I’ve been dreaming of recreating this dish from Rancho Capistrano Winery since my first bite. It starts with cheese tortellini and ends with a creamy lemon sauce, fresh basil and a drizzle of balsamic glaze. And we throw some veggies in for balance. It’s so good, incredibly easy and quick to make.

creamy cheese tortellini in a white bowl topped with balsamic glaze

Table of Contents

Oh and I forgot to mention all of these ingredients are from Trader Joe’s! But also really anywhere. Let’s make it!

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What makes this recipe great

Did I already say it takes literally 20 minutes to make?!
It’s rich, but balanced thanks to lemon and fresh veggies
Can be served on its own or a smaller serving with chicken or salmon
Fun & classy enough for guests, easy & brainless enough for a busy weeknight when you don’t feel like cooking

Ingredient notes

Cheese tortellini – You can use fresh or frozen. The Trader Joe’s version I used is fresh and comes in a 10 oz package.
Cherry tomatoes
White mushrooms
Fresh spinach
Alfredo sauce – Trader Joe’s has several options for alfredo sauce, I like the one pictured here the best if you’re shopping there. If you’re buying elsewhere, I would just go for one that is light on the herbs so it doesn’t interfere with the other flavors.
Lemon juice – fresh lemons please!
Parmesan – I prefer to use a block of parm and grate myself, but you can use whatever form you have.
Fresh basil
Balsamic glaze – I was so excited to discover Trader Joe’s has a balsamic glaze! I also love this brand if you don’t have a Trader Joe’s.
Salt and pepper – I just love using freshly cracked pepper and it adds the perfect finishing touch to the dish if you have it.

How to make it

Start a pot of water to boil first.

Next, heat a large skillet (I am almost always using my Lodge Skillet) over medium heat with a tbsp of olive oil while you chop the veggies.

Add the tomatoes and mushroom, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and sauté about 3 minutes. Then add the spinach.

tomatoes and mushrooms sauteeing in skillet

fresh spinach added to tomatoes and mushroom

Just as its starting to wilt, add the alfredo sauce. Then add in the lemon juice (and don’t mind the horrific burn on my thumb).

lemon juice being added to cream sauce for cheese tortellini

At some point while cooking the veg–the water will be ready–add the tortellini and cook according to package instructions.

Add in the tortellini once cooked.

Allow this to simmer for about 3 minutes to thicken the sauce a touch. Then you’re ready to serve!

Serve topped with fresh parm, fresh basil, a drizzle of balsamic glaze and freshly cracked black pepper.

creamy lemon cheese tortellini in a white bowl with balsamic glaze

creamy tortellini pasta recipe with tomatoes, mushrooms and spinach

Tried this recipe?

If you try this recipe, please leave a star rating below and let me know how it went. I’d love to hear from you! You can also find me on Pinterest!