Description
This rich and creamy Bacon Tortellini Alfredo combines cheesy tortellini with crispy bacon and a smooth homemade Alfredo sauce made from cream cheese, heavy cream, and Parmesan. Ready in just 30 minutes, it’s a comforting Italian-inspired pasta dish perfect for weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 2 (9 ounce) packages refrigerated cheese tortellini
Bacon and Sauce
- 6 strips bacon, cut into small pieces
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 4 ounces cream cheese (1/2 block Philadelphia), softened
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Boil Tortellini: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Do not start cooking the tortellini yet; wait until the bacon is ready, as the tortellini cooks quickly in just a few minutes.
- Cook Bacon: Using kitchen shears, cut the bacon into small pieces. Fry the bacon pieces in a skillet over medium-high heat until crispy, about 10 minutes.
- Drain Bacon Fat: Remove the bacon from the skillet using a slotted spoon and place it on a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Pour off most of the bacon fat from the pan, leaving about 1 tablespoon for flavor.
- Make Alfredo Sauce: To the skillet with reserved bacon fat, add minced garlic, chicken broth, heavy cream, and softened cream cheese. Return the skillet to medium heat and stir continuously until the sauce is smooth and slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.
- Add Cheese and Bacon: Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese and the cooked bacon pieces. Remove the skillet from the heat.
- Cook and Combine Tortellini: Now cook the tortellini in the boiling water according to package directions, usually 3-5 minutes, until al dente. Drain the tortellini, reserving a few spoonfuls of the pasta water. Toss the cooked tortellini with the Alfredo sauce in the skillet. If the sauce is too thick, thin it with some reserved pasta water. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.
Notes
- Use kitchen shears to easily cut bacon into small pieces.
- Reserve a little pasta water to adjust sauce consistency if needed.
- For a lighter version, substitute half-and-half for heavy cream, though the sauce will be less rich.
- Freshly grated Parmesan is best for melting and flavor.
- If you prefer, turkey bacon can be used as a lower-fat alternative.
