Best Easy Broccoli Cheese Tortellini with Fried Lemon.
A simple, comforting tortellini dish tossed with broccoli, melted cheeses, and quick fried lemon for bright flavor.
Equipment
- Large Pot
- Colander
- large skillet or the same pot
- Measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cheese tortellini
- 2 heads broccoli florets, roughly chopped
- 2 lemons preferably Meyer, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 large handfuls baby spinach
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives chopped
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup manchego cheese grated
- 1 cup parmesan cheese grated
- pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- kosher salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Add the cheese tortellini and roughly chopped broccoli florets to the boiling water and cook according to the tortellini package directions until the tortellini is al dente, about 4–6 minutes.
- During the last minute of cooking, add the thin lemon slices to the pot.
- Just before draining, reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the tortellini, broccoli, and lemon slices in a colander and pick out and set aside the lemon slices.
- Return the empty pot to medium heat and add the olive oil and the reserved lemon slices; fry the lemon slices until lightly golden on each side, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Remove the pot from the heat and add the drained tortellini, broccoli, baby spinach, chopped chives, butter, grated manchego, and grated parmesan.
- Toss everything together, adding a splash of the reserved pasta water at a time until the cheeses melt and a loose sauce forms; add more pasta water as needed.
- Season to taste with crushed red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and black pepper, then serve.
Notes
- Reserve pasta water to adjust sauce consistency.
- Fry lemon slices briefly to avoid bitterness.
- Use freshly grated cheese for best melting.
- Adjust red pepper flakes to desired heat.