Description
Fresh summer vegetables and cheese tortellini combine in a light marinara sauce for a vibrant 30-minute meal. This family-friendly pasta celebrates seasonal produce with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Scale
- 20 oz refrigerated three-cheese tortellini
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped (1½ cups)
- 2 ears corn, kernels removed (about 2 cups)
- 2 cups (12 oz) grape tomatoes
- 2 medium zucchini (12 oz total), sliced into ¼-inch half moons
- 3 garlic cloves, minced (1 tablespoon)
- 1¼ cups marinara sauce
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup finely shredded parmesan cheese, divided
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil. Cook tortellini one minute less than package directions suggest.
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a 12-inch sauté pan over medium-high heat.
- Add onion and sauté for 3 minutes until softened. Add corn kernels and cook 2 minutes more.
- Add tomatoes and sauté 3 minutes. Toss in zucchini and garlic, cooking 6-8 minutes until vegetables are tender.
- Drain tortellini, reserving ¼ cup pasta water for later use.
- Transfer tortellini and marinara sauce to the vegetable pan. Cook and toss 1-2 minutes until tender.
- Season with salt and pepper. Stir in ¼ cup parmesan, basil, and parsley.
- Serve immediately, topping each portion with remaining parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Don’t overcook the tortellini – they’ll continue cooking when tossed with hot vegetables
- Cut vegetables uniformly for even cooking and better presentation
- Use fresh corn when possible – the sweetness makes a noticeable difference
- Save pasta water before draining – its starch content helps bind the sauce
- Add herbs last to preserve their bright color and fresh flavor
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
- Calories: 385
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 680mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
Keywords: summer vegetable pasta, cheese tortellini recipe, quick pasta dinner, fresh vegetable tortellini, easy weeknight pasta, one-pot tortellini, marinara vegetable pasta, 30-minute pasta recipe