Creamy Bacon Tortellini with Charred Broccoli.
This cozy bowl of Creamy Bacon Tortellini with Charred Broccoli is the best any night of the week family dinner. I’m taking fresh tortellini and making it even better with a rich and creamy sauce, charred broccoli, and bacon. Each cute little tortellini has delicious, cozy winter flavors that melt in your mouth. It’s the creamiest bowl of cheese tortellini that’s fancy enough for the weekend, but easy enough to make any night of the week. And most importantly, it’s delicious.
I’m such a homebody at heart, so I’m going to be honest, well I have missed traveling more than I thought, I actually love the fact that I’ve been able to be at home this entire month of December. Usually, December is filled with end of year work travel, especially last year for the HBH book tour. So this year, I’m just feeling grateful to be able to enjoy all of December at home with my family. Anyone else feel the same?
Looking at the positives, you know?!
That said, I’ve managed to add more to my plate thane ever before, which still makes December, per usual, hectic. If only there could be more hours in the day!
With that in mind, I’m always looking for the easiest recipes this time of year. Quick and simple dinners that everyone at the dinner table will eat are what I strive to create. Especially when the people I love most are in town…they’re my favorite to feed!
Enter this skillet Creamy Bacon Tortellini with Charred Broccoli. The simplest pasta dinner, but yet so very delicious!
The inspiration.
As a kid, we didn’t grow up eating tortellini or ravioli. It was a pretty strict diet of angel hair pasta or penne, with the occasional bowl of fettuccini thrown into the mix. No one complained…but then we didn’t know just what we were missing.
And then, I started cooking and soon started to test recipes with homemade ravioli. I was loving the cheese-filled pasta and switch up from the usual. But for some reason, I never did anything with tortellini until this year. Once I made this Creamy Tortellini Vegetable Soup I was hooked. How could I not be?
Ever since that soup, I’ve been using tortellini nonstop. I love the smaller shape and our local Whole Foods always has really great fresh cheese tortellini that we all love. They make for the quickest weeknight dinners.
And trust me, this tortellini is quick. I’ve now made it more times than I can count. Which is saying something because with all the recipes I’m creating daily, I don’t often make repeats unless they’re tried and true family favorites. And everyone loves this dish, even the picky eaters…broccoli and all.
When you have a dish that everyone eats and loves, you know it’s good.
It took me a long while to get these photos right. And while I still don’t love them, it’s time to share this recipe. It’s just too good.
The quick and simple details.
Start with tortellini. Use a cheese tortellini for this. You want something simple with good flavor, but not too over powering that will take away from the creamy sauce and salty, crispy bacon.
Once you have the water for the tortellini boiling, start on the remainder of the recipe. This is a one-skillet, one-pot, under thirty-minute dinner.
Cook up your bacon until it’s extra crispy. Now do the same with the broccoli. You want to get the florets nice and charred, but still keep them tender. To do this, avoid stirring for the first four or so minutes of cooking. Once the broccoli begins charring on the edges, toss, and cook until the other side is charred. Then remove from the skillet. This will ensure they stay crispy, instead of just fading away into the buttery creamy sauce.
Onto the cream sauce. Browned butter, garlic, herbs, a splash of wine, cream, and lots of parmesan.
This is easy, brown the butter, add the garlic and herbs, then add a splash of wine and heavy cream. If you want to make this a little lighter, simply use canned coconut milk. Promise you don’t taste the coconut at all.
Once you add the milk, whisk in the cream cheese. This is my dad’s secret when it comes to creating the creamiest pasta sauces. It’s the KEY. My dad used to make his fettuccine with an entire eight-ounce package of cream cheese. It was of course beyond delicious, a rich sauce for sure, but delicious.
Using cream cheese creates a silky smooth sauce every time. I’m only using half the amount my dad would recommend, but it still does the trick!
Finish it up!
Toss in the tortellini, then let it cook in the sauce for a minute to warm through.
And then, serve it up! This is best eaten right off the stove. I love adding the broccoli and bacon to each bowl so they stay crisp. Plus, the broccoli adds a really nice pop of green that’s especially nice with such a white pasta sauce.
Oh and lots of fresh black pepper too! Simple, but delish.
Really excited to have this easy recipe in hand for these busy nights. My brothers are getting in for Christmas next week and I already know they’ll love it too. My oldest brother, Creighton, has already given it the Gerard Seal of Approval!
Looking for other simple family dinners? Here are my favorites:
Slow Cooker Red Wine Braised Short Rib Pasta
One Skillet Cheesy Cuban Chicken Rice Bake
One Pot Lemon Rosemary Dijon Chicken and Butter Toasted Rice Pilaf
Lastly, if you make this Creamy Bacon Tortellini with Charred Broccoli, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Creamy Bacon Tortellini with Charred Broccoli
A one-skillet, one-pot, under 30-minute dinner...cozy winter flavors that melt in your mouth!
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh cheese tortellini
- 4 thick-cut slices bacon, chopped
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups broccoli florets, roughly chopped
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried oregano)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/3 cup dry white wine such, as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc (or chicken broth)
- 1 cup heavy cream or canned full fat coconut milk
- 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
-
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the tortellini according to package directions until al dente. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Drain onto a paper towel. Add the broccoli and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the broccoli is crisping on the edges, 3 to 4 minutes. Toss the broccoli, add the olive oil, and cook another 2-3 minutes, until crisp. Remove the broccoli from the skillet to a plate.
3. To the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat, cooking until the butter begins to brown, about 3-4 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add the garlic, oregano, thyme, and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Cook one minute, then pour in the wine. Simmer 2-3 minutes. Add the cream and cream cheese. Whisk until smooth. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and cook 5 minutes, until thickened slightly. Stir in the parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Toss in the tortellini and cook 2-3 minutes, then remove from the heat.
4. Divide the tortellini between plates and top with charred broccoli, and bacon. Eat and enjoy immediately.
Our Favorite Recipes
One Pot Creamy French Onion Pasta Bake.
Looks amazing! Could you use vegan cream cheese? Or what do you suggest for an alternative to the cream cheese?
Hey Loren,
Sure you could use a vegan cream cheese. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan, this looks amazing! How do you scale up some of your recipes when you have the whole family to feed? Just double? How do you do it with skillet-type dishes? I have a group of 10 coming to the mountains (of CO!) and am totally lost how to cook big enough dinners for everyone…
Hey Alice,
I would double and use two skillets:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I was looking for something to make for tonight and coincidentally you posted this the same day and I had every ingredient except for thyme! So I used rosemary instead and it turned out fantastic!! Thanks!
Hey Sarah,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Made vegetarian (just no bacon, more broccoli) tonight, and it was so good! Very satisfying. I completely burned my garlic in my butter because I had the heat really high for my frozen broccoli, and it STILL was delicious. I guess wine, cream cheese, and Parmesan still make burnt garlic good. 😉
Hey Chelsea,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
This looks amazing!!! Could you use frozen cheese tortellini? How would you alter, if so?
Hey Clarissa,
Yes, totally fine, just cook according to package directions before adding to the sauce. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Hello- do you have nutrition information for your recipes?
Hey Mia,
Sorry I am only able to provide an estimated calorie count. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Delicious, easy, and versatile recipe! Used regular pasta because I didn’t have tortellini on hand and threw in some leftover chicken. Sauce was absolutely delicious. Will probably add in more veggies next time and use half and half to make it a tad bit healthier.
Hey Emma,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad you enjoyed it! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
So good!!!!!
Thanks Sarah!
Easy and tasty!
Thanks Kelsey!
Made this tonight for the family plus a special guest. It was rich, savory, and delicious and felt very fancy for. Tuesday night. Great recipe that I will make again.
Hey Nicole,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it worked out for you! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Made this tonight! Easy and really delicious. I used pancetta and mascarpone instead of bacon and cream cheese and it was really tasty! Thanks for sharing such a great dinner!
Hey Dina,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it worked out for you! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
We both are so restricted on our food choices.
He nothing Green..and that includes dried herbs, and i no tomatoes and heat spice for me.
So cauliflower will be used ..i will add the dried herbs to my plate full, add some other seasonings to his..but looks good as we both love anything pasta and BACON. 🙂
Thank you much.
Hey there,
I hope you love the recipe! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Made this last night – with added chicken breasts cubed for a full meal. All six family members loved it! (and they all guessed it was another yummy recipe from you!). Thank you!
Hey Nicole,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Just made this for dinner. My husband is now having another helping.
Fantastic recipe and love the crispy broccoli!
Pure yum! Thank you for another great dinner. Xoxo
Hey Jan,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
So so so so so so so good. I am very happy I chose to make this and I will be keeping this recipe handy!
Hey Leah,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I made this tonight. Let me tell you, even my picky 8-year-old and 5-year-old loved it. My husband is super picky, too, and he said it was one of the best dishes I’ve made in a while. I can’t wait to have left overs tomorrow. I also never rate/comment on recipes but dang, girl, I had to.
Hey Megan,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed by the whole family, even the kiddos:) Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Doubled recipe to have leftovers – worked great! I made everything but for boiling the tortellini ahead of time. I probably lost the crunch of the broccoli and bacon by doing this, but it was still fantastic. I doubled the recipe as written using dried herbs.
Hey Mary,
I am so glad the recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Absolutely delicious. My three twenty year olds all loved it. A keeper! Thank you
Hey Karen,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it worked out for you! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I made this with different noodles, and the flavor was wonderful and it was nice and creamy. Next time I may sub the Thyme only cause it’s a little strong for me. But I loved it either way my son had 2 plates and that rarely happens.
Hey Neesh,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it worked out for you! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I made this for dinner tonight and my husband said this recipe is now in his top 10 fave of all time — thanks Tieghan!
Hey Jodi,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it worked out for you! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
So delicious! A fun meal to collaboratively cook with my partner. Felt decadent and fancy yet so easy to make. 🙂
Hey Lauren,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
So delicious!!
Thanks Jody!
You’re making them look interesting, I’d love to learn it. Thank you so much!
This was insanely delicious. My 1, 3 and 5 year old children (plus one picky husband) ate the entire skillet. I will absolutely be adding this dish to our meal rotation. Thank you for sharing!! Loving all your recipes.
Hey Alex,
I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
So, so, so good!!
Thanks so much Linda! xTieghan
DELISIOUS!!!!!! A definite keeper.
Hey Diane,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Super simple to make and super delicious. I made the recipe as is and it was perfect. My husband requested this be added to the menu in a regular basis.
Hey Anne,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
So creamy and delicious! Quick and easy to make on a busy weeknight.
Hey Jaclyn,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I made this tonight for dinner…so quick and easy and so yummy! I only had asiago cheese and it was great.
Hey Melissa,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Phenomenal! Just made it a second time. My hubby and I were walking this chilly evening and I started craving this – so what if it was less than a week ago that I made this last! When I reached home I realized I didn’t have broccoli or bacon so I improvised and I had lobster ravioli on hand so we used that and Oooh La La so delicious! Thank you 🙏🏼
Hey Lailah,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
This seriously might be the best thing I’ve ever made. Absolutely delicious!
Thanks so much Sam! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
SO good! I only had frozen broccoli and next time I’ll make the trip to the store for fresh, but even with slightly mushy broccoli this is a must make. I think it would be good even if you didn’t have tortellini, too! Thanks for a great recipe!
Hey Molly,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thank you so much for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
This was the best recipe yet! So good! Even my incredibly picky daughters gobbled it up. Thank you so much for this!!
Hey Kaylee,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thank you so much for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
this recipe is a lovely decadent TREAT i am so pleased to be eating this right now!!! thanks tieghan!
Hey Lauren,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad you enjoyed! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I made this tonight exactly as the recipe was posted & it was incredibly delicious! The charred broccoli almost had a smoky flavor to it. I will definitely make this again. Next time I make this I will save a bit of the pasta water just in case I need to thin out the sauce a little, I may be a little heavy handed with the parm 🙂
Hey LC,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Made this A-GAIN last night among other dishes of yours for an Italian feast…this time with mushroom ravioli…I must have left the ravioli in a bit to long in all the multitasking of dishes because the ravioli opened up some OOPS…anyways, still so delicious as always!!! XOX
Hey Lailah,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
We are having a Half Baked Christmas and this is what I served for lunch on Christmas Eve! What a way to start the holiday!
The sauce is delicious, I don’t usually cook with wine, but I picked up a bottle for your brown butter gnocchi, so glad I did. The sauce was so creamy and the wine just lightened it up.
Hey Cindy,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
This pasta is so delicious. and not hard to make at all! It is so filling, perfect for a cozy winter night!
Hi Sara,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Made this tonight and it is amazing. Definitely filling and comforting and felt fancy although it was super quick to throw together. My 2 & 3 year old were basically licking their bowls clean.
Thanks for the recipe
Hey Heather,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
We made this for dinner tonight. It was really good but seemed like it was missing something (acid of some kind). I’d make it again but next time I’d consider a splash of lemon juice or increasing the wine.
Hey Mikaela,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I made this last night and added rotisserie chicken. It was so delicious! Decadent weeknight dish.
Hey Aimee,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Just made this for tonight’s dinner… amazing!
Thanks so much Ally! xTieghan
Immediate family fav. I could eat this weekly it is so good. Felt like I ordered from a restaurant!
Hey Courtney,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a go, I am thrilled it was enjoyed! Happy New Year! xTieghan
This is a hit in our household. I recommend using Trader Joe’s 4 cheese tortellini with this dish. It’s so delicious.
Hey Rachelle,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Amazing dish…I substituted the broccoli with 1lb. of scallops, added 4 extra strips of bacon, 2 cups of parmesan cheese and a whole package of Philly cream cheese…BOOM!!!
Hey Randy,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Love that this recipe was so easy to pull together. My four teenagers loved it. We will definately make it again.
Hey Jennifer,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed by your family! Happy New Year! xTieghan
I substituted whipped goat cheese for the cream cheese. Wow! It added a subtle sharpness to flavor.
Hey Patrick,
Thanks so much for trying the recipe. That is so great the recipe was enjoyed! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Eating this now and my husband says “alright this is going on the weekly schedule! I want seconds, even thirds!” Loved it so much tieghan! ❤️
Hey Lacy,
Thanks so much for trying the recipe. That is so great the recipe was enjoyed! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan! Saw you sharing this recipe on your insta. I just tried it tonight. I was waiting for the sauce to thicken after the cream cheese and heavy cream were added. However, the sauce started to thicken TOO much and became clumpy not like a creamy. Do you by chance know the reasoning for that? I sadly think I failed on the creaminess. I’ll try again another time but maybe I had the stove too hot or whisked too hard to make the cream cheese melt?? Not idea but it’s not creamy sauce like your insta haha. Thank you though. Love your recipes!!
Hey Carly,
So sorry to hear this! Was there anything you adjusted in the recipe? How how’s your heat? Next time, try lowering your heat to allow the sauce to thicken slowly. I hope this helps! xTieghan
Amazing sauce!! Delicious meal all around.
Thanks so much April! xTieghan
So much oil!!! 2 tbsp olive oil in addition to bacon grease and then butter! Add in all the oils from the cheeses and blegh! I sent this to my kid who is a new cook and didnt realize that it was too much and so we ended up eating a greasy mess.
Hey there,
So sorry you had issues with the recipe, please let me know how I can help, you do want to drain the bacon grease as stated in step 2! xTieghan
keeper alert! I wasn’t sure how I would feel about this bc not a huge tortellini fan but hello!
Super easy and came together fast. Big bowl of comfort.
PS.
4 slices of bacon lol. I went with 8 😂
Hey Lizziee,
Thanks so much for trying the recipe, I’m glad it was enjoyed! xTieghan
LOVED IT! We love veggies, so I doubled the broccoli. Thanks for another fantastic meal!
Hey Laura,
Thanks so much for trying out this recipe, I am thrilled that you liked it! I hope you have a great week:) xTieghan
This is absolutely amazing and so easy to make. I tend to be a cook that really just eyeballs measurements. It turned out amazing. I added chicken and I would definitely make it again!
Hey Desiree,
Thanks so much for trying out this recipe, I am thrilled that you liked it! I hope you have a great week:) xTieghan
Very delicious, easy weeknight dinner and will definitely be making again!
Hey Vanessa,
Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I am delighted that it was enjoyed! Happy Friday:) xTieghan
love the creamy sauce . so delicious 😋
Hey Miriam,
I am so thrilled that you have enjoyed this recipe! Thanks so much for making it:) xTieghan
This was SO incredible. Flavorful, looked great, smelled amazing. I’m so proud of myself for this and can’t stop eating it.
Hey Kelsie,
I am so thrilled that you have enjoyed this recipe! Thanks so much for making it:) xTieghan
I have not made the recipe yet, but plan to do so based on my daughter’s rave review when she made the dish. However, I am disturbed about the pop up advertisement, (virtual sharks) on your web site; not sure if you have control over that or not –
Hey Marsha,
Sorry about this, not sure why it would have popped up for you. I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
So yummy! Incredible flavors and really nice if you want a cream sauce that’s a little bit different and elevated. Highly recommend.
Hey Lauren,
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks a lot for giving it a try and happy Sunday! xTieghan
Loved this recipe so much!! Better-than-restaurant quality 🙂
Hey Sarah,
Thanks a lot for giving the recipe a go, I am so delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
I just made this tonight for dinner, and it is sooo good! Thanks for the recipe!
Hey Courtney,
Thank you so much for making the recipe, I am thrilled it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
Trying to cut out the wine drinking during the week so would the broth still be ok or does the wine give it better flavour?
Hey Nicola,
I would use broth in place of the wine. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Also, what is better – coconut milk or just heavy cream?
I like to use heavy cream, but coconut milk will also work just fine!
Looks so amazing, curious about it’s taste.
Thanks!