This Creamy Tortellini Alfredo is cheesy, garlicky, and thick. This homemade pasta dish is easy to make and has the best creamy sauce with just a touch of heat for extra yum.
If you like cheesy pasta dishes, you should try our four-cheese ravioli and easy lobster ravioli.
Creamy Cheese Tortellini Alfredo
Perfectly cooked cheese tortellini tossed in a creamy alfredo sauce is decadent and delicious. This recipe is so simple and the flavors are unforgettable. If you love a thick, creamy sauce, the smooth texture of this Tortellini Alfredo will not disappoint. Made with cream cheese, heavy cream, and butter, then flavored with garlic, Parmesan, and red pepper flakes, this dish is so yummy and satisfying. This is the ultimate comfort food and perfect for winter.
What you’ll need for it
This Creamy Tortellini Alfredo uses just a handful of delicious ingredients, To make it, you’ll need Cheese tortellini, Unsalted butter, Cream cheese, Garlic cloves, Heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, Salt, Pepper, Crushed red pepper flakes, and Parsley.
How to Make Creamy Tortellini Alfredo
- Cook the tortellini. Bring a stockpot full of salted water to a boil and then add the cheese tortellini. Cook for about 3 minutes.
- Melt the butter. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the cream cheese and garlic. Then stir in the cream cheese with a whisk until melted. Now add the minced garlic cloves. Stir for about 15 seconds.
- Add the heavy cream and Parmesan. Pour the heavy whipping cream into the pan and let it come to a simmer. Then remove it from the heat and stir in the Parmesan.
- Season the tortellini alfredo. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, then add the crushed red pepper and chopped parsley. Toss the sauce and tortellini together and serve.
Substitutions and Add-ins
- Add some meat- Sausage, shrimp, meatballs, or bacon would add great savory flavors to this tortellini alfredo.
- Try flavored cream cheese- Go one step further by substituting chive & onion, garden vegetable, or spicy jalapeno cream cheese for the plain version here.
- Add extra flavor with toppings- Top your plates with some roasted red peppers, marinated artichoke hearts, fried onions, or extra Parmesan cheese shavings.
- Add vegetables- Spinach, broccoli, sundried tomatoes, and mushrooms would all be delicious choices.
- Make it lighter- For a slightly lighter version that still has a creamy texture, substitute Half & Half (regular or fat-free) for the heavy cream.
How to Store Tortellini Alfredo
This dish can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 6 days in an airtight container once it’s fully cooled. If you would like to freeze it, you can by placing it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
How do you reheat Alfredo sauce?
If you have frozen the sauce, or the tortellini alfredo, just allow it to defrost in the fridge overnight. Then to reheat it, place it back in the saucepan and warm it over medium heat. You may have to add some heavy cream to it as it heats to avoid it breaking.
More Amazing Pasta Recipes!
- Creamy Tomato and Mushroom Rotini Pasta
- Easy Four Cheese Ravioli (15-Minute Meal)
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta (VIDEO)
- Chicken and Cheese Ravioli
- Shrimp Alfredo Pasta
- Creamy Lobster Ravioli
Full Recipe Instructions
Creamy Tortellini Alfredo
- 18 ounces refrigerated cheese tortellini
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 ounce cream cheese
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons parsley chopped
- Fill a stockpot with water and let it come to a boil. Then generously salt it and add 18-20 ounces of cheese tortellini. Cook for about 3 minute
- In the meantime, melt 1/4 cup of unsalted butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
- Then stir in 1 ounce of cream cheese using a whisk.
- Once the cream cheese is melted, add 2 minced garlic cloves. Stir for about 15 seconds.
- Then pour in 2 cups of heavy whipping cream. Let the cream come to a simmer, then remove from the heat and stir in 1 cup of freshly grated Parmesan.
- Season with salt and paper to taste. Lastly, add in 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes and 2 tablespoons chopped parsley.
- Add some meat- Sausage, shrimp, meatballs, or bacon would add great savory flavors to this tortellini alfredo.
- Try flavored cream cheese- Go one step further by substituting chive & onion, garden vegetables, or spicy jalapeno cream cheese for the plain version here.
- Add extra flavor with toppings- Top your plates with some roasted red peppers, marinated artichoke hearts, fried onions, or extra Parmesan cheese shavings.
- Add vegetables- Spinach, broccoli, sundried tomatoes, and mushrooms would all be delicious choices.
- Make it lighter- For a slightly lighter version that still has a creamy texture, substitute Half & Half (regular or fat-free) for the heavy cream.
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Melissa says
Ridiculously good. I think that cream cheese is the game changer. Thanks for easy weeknight meal idea!
Dina says
You are very welcome Melissa! 🙂 So happy to hear you loved this tortellini alfredo so much! I really appreciate your feedback and support! I hope you find more recipes to enjoy from my food blog! 🙂
Logan Swales says
The flavor is great but the amount of butter or whipping cream is WAY too much. There would be a pool of liquid like butter in the bottom of my bowl and tasted super greasy
Dina says
I am sorry to hear that Logan. You are more than welcome to reduce the amount of heavy cream if it was a bit too heavy for you.