20 Minute Tortellini Pasta Carbonara. Bacon and broccoli are tossed with tortellini pasta and a light cream sauce for a scrumptious quick and easy meal. This easy mid-week pasta recipe is loaded with flavors and textures.
Dress up your pasta in minutes with this easy recipe! 
I have really been watching my food budget recently. Cutting back eating out is a tremendous help. However, I have to be more thoughtful meal planning. And, more thoughtful on planning meals that don’t require a lot of prep and cook time since life with two teenage boys gets to be quiet busy!
I recently shared my Creamy Spinach Artichoke Sausage and Chicken Pasta with you which is a 20-minute meal with chicken and sausage. Even my finicky eaters liked it so I wanted to make another recipe along these lines.
20 Minute Tortellini Pasta Carbonara is simple and really delicious. It is lighter tasty, yet hearty. You may be asking yourself, “How can it be ‘light’ with heavy cream in it?” There is only half a cup of cream for all the pasta and veggies. It’s not a heavy ‘alfredo’ cream sauce. It’s not a must-take-a-nap-after-eating-it pasta dish.
Enter 20 Minute Tortellini Pasta Carbonara!
- Using a frozen tortellini instead of dried makes pasta-cooking time much quicker.
- As well, you can use any pasta. It doesn’t have to be tortellini. Fresh, frozen, or refrigerated pasta all cook faster than dried pasta.
- Additionally, you can use vegan, gluten-free, or any pasta you desire for this recipe.
- I also used a steam-fresh bag of frozen broccoli. I cooked it in the microwave per the package instructions. This was a huge time-saver!
- You can use precooked bacon or bacon bits, but I prefer to cook fresh bacon. This does take a few minutes but in my opinion well worth the burst of salty, smoky flavor that bacon gives the recipe.
More quick meals you may enjoy
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- Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Roast and Pepper Hoagie Sandwiches
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- 20 Minute Stovetop Sun Dried Tomato Broccoli Pesto Pasta
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- Healthy Slow Cooker Tex Mex Chicken Soup
20 Minute Tortellini Pasta Carbonara
Ingredients
- 19- ounce package fresh cheese tortellini
- 6 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
- 2 teaspoons garlic minced
- 10.8- ounce steam fresh package broccoli
- 1/2 cup heavy cream half and half or light cream can be used
- parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons fresh chopped basil plus extra for garnish
Instructions
- Cok tortellini according to package directions. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.
- Cook bacon until crisp. Drain then chop.
- Heat broccoli according to package directions. Set aside.
- Leave approximately 2 tablespoon bacon drippings in the pan. Add garlic and cook on medium for 1 minute or until fragrant.
- Add broccoli, stir.
- Add bacon, stir.
- Add pasta, cream, and pasta water to the pan. Stir and simmer 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add parmesan and basil. Serve
Notes
Nutrition
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