Pesto Tortellini with Peas and Spinach
Cheese tortellini tossed with jarred pesto, lemon, peas, wilted spinach and cherry tomatoes. A 15-minute dinner made almost entirely from the fridge and freezer.
Chef's note This is my emergency dinner. Everything but the pasta keeps for weeks, so it's always ready.
Chef's note This is my emergency dinner. Everything but the pasta keeps for weeks, so it's always ready. Pasta water turns jarred pesto into a real sauce, so don't skip it.
Ingredients
- 4 qt water
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 20 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 5 oz baby spinach
- ½ cup basil pesto store-bought is fine
- ½ lemon zested, then juiced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ⅓ cup Parmesan grated
Steps
Bring 4 qt water to a boil with 1 tbsp kosher salt. Add 20 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini and cook according to the package, usually 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 cup frozen peas for the last minute.
Scoop out a mug of the pasta water. Put 5 oz baby spinach in a colander and drain the tortellini and peas right over it; the hot water wilts the spinach.
Return everything to the pot off the heat. Add ½ cup basil pesto, the zest and juice of ½ lemon, and a splash of the reserved water, and toss until glossy. Add more water if it looks tight.
Fold in 1 cup cherry tomatoes, season with ¼ tsp black pepper, and top with ⅓ cup Parmesan.
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