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Shrimp Tortellini with Garlic Sauce is made with cheese tortellini in a creamy, garlic sauce with shrimp and spinach. This dish is loaded with tons and flavors, and is sure to be a favorite in your household for many years to come.
Ingredients needed for shrimp tortellini with garlic sauce
- Shrimp – large or jumbo. peeled, deveined, tail-off
- refrigerated cheese tortellini
- olive or grapeseed oil
- dry white wine
- unsalted butter
- minced garlic
- all-purpose flour
- seafood or chicken stock
- cream cheese
- heavy cream
- sea salt – to taste if needed
- dried basil
- fresh spinach
- red pepper flakes
- freshly grated parmesan cheese
How to prepare
If you have been a fan of my blog for some time, you may know how I feel about time and convenience. I love meals that don’t take long to prepare. After long days, no one wants to slave over a hot stove for hours. This recipe is not only delicious, but it’s very convenient and less time consuming. That’s why this shrimp tortellini is definitely one of my favorites.
The shrimp
I recommend purchasing shrimp that is already peeled and deveined. This will save you a lot time. Season the shrimp with an all-purpose seasoning. I used Lawry’s seasoning salt and Mrs. Dash garlic & herb. Mrs. Dash does not have sodium, so if you are using that, it is important to add salt to it. Hence, why I used the Lawry’s. However, if you are using an all-purpose seasoning, it more than likely already has salt, so you won’t have to add more. And as always, not much salt is needed for shrimp.
The tortellini
If you are at pro at making homemade pasta, then go crazy and have at it. While, I am a fan of homemade pasta, I think it will take away from the convenience of this dish. With that being said, I recommend buying refrigerated tortellini. Several brands make refrigerated tortellini, and it can be purchased in your local grocery store in the refrigerated section, typically by the cheeses and butter.
The brand I frequently use is Buitoni. They make several flavors, but for this recipe, I recommend the Three Cheese flavor, or the Spinach and Ricotta flavor. Not to mention, the Italian Sausage flavor is delicious. But, that is another post for another day.
The sauce
Here’s the fun part. This recipe will be nothing without this flavorful sauce. The sauce consists of butter, garlic, flour, seafood or chicken stock, cream cheese, heavy cream, dried basil, spinach, red pepper flakes and parmesan cheese. Now, I’m sure you can tell from those ingredients, that the flavors are locked in.
I’m sure you’re wondering if you should use seafood or chicken stock. The answer I have for that is, whichever one you have. I say that because lately seafood stock has been kind of hard to find. Chicken stock is not nearly as hard to find. Seafood stock will add more of a seafood flavor to this dish though. You can also always check out my recipe for Homemade Seafood Stock.
The sauce is similar to a standard alfredo sauce, but adding the stock, cream cheese and basil makes it slightly different, as well as unique.
Shrimp Tortellini with Garlic Sauce
Danielle Dunn
Cheese tortellini in a creamy garlic sauce with shrimp and spinach
5 from 3 votes
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Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 30 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4 people
Ingredients
- all-purpose seasoning for shrimp I used Lawry's seasoning salt and Mrs. Dash garlic & herb.
- 2 lbs. large shrimp peeled, deveined, tail-off
- 20 oz. refrigerated three cheese tortelli I used Buitoni
- 1 tbsp. olive or grapeseed oil
- 1/3 cup dry white wine
- 8 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp. minced garlic
- 1 tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 6 oz. seafood or chicken stock
- 4 oz. cream cheese softened
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 5 oz. fresh baby spinach
- 1/4 tsp. crush red pepper
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Instructions
Season shrimp with all-purpose seasoning.
In a large 12 inch skillet, heat 1 tbsp. olive or grapeseed oil over medium high heat. In two batches, sear shrimp for 1-2 minutes on each side. Remove and set aside. Add more oil and butter in between batches.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Deglaze skillet with wine. Add 6 tbsp. of butter and minced garlic. Cook and stir for 3 minutes, or until garlic fragrant. Add flour and stir until fully dissolved.
Stir or whisk in seafood or chicken stock. Add cream cheese, and whisk or stir until mixture is smooth and creamy with no lumps. Stir in heavy cream and dried basil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer uncovered for 5- 7 minutes, stirring frequently.
Cook pasta according package instructions. Drain and set aside.
Add fresh spinach to sauce, and stir until spinach has welted. Stir in red pepper flakes and parmesan cheese and stir until cheese is melted. Taste sauce, and add salt if you feel it needs it. Add tortellini and shrimp to sauce. Stir together. Serve warm.
Keyword Shrimp, tortellini
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