Tortellini and Spinach Skillet
Cheese tortellini tossed in a glossy pesto sauce with wilted spinach. A fast, savory one-pan dinner.
- Total
- 17 min
- Prep 3 · Cook 14
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Sautéing · Emulsifying
- Savory
- Quick
- Stovetop
- Oven
Instructions
-
Bring 750 ml water to a rolling boil in a medium pot over high heat. Add 0.25 tsp salt and the cheese tortellini. Cook until the tortellini float and are tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
~5 min
Salting the water seasons the pasta from within as it hydrates, and a rolling boil keeps the tortellini moving so they cook evenly.
Tortellini cook in 4 to 5 minutes once they float; pull them a touch early so they finish in the pesto without turning mushy.
-
While step 1 cooks
While the tortellini boil, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the spinach and cook, stirring, until just wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and the black pepper.
~2 min
Gentle heat and constant stirring wilt the spinach without scorching, preserving its bright color and tender texture.
Sautéing Keep the pan hot enough that spinach sizzles on contact but not so hot it browns; stir constantly so it wilts evenly without releasing too much water.
-
Drain the tortellini in a colander, reserving 2 tbsp of the cooking water.
~1 min
Reserving starchy cooking water provides the emulsifier needed to bind pesto into a glossy sauce that clings.
Reserve the starchy cooking water before draining. A splash emulsifies the pesto into a silky sauce that clings instead of pooling.
-
Add the drained tortellini and 2 tbsp pesto to the skillet with the spinach. Toss over medium heat until every piece is coated and glossy, about 2 minutes. Loosen with the reserved cooking water if the sauce looks tight.
~2 min
Tossing over medium heat emulsifies the pesto with the starchy water, creating a glossy sauce that coats every piece.
Emulsifying Add starchy water a splash at a time while tossing; the sauce should turn glossy and coat the tortellini, not pool separately.
-
Taste and adjust salt and black pepper. Serve hot straight from the skillet.
~1 min