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    Ask Chef Dennis » Recipes » Restaurant-Style Tortellini and Broccoli Alfredo Recipe

    Restaurant-Style Tortellini and Broccoli Alfredo Recipe

    Published: Apr 12, 2020 · Modified: Feb 21, 2022 by Chef Dennis Littley · 29 Comments·This post includes affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    5 from 16 votes
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    pinterest image for tortellini and broccoli

    During my time as a restaurant chef, Tortellini and Broccoli with an Alfredo Sauce was always one of the popular dishes on the menu. The cost was lower because it was basically a pasta dish and everyone kind of fooled themselves into thinking it was healthy because it had broccoli in it! Hey, whatever works for you is ok with me.

    overhead ¾ shot of white bowl with tortellini and broccoli

    The truth about most restaurant-style dishes is the majority of them are pretty easy to make and can be on your dinner table in a relatively short time. The trick to most dishes I made during my restaurant days was having the ingredients on hand and ready to use. Once you’ve got that taken care of most of the work is done.

    That’s when the magic happens in the kitchen and you start having fun cooking up delicious dishes for your friends and family! And trust me the happier you are in the kitchen the better the food will taste. You’ll also enjoy spending time in the kitchen and before long you’ll be making dinner all the time and saving a lot of money along the way! 

    Save those restaurant visits for special occasions and as treat, for those days you just don’t feel like cooking. That what we do. 

    What do I need to make Tortellini and Broccoli?

    ingredients to make tortellini and broccoli in glass bowls

    Start by gathering the ingredients you’ll need to make Tortellini and Broccoli. In chef speak we call this the mise en place which loosely translates to everything in its place. 

    The broccoli and tortellini need to be par-cooked so you could prep your ingredients earlier in the day or the day before making the cooking process quick and easy.

    Do I have to use Heavy Cream to make Tortellini and Broccoli?

    No, you don’t. You can use light cream and even low-fat Greek yogurt.

    *FYI, you can’t heat Greek yogurt, it turns to liquid. If you want to use yogurt heat the tortellini and broccoli in a little milk with the seasonings. Then toss the mixture with Romano cheese and low-fat yogurt. 

    tortellini and broccoli with broth in a white bowl

    You can also make a version of this dish using chicken stock or vegetable stock instead of cream. My wife can’t tolerate too much cream so she had a small portion of the alfredo version and a larger portion of the broth version.

    What can I use instead of Cheese Tortellini in this dish?

    There are a lot of choices in the fresh pasta department of your supermarket. You can also find more choices in the freezer section. You’ll find many different fillings to choose from so use what you enjoy eating. Recipes are guidelines!

    • Mini-ravioli
    • Tortelloni
    • Gnocchi
    • Dry pasta shapes of your choice
    cooked mushrooms in a saute pan

    Let’s start making our dish. The first step is to saute the mushrooms. If you have any white wine on hand, deglaze the pan with a splash of white wine. 

    *Deglazing the pan helps release the bits of deliciousness that have stuck to the pan. You don’t have to use wine, you can also use sparkling water.

    cream, romano cheese and spices with the mushrooms in a saute pan

    Add the heavy cream, grated Romano cheese and spices to the pan. Bring the cream to a low boil, and let it continue to cook for about 5 minutes. The sauce will reduce and thicken.

    tortellini broccoli and carrots added to the cream mixture

    Once the cream mixture has thickened, add the broccoli florets, tortellini and carrots to the pan. Mix them together with the alfredo sauce and heat the mixture over medium heat until the broccoli and tortellini are fully heated. Then serve and enjoy!

    *If the mixture gets to thick add milk, water, stock or more cream to thin out the sauce.

    Do I have to use mushrooms?

    No, you don’t. In fact, you don’t have to use broccoli if you don’t like broccoli. You can use any of your favorite veggies in this dish. I always tell my friends that recipes are guidelines and to cook with ingredients that you like to eat.

    tortellini and broccoli in a white bowl

    Serve the Tortellini and Broccoli immediately and garnish with chopped parsley and more shredded carrots if you like.

    More Recipes You’ll Love!

    • Grilled Chicken Alfredo Recipe with Pappardelle, Grilled Mushrooms and Tomatoes
    • How to make Fettuccine Alfredo – An Italian Classic
    • Pasta Aglio e Olio with Broccoli Rabe
    • Restaurant Style Vegetarian Pasta in a Red Sauce

    Did you make this? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!

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    tortellini and broccoli in a white bowl
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    5 from 16 votes

    Tortellini and Broccoli Alfredo

    When it comes to deliciousness my Tortellini and Broccoli Alfredo is sure to bring smiles to your dinner table! And the best part is you can have this restaurant-style dish on your table in 30 minutes or less.
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time15 mins
    Course: Entree
    Cuisine: Italian, Italian – American
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 550kcal
    Author: Chef Dennis Littley

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups cheese tortellini par cooked
    • 2 cups broccoli florets par cooked
    • 1 cup mushrooms sliced
    • ¼ cup carrots shredded
    • ½ cup Romano cheese *more if you like it extra cheesy
    • 1½ cups heavy cream *if you want extra sauce increase to 2 cups
    • ¼ tsp black pepper
    • 1 tsp granulated garlic
    • 1 tsp granulated onion
    • parsley finely minced for garnish
    US Customary – Metric
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • The first step is to saute the mushrooms. Let the mushrooms cook over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes. If you have any white wine on hand, deglaze the pan with a splash of white wine at the end of the cooking process.
    • Add the heavy cream, grated Romano cheese and spices to the pan. Bring the cream to a low boil, and let it continue to cook for about 5 minutes. The sauce will reduce and thicken.
    • Once the cream mixture has thickened, add the broccoli florets, tortellini and carrots to the pan. Mix them together with the alfredo sauce and heat the mixture over medium heat until the broccoli and tortellini are fully heated.
      *If the sauce is too thick or you want extra sauce, add additional cream, chicken stock, or milk to thin it out.
    • Serve with crusty bread and enjoy!

    Notes

    *Deglazing the pan helps release the bits of deliciousness that have stuck to the pan. You don’t have to use wine, you can also use sparkling water.
    *If the mixture gets to thick add milk, water, stock or more cream to thin out the sauce.
    *You can also make a version of this dish using chicken stock or vegetable stock instead of cream.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 550kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Cholesterol: 155mg | Sodium: 437mg | Potassium: 332mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2984IU | Vitamin C: 42mg | Calcium: 290mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askChefDennis or tag #askChefDennis!
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    About Chef Dennis

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    Chef Dennis is a semi-retired Chef, writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer and creator of A Culinary Journey with Chef Dennis aka Ask Chef Dennis®. Chef Dennis worked professionally in White Table Cloth Restaurants for 40 years and has been developing easy to make, restaurant-style recipes since 2009. The second phase of his reinvention from chef to blogger has earned him a place at the Worlds Dinner Table. Join him on his Culinary Journey enjoying his easy to make Restaurant Style recipes and travel adventures. For more details, check out his About page.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Heidy

      April 20, 2020 at 10:55 pm

      5 stars
      I love an excellent American-Italian pasta dish— this one was so perfectly creamy and delicious I will be making it again. Thank you for the beautiful instructions and tips. We will be making this recipe again.

      Reply
    2. Kacey Perez

      April 20, 2020 at 8:00 am

      I love mixing vegetables in with pasta for my kids and this recipe was the perfect way to do that! It’s always nice to mix things up a bit and the tortellini is always a nice change from regular pasta!

      Reply
    3. Jo

      April 20, 2020 at 4:55 am

      The richness of the sauce along with tortellini and broccoli is simply the best tasting dish. How delicious it looks! The flavors are so amazing!

      Reply
    4. Natalie

      April 20, 2020 at 4:15 am

      5 stars
      I love creamy pasta. And this looks fantastic. Love the flavors and all ingredients. Will make this soon.

      Reply
    5. Mikayla

      April 18, 2020 at 8:05 pm

      5 stars
      Simple, tasty, and lots of really great tips for customizing it for what I had in my pantry. Thanks for sharing this recipe for us to make at home!

      Reply
    6. tara

      April 18, 2020 at 6:13 pm

      5 stars
      I’m always a sucker for creamy sauces and a dinner that is table ready in 30 minutes! Definitely adding to the dinner rotation this week!

      Reply
    7. Paige

      April 17, 2020 at 6:59 pm

      5 stars
      Yum,. this looks easy and really delicious Dennis! One I would make for sure!

      Reply
    8. Amy | Two Healthy Kitchens

      April 17, 2020 at 2:51 pm

      5 stars
      Wow, I can’t believe how fast this dish comes together! It totally seems like a fancy, work-intensive dinner, but it’s actually so quick and easy — perfect to impress my guests! 😉

      Reply
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