Tortellini Verde

i’m always looking for ways to sneak greens into our meals, for the kiddos and grownups alike. we love pasta in this house (as you already know if you’ve been following me for any amount of time) and scarfed down every bit of this veggie-packed pasta. the alternate name for this pasta if you have kids should definitely be grinch pasta — the girls got the biggest kick out of it and I think it even got them to eat more of it. win win win.

ingredients

1 lb tortellini

2 tbsp pesto

handful of spinach

heavy cream (we only had dairy-free in the fridge for some reason so that’s what we used, and it was delicious!)

red pepper flakes

broccoli florets

frozen peas

olive oil

salt + pepper

shaved parmesan

fresh parsley

in a blender, add a handful of spinach, pesto, some heavy cream (maybe start with 1/2 cup and then add more if it’s too thick? I didn’t measure this when making it), and salt + pepper. blend and then adjust seasoning + amount of cream as needed until the consistency is sauce-like (it will thicken on the stove, so if it’s a little too runny it’s okay!).

add sauce to a sauce pan and turn heat to medium-low. let the sauce heat up and thicken a bit.

preheat your oven to 400 degrees. on a sheet pan, toss broccoli florets with olive oil, salt, pepper, and some red pepper flakes. roast the broccoli until cooked and a bit crispy (about 20min, give it more time if needed).

meanwhile, cook your tortellini. once it’s cooked, save about 1 cup of pasta water and drain. if your sauce needs to be thickened, add pasta water and adjust seasoning as needed.

to serve, toss the tortellini with the sauce, top with some peas (prepped these in the microwave according to package instructions, broccoli, a pinch of red pepper flakes, shaved parmesan, and fresh parsley. enjoy! x