This tortellini sauce has a some Latin American flair. Tomatillos are roasted with garlic and olive oil, blended with fresh spinach and roasted tomatoes, then tossed with queso fresco cheese.

This Thursday afternoon recipe includes Tomatillos, Tortellini, and Tomatoes. How Totally Terrific!

Here is the other tomatillo recipe I promised to share. I was very excited about making this one because it was different from the standard fare that normally use tomatillos as the main ingredient. As mentioned previously, I roasted the tomatillos for the enchiladas and this pasta dish at the same time, along with the garlic cloves. The roasted tomatillos kept well in the refrigerator for a few days and made this dish very easy to throw together.

I knew the Carnivore Husband would require a little more substance since this is a meatless dish, so I opted for cheese tortellini instead of spaghetti or linguine. I also sprinkled my cherry tomatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper and roasted them in a 400 degree oven while the pasta cooked. The roasted tomatillo sauce almost tasted like a tangy pesto. The husband loved the addition of the roasted cherry tomatoes. In fact, the only thing he said he would change about this dish is to add more tomatoes!

Tortellini with Roasted Tomatillo Sauce

This tortellini sauce has a some Latin American flair. Tomatillos are roasted with garlic and olive oil, blended with fresh spinach and roasted tomatoes, then tossed with queso fresco cheese.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time: 35

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 45

Servings: people

Author: Lisa B.

Ingredients

8 medium sized tomatillos husks removed
6 whole cloves garlic
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
1 bag 10 oz. cheese tortellini pasta
4 cups raw loosely packed spinach leaves
¼ cup chicken or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
10 cherry tomatoes halved
Salt and pepper to taste
Crumbled queso fresco cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Quarter tomatillos. Place on a baking sheet with garlic cloves. Drizzle tomatillos and garlic cloves with olive oil. Place in oven and roast for 35 minutes.
Combine roasted tomatillos, garlic, spinach, broth, oregano, thyme, sugar, salt, and pepper flakes in a blender or food processor. Process until sauce is smooth and well blended. Season with salt and pepper.
Cook tortellini according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, drizzle tomatoes with remaining olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in oven for 8 – 10 minutes. Add roasted tomatoes to warm, drained pasta. Pour tomatillo sauce over pasta and toss to combine. Garnish each plate with crumbled queso fresco cheese.