Name: Creamy Roasted Garlic Tortellini
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1 head of garlic (large); 1 tbsp olive oil; 3 tbsp unsalted butter; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper; ½ tsp dried thyme; 2 tsp all-purpose flour; 1 ½ cups cream 20% fat (or heavy cream, or half-and-half); ½ cup grated Parmesan; 1 pound tortellini (with your favorite filling); 2 tbsp parsley (chopped)

Creamy roasted garlic tortellini. Rich, velvety, and full of flavor, this pasta is all about sweet roasted garlic and a homemade Alfredo-style sauce. Comfort food at its finest, and easily one of my favorite creamy pasta dishes ever.

Looking for more garlic-forward dishes? Try my Garlic Lovers’ Chicken, Delicious Spanish Garlic Shrimp or this Roasted Garlic Pasta with Baked Feta next.

It’s a garlic lovers’ pasta recipe

Who doesn’t love a creamy Parmesan sauce paired with sweet, roasted garlic? It’s the best of both worlds, deeply comforting and full of flavor.

This Alfredo-style sauce is easy to make with a simple roux and cream, creating a smooth, stable sauce every time. It reheats beautifully without separating, even after chilling or freezing.

The method is also wonderfully flexible. You don’t have to stick with tortellini, toss it with any pasta or ravioli, add chicken or shrimp, or brighten it up with a little lemon zest.

Make ahead

That garlicky cream sauce is absolutely worth making the extra step. Roasting the garlic is simple! Drizzle it with olive oil, wrap it in foil, and let the oven do the work.

You can roast the garlic up to 4 days ahead. When it’s time to cook, just squeeze it into the sauce, add the cream, and dinner is ready in about 10 minutes.

Watch the recipe video

Let me guide you through this recipe with an easy step-by-step VIDEO, or follow along on YouTube.

Ingredients

This recipe comes together with a short list of pantry-friendly ingredients. You’ll need your favorite tortellini and one head of garlic.

For the sauce, I used unsalted butter, salt, black pepper, dried thyme, all-purpose flour, heavy cream ( you can also use cooking cream or half-and-half), and grated Parmesan. A sprinkle of fresh parsley at the end adds a bright, fresh touch.

Roast garlic

Have you ever made roasted garlic? As it cooks, your kitchen fills with the most irresistible aroma. Warm, sweet, and nutty, it’s the kind of smell that makes you instantly hungry.

Roasted garlic tastes nothing like raw garlic. It’s mellow, rich, and slightly sweet, with soft, creamy cloves that melt into sauces.

I love roasting a few heads at once (they keep for about a week in the fridge) and using them in soups, mashed potatoes, pasta sauces, or simply spreading them on bread or steak. No matter what you’re cooking, roasted garlic makes it better.

Variations

You don’t have to stick with tortellini. Keep this recipe in rotation by switching up the carbs: ravioli, linguine, gnocchi, or orecchiette all work beautifully.
If you’d like to add protein, try seared or rotisserie chicken, steak bites, or shrimp.
For a more complete, dinner-party-worthy meal, serve it with a leafy green salad, grilled chicken, or crispy prosciutto.
And don’t forget a good slice of crusty bread to mop up that sauce. Always.

Storing

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat gently over medium heat, don’t let the sauce boil, and add a splash of milk to loosen it up.