Tortellini alla panna is a simple and flavorful pasta recipe that uses one of the most iconic Italian stuffed pasta - tortellini. Panna is an Italian word for cream. So Tortellini Alla Panna essentially means tortellini in cream sauce.
Traditionally tortellini are cooked and served in hot broth. Even though purists frown upon any other way of serving tortellini, there are several delicious modern Italian recipes with tortellini. This easy and comforting Tortellini Alla Panna is one of them.
With only 3 main ingredients you can whip up a delicious lunch or dinner in 10 minutes flat. All it takes is homemade or store-bought tortellini, heavy cream and Parmesan cheese and 1 or 2 seasonings like pepper and nutmeg.
Table Of Contents
Tortellini Alla Panna Origin
The origin of Tortellini alla Panna is uncertain even though a lot of sources attribute its invention to an Italian home cook Cesarina Masi from the city of Bologna in Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. She first made them in her restaurant in 1940 with fresh cream skimmed from raw milk. This dish had a huge success and became one of the most popular recipes in the postwar period in Italy.
For a good reason. Creamy sauce, Parmesan cheese provide a delicious meal that can be served quickly for either lunch or dinner.
Since then, the popularity of Tortellini Alla Panna has spread around the world. While hardcore Italians still stand by tortellini served in broth, it’s still one of the delicious recipes almost every family will make during the cold season!
Recipe Ingredients & Substitutes
- Tortellini - store-bought or homemade tortellini.
- Heavy cream - use heavy cream you get in the refrigerated dairy aisle at the grocery store. Avoid ultra-pasteurized heavy cream that doesn’t require refrigeration, its taste is very different.
- You can also use whipping cream in a carton box (not in pressurized cans!) to reduce a little bit of calories and fat.
- Parmesan cheese - freshly grated Parmesan cheese is best but you can use whichever you have available.
- Extra virgin olive oil - can be substituted with an equal amount of butter.
- Nutmeg, pepper, salt for seasoning.
Tortellini Alla Panna Add-Ons
This is the most classic recipe of tortellini alla panna that you can further build on. Keep in mind that tortellini have a rich flavor all on their own due to the meat filling, so any extra add-ons should be used in moderation.
Some of the most classic variations for tortellini alla panna:
- Onion - simple onion or shallot added in the pan when you start making a sauce adds a little extra flavor.
- Prosciutto cotto - cooked prosciutto or best quality ham cut in cubes.
- Peas - fresh or frozen green peas or a combination of prosciutto and peas.
- Mushrooms - a cup of sliced fresh or frozen mushrooms and cream sauce is another great alternative, which you can also pair with peas if you like.
How To Make Tortellini Alla Panna - Step By Step
- Start by bringing a large pot of water to boil.
- Once water is boiling salt it slightly and add tortellini.
Cooking time is written on the packaging. Stick to that time precisely or even reduce it by 1 minute to avoid that tortellini fall apart when you add them to the sauce.
While you’re waiting for water to boil to cook tortellini, prepare the cream sauce.
- Place a pan over medium heat, add a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (you can substitute it with butter if you prefer).
- Add heavy cream and stir. Once you see first bubbles reduce the heat, add nutmeg and stir again.
Cook for about 2 minutes until the sauce has slightly reduced, it should be still liquid. Turn the heat off.
Once tortellini are ready, reserve a cup or a little less of their cooking liquid. - Drain tortellini and add to the pan with the cream sauce.
- Turn on the heat and toss everything in the pan until the sauce has coated tortellini (it’ll take about a minute or so).
- Remove the pan from the heat and add Parmesan cheese, stir until tortellini are well covered with the creamy sauce.
If tortellini dry out a bit add a few tablespoons of previously reserved pasta cooking liquid (that should be warm but NOT boiling by now). - Give everything another good toss in the pan.
Serve immediately with fresh ground pepper.
Helpful Tips For Making Tortellini Alla Panna
- Reserve some pasta cooking liquid before draining tortellini. Most likely you won’t need it but it’s best to have some if you need to thin out the sauce.
- Don’t let the sauce dry out. If this happens add a little more cream or pasta cooking water to thin the sauce out.
- Turn the heat off before adding Parmesan cheese. Cooked Parmesan cheese will curdle and create lumps in the sauce.
- Don’t overcook tortellini as they’ll fall apart when mixed in the pan. It’s best to slightly undercook them as they’ll finish cooking in the pan together with the cream sauce.
- Serve immediately. Tortellini should be served hot.
FAQs
What other types of pasta can I use?
Besides classic small tortellini with meat filling, you can use their bigger cousin - tortelloni.
Tortelloni usually come with vegetable or cheese filling. Classic ravioli can also be cooked and served with Alla Panna sauce.
How to make tortellini extra creamy?
Simply dissolve some extra Parmesan cheese in warm (not hot!) pasta cooking liquid mix well and add to the cream sauce. This is the same technique used to make creamy Cacio e Pepe pasta without any thickener.
Can you make Tortellini Alla Panna in advance?
If you want to use homemade tortellini you will want to make the in advance.
But if you’re using store-bough tortellini the whole preparation and cooking time of Tortellini Alla Panna from start to finish take only 10-12 minutes. This makes it super easy to make fresh right when you need to serve and eat them. For this very reason once cooked and coated with the sauce tortellini are not suitable for freezing.
If you love tortellini try also Tortellini Al Forno!
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Full Recipe
Tortellini Alla Panna
Ingredients
- 1 lb tortellini , 450-500 g
- 1 cup heavy cream , 250 ml
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese , grated
- ½ -1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Salt, pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of slightly salted water to boil.
- Once water is boiling add tortellini. Cook according to directions on the package. Stick to that time precisely or even reduce it by 1 minute to avoid that tortellini fall apart when you add them to the sauce.
- While you’re waiting for water to boil to cook tortellini in, prepare the cream sauce.Place a pan over medium heat, add a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (you can substitute it with butter if you prefer).
- Add heavy cream and stir. Once you see first bubbles reduce the heat, add nutmeg and stir again.Cook for about 2 minutes until the sauce has slightly reduced, it should be still liquid. Turn the heat off.
- Once tortellini are ready, reserve a cup or a little less of their cooking liquid.Drain tortellini and add to the pan with the cream sauce.
- Turn on the heat and toss everything in the pan until the sauce has coated tortellini (it’ll take about a minute or so).
- Remove the pan from the heat and add Parmesan cheese, stir until tortellini are well covered with the creamy sauce.If tortellini dry out a bit add a few tablespoons of previously reserved pasta cooking liquid (that should be warm but NOT boiling by now).Give everything another good toss in the pan.
- Serve immediately with fresh ground pepper.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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