Perfect Combinations: 8 BEST Side Dishes for Tortellini (2024)

It’s hard to make a salad taste good, but we think the Italians have it down with their tortellini and tortelloni salads.

Tortellini and tortelloni are pasta made from egg dough that is filled with soft cheese or meat and served either in broth or with sauce.

The name comes from “tortello,” an Italian word referring to a small cake or dumpling.

Tortellini recipes are very easy to make.

The flavor of tortellini is slightly sweet, which makes it great comfort food for those winter days when you need something that will warm your belly and fill your soul.

Tortellini can be enjoyed in many different ways, including with some pesto sauce or cheese sauce on top.

In this article, we will list out several side dishes that will serve as the perfect companions to your freshly-made tortellini.

Why Consider Serving Side Dishes for Tortellini?

Tortellini can make a great appetizer, but it’s also delicious when served as a side dish.

Here are some reasons why:

1 – Tasty and Portable.

Tortellini is easy to eat since the shape makes for easy twirling with a fork.

This, in addition to its mild flavor, lets you get creative with sides that complement the taste.

2 – Versatility of Tortellini.

Tortellini comes in various flavors, from cheese to chicken, so you can pick out something that goes well with your side dish.

In addition, it can be used as an ingredient in dishes.

This means that if you serve tortellini as a main dish and have leftovers, you can add a side to it and have a different recipe the next day.

3 – Easy to Prepare.

You only need three ingredients for tortellini: flour, eggs, and salt.

You can easily buy these in bulk from grocery stores or online, so preparing this dish is quick and easy.

So go ahead and make a side of tortellini and enjoy a dish that is as convenient as it is delicious.

What to Serve with Tortellini? 8 BEST Side Dishes

Once you start serving tortellini, you’ll never want to stop.

Fortunately, it’s easy to find complimentary side dishes.

1 – Tossed Green Salad

Let’s face it: The main course can only fill you up so much.

That’s where the side salad comes in.

Serve tortellini with a simple green salad to give your meal some variety.

To make a tossed green salad, mix greens such as baby kale and spinach with other vegetables like carrots and tomatoes.

Top it off with your favorite dressing before serving it alongside the tortellini main dish to add even more color to your meal.

You can also add other ingredients like olives and nuts to give the salad a more complex taste.

2 – Garlic Bread

Garlic bread is one of the simplest recipes you can make, yet it’s also very versatile.

You can serve tortellini with garlic bread either as an appetizer or a side dish for a warm and tasty meal.

All you need to make garlic bread is a French baguette, garlic powder, and olive oil.

Start by preheating an oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit before mixing the garlic powder and the olive oil in a bowl.

Next, slice the baguette into pieces around one inch thick before placing it on a baking sheet and covering it with garlic.

Let it bake for about five minutes before flipping the bread and baking for an additional five minutes to make sure both sides are crispy.

3 – Creamed Spinach or Green Beans

Not only do creamed spinach and green beans make great side dishes, but they go great with tortellini as well.

This is a good side to serve if you’ve already made garlic bread since it doesn’t require much preparation.

To make creamed spinach, sautee spinach in olive oil before mixing with a can of condensed cream of mushroom soup.

If you prefer to have green beans, boil them and mix them with the same canned soup to finish this easy recipe.

Add crunchy croutons or breadcrumbs on top for that extra texture you crave.

4 – Salad Pizza

Tortellini tastes great with every type of salad, so why not pizza? Salad pizzas are fun to make because you can choose any ingredients you want for the base.

For example, if you like your pizza simple, opt for a dough crust and add tomato pasta sauce on top and fresh basil leaves.

If you want something more complex, prepare a thin crust and add olives, cheese, and dried herbs.

5 – Breadsticks

Breadsticks go great with any pasta dish and don’t require much preparation time either.

All you need to make a breadstick is bread dough and olive oil for brushing on top of each piece before putting it in the oven for ten to fifteen minutes on each side.

Once breadsticks are finished cooking, brush them with garlic butter and top with Parmesan cheese before serving with tortellini and dipping into your favorite sauce.

6 – Braised Asparagus

If you want to serve something green along with tortellini, braised asparagus is one of the best options.

It only takes around ten minutes of actual preparation time and needs to simmer for about five more minutes before you can enjoy it on its own or with tortellini.

Just sautee some chopped garlic in olive oil before adding the asparagus and stirring to ensure all pieces are well coated.

Then add in some salt and pepper to taste before adding water and letting the vegetables simmer for an additional five minutes.

7 – Meatballs

Meatballs are one of the most common Italian dishes, and they taste great with tortellini.

If you like to make your meatballs, use beef or pork seasoned with garlic powder to give it that classic texture.

They only take about fifteen minutes to prepare, and you can either cook them in a sauce or fry them with olive oil until they’re browned on all sides.

Once they’re finished, you can add them to your favorite marinara or creamy sauce.

8 – Lasagna

Lasagna is an Italian dish that’s not only delicious but also versatile.

You can serve tortellini with lasagna as a side or as a main course for those who prefer to have more food along with their pasta.

For those who want to make this meal even healthier than it already is, then replace the traditional spaghetti sauce with a vegetarian option.

This way, you can avoid meat altogether while still enjoying the delicious flavor that lasagna has to offer.

You can even try adding tortellini as a replacement for noodles if you want something different than the traditional lasagna.

This way, you get to enjoy two Italian dishes at once.

Conclusion

In conclusion, tortellini has a very specific flavor profile.

If you want to keep it simple, serve these pasta pockets with butter and fresh Parmesan cheese.

If you’re looking for more variety, use one of the eight side dishes mentioned in this article to go along with tortellini.

This is a versatile dish that can be found in authentic Italian cuisine, so treat yourself to a taste of Italy today.

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