauce on the stovetop prior to tossing. Pesto is meant to be a raw sauce and the residual heat from the pasta will naturally heat it through. If you heat the pesto, it will alter the flavor, color and texture.
Pecorino Romano or Grana Padano have similar salty and nutty flavors and can be used instead of Parmesan cheese in pesto.
For a dairy-free alternative, simply substitute the parmesan with extra nuts in your pesto. Slivered almonds, walnuts, cashews and pine nuts make for a great substitute.
Being a stuffed pasta that's tossed in a herb sauce, this pesto tortellini is a complete meal by itself. But if you like to pair it with sides, a simple garden salad dressed with vinaigrette, or garlic bread would be make a good side dish.
Yes, you can use either of those in this recipe. Simply follow the package directions for cooking. I personally prefer the taste of fresh tortellini that's found in the cheese aisle of most supermarkets.
Yes, in my opinion, I believe pesto sauce is healthy. Although it can be high in fat, the nutrient benefits from fresh basil, olive oil and pine nuts far outweigh the calorie count.
More Pasta Recipes From My Kitchen
- Broccoli Cheddar Pasta - Instant Pot
- Taco Pasta - Instant Pot/Stovetop (Vegetarian)
- Instant Pot Goulash Recipe
- Ravioli Lasagna
- Instant Pot Chicken Lo Mein (Yup, I make this with spaghetti!)
- More Instant Pot Pasta Recipes
More Italian Recipes From My Kitchen
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30-Minute Pesto Tortellini
Equipment
Ingredients
Pesto
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice adjust to taste
- 1 clove garlic (small clove)
- ⅓ cup pine nuts
- ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese Fresh
- ¼ teaspoon salt adjust to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper preferably freshly ground
- 2 cups basil leaves (packed) gently washed and dried
Pesto Tortellini
- 10-12 oz Tortellini
- 2 cups water or more for stovetop method
- kosher salt
- ¾ cup pesto homemade or store-bought
Instructions
Prepare Pesto (Skip if using Store-bought Pesto)
- Add the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and pine nuts to your blender. Add the cheese, salt, pepper and basil leaves.
- Tightly seal the lid and blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. If necessary, stop the blender and scrape down the sides with a silicone spatula halfway through.
Cook Tortellini ONE of two ways:
Instant Pot Cooking Instructions
- Add tortellini to the pressure cooker pot. Add 2 cups water along with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and close the lid.
- Cook on pressure cook or Manual at high pressure for 3 minutes. When pressure cooking is complete, perform an Intermittent Quick Release, which means release pressure in bursts. Open the lid once the pin drops.
- Reserve about ½ cup starchy cooking water, then drain the pasta and transfer it to a large serving bowl.
Stovetop Tortellini
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and liberally season with salt. Add the tortellini and cook according to the package directions until al dente, or with a slight bite in the center. Reserve about ½ cup starchy cooking water, then drain the pasta and transfer it to a large serving bowl.
Assemble Perto Tortellini
- Add pesto to the bowl. Using two large serving spoons toss the tortellini in pesto, adding a few tablespoons of the starchy cooking water until the tortellini gets coated with the pesto sauce.
Notes
- Do not heat the pesto. This will ruin the flavor, color and texture of your finished sauce. The residual heat from the cooked tortellini will be enough to heat the pesto through.
- Reserve about ½ cup of the pasta cooking water. This is the secret many Italian chefs use when cooking any pasta entree. A few tablespoons of the starchy cooking water not only helps thin out the pesto sauce, but if stirred vigorously for 1-2 minutes, the starch naturally emulsifies with the sauce, creating a luxurious, creamy consistency.
- Release Pressure by performing an Intermittent Quick Release: To prevent the starchy pasta water from spraying through the pressure knob, I release the pressure in bursts. Which means, I press the pressure knob gently to release pressure 1-2 seconds at a time, then stop. I repeat this until most of the pressure has released and its intensity has gone down. After that, when I do a full release of pressure, nothing squirts out of the knob.
- Wash the lid and clean the pressure valve of the Instant Pot after cooking the pasta. Since the pasta starch and scum may have caused a blockage in the Instant Pot, this could affect the next cooking cycle. Make sure to wash it out with warm, soapy water.
- Switch the tortellini for your favorite pasta shape by following this Instant Pot Pasta Cooking time chart.
- To prepare this recipe for meal prep, you can prepare the pesto and cook the tortellini ahead of time and store them separately in the refrigerator. When ready to eat, you can warm the tortellini in the microwave for a minute, along with a few tablespoons of water, then toss the pesto with it. Alternatively, you can skip warming it and eat it cold.
Nutrition
This recipe has been recently updated with detailed instructions, tips and recipe video.
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