This Tortellini with Garlic Chile Oil and Feta makes it possible for you to eat a fresh, wholesome supper when you barely have time to cook.
With my super busy life as a mom of four, I haven’t quite been able to get on board all the social media live stuff. Snapchat, Instagram stories, and Facebook live all threaten to turn into kids screaming in one location or another.
I’ve thought a little more seriously about just setting up Facebook live and letting you all see how I get dinner done on a nightly basis with four tornadoes spinning around me, but I doubt you’d all like to see me take breaks every five minutes to kiss an owie or wipe a butt. It’s pretty funny when you think about it, but maybe not what you want to see while you’re cooking dinner.
My life is cah-razy most days, and I don’t even take my kids to activities more than once a week, so I don’t know how all of you public schooling, football practicing, busy people do it. When do you have time to cook?! Oh, that’s right, you don’t. Except you do! Let me show you my ways.
When I did a reader survey a few months ago, you guys were screaming for more 30 minute meals. Well get ready for your big busy brain to explode, because today I’m brining your a 15 minute meal!
Here’s what you’re going to do. Boil some water. Drop in some delicious-as-is tortellini. Meanwhile, heat up olive oil, garlic, and crushed red pepper in a pan. Add some feta, then toss it all with the finished pasta and some fresh parsley. Serve alongside a green salad or rotisserie chicken and you have a simple, fresh dinner you can feel proud of!
I use Buitoni pastas all the time, no lie. I know I’m always talking about whole foods cooking, but let’s be real, I’m not making my own fresh pasta. Everybody needs a time saver now and then. Buitoni has a bunch of yummy flavors and shapes, which my kids love (super bonus points for no GMO ingredients and vegetable infused pastas!). It’s hard to find a meal that everyone in our family enjoys, but this one hit the mark! I even spooned a little bit of Buitoni marinara sauce onto the finished pasta for the kids to help tone down the heat a little bit. Oh, and that pesto? You can usually find two or three of those in my fridge or freezer at any given time, especially once I’ve run out of the homemade version.
What makes this tortellini with garlic chile oil and feta a real knockout is that it’s delicious eaten hot or cold. That means you can send leftovers in a lunchbox or haul it along to a swim meet so you’ll have a fresh, wholesome meal with you no matter how busy you are.
I know you’re itching to customize this! Here are a few ideas:
- Add in some cooked and cubed or shredded chicken breast
- Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts
- Serve alongside a green salad or roasted vegetables
- Toss some spinach in with the drained pasta and toss until wilted
- Swap out feta for grated Parmesan or Asiago
- Double the crushed red pepper flakes for extra heat
- Swap the crushed red pepper flakes with Italian seasoning for no heat
- Use fresh basil instead of parsley
You can follow @BuitoniUSA on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest for more fast fresh ideas. Can I make this tortellini with garlic chile oil and feta for dinner every night? Because let’s not forget, it only takes FIFTEEN MINUTES!! That includes owies and butt wipes. Happy trails, busy families!
If you make this recipe be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!
Tortellini with Garlic Chile Oil and Feta
Ingredients
- One 20 ounce package Buitoni Three Cheese Tortellini
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the tortellini and cook 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile, combine olive oil, garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes in a small saucepan over medium heat. Allow to cook until the garlic is fragrant and just beginning to turn golden, about two minutes. Add the feta, stir, and reduce the heat to low Allow the feta oil to heat gently until the pasta is done cooking.
- When the tortellini is done, drain it and transfer to a large bowl. Add the feta oil and parsley, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss gently to completely coat the pasta in the oil. Serve hot or cold.
Nutrition
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
Patricia @ Grab a Plate says
Tortellini is the best! Love the simplicity of the sauce for this dish!
Lindsay Moe says
Thanks Patricia!