Take-out Tuesday, Asparagus Tortellini Alfredo

the Painted Apron

5 years ago

Last week HHjr said,

“Let’s have a pasta bake for dinner Tuesday,

I’m in the mood for some creamy tortellini…”

We take turns cooking,

and while he was busy getting his boys to baseball practice

and rock climbing after school,

I threw this together for supper

Only 6 ingredients,

2 cheeses, fresh asparagus, Italian sausage,

tortellini and Alfredo sauce

I did add a clove of fresh minced garlic to the sausage after it browned…

fresh garlic for the last minute of whatever you’re sauteing adds wonderful flavor

and makes your kitchen smell incredible

You will hear a lot of “what’s for dinner?

It sure smells good!”

My secret to perfect pasta is bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil, stir in the pasta, cover the pot and turn the burner off. The pasta will cook perfectly as the burner cools and you can leave it alone while preparing other ingredients

The asparagus is simple to prepare too, just break off the ends, rinse and wrap in a towel. Microwave for 2 minutes, unwrap, and cut into bite size pieces

Grate the cheese and everything is ready to hop in the baking dish

Put the pasta, sausage and asparagus in a greased or sprayed deep dish casserole,

this one is a 3 quart

Add part of the cheese

Stir in Alfredo

I use Classico Light Creamy Alfredo

65% less fat and 55% less calories than other leading brands,

but you’d never know it

It’s a great sauce for white pizza or flatbread too

After mixing in the sauce, top with remaining grated cheese

and a sprinkle of Parmesan

Bake at 350 until hot and bubbly,

30-45 minutes if starting at room temperature

or 45-60 minutes if chilled

Asparagus Tortellini Alfredo

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword asparagus and sausage casserole, Asparagus Tortellini Alfredo, pasta casserole, tortellini

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 50

Servings 6

Ingredients

12-20 asparagus spears
20 oz cheese tortellini {I used Rana refrigerated tortellini}
1 T kosher salt {for pasta water}
16 oz. mild Italian sausage
1 clove garlic minced
1 jar* 15 oz. Light Creamy Alfredo sauce {Classico}
4 oz. Pecorino Romano grated
2 oz. fine Parmesan

Instructions

Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Add tortellini, stir, cover and turn burner off. Leave pot on burner while you prepare the asparagus and sausage.
Break tough ends off asparagus and rinse. Wrap in a kitchen towel and microwave for 2 minutes. Cut into bite size pieces
Cook and crumble sausage in a skillet over medium heat until evenly browned. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Drain on paper towels.
Spray a 2 quart casserole dish. Drain tortellini, and put in dish. Add sausage and asparagus. Stir in 3/4 of the Pecorino Romano cheese. Pour sauce over all and stir just to coat and cover everything. Sprinkle remaining cheese and Parmesan over all. Refrigerate at this point for baking later if desired.
Bake at 350 until hot and bubbly, 30-45 minutes if starting at room temperature or 45-60 minutes if chilled