Ultimate Comfort Food
Bolognese is one of my favorite comfort food dishes, and this brown butter tortellini bolognese version is truly the epitome of comfort food. Cheese tortellini is boiled and then tossed in nutty brown butter for a base of cheesy, rich goodness. Then the bolognese has tons of deep flavor, from a base of slow cooked onions and carrots, darkened tomato paste, beef and sausage, parmesan cheese and a heavy glug of red wine.
This pasta dish is a great dish to start early, let the bolognese simmer all day, and then boil the tortellini right before dinner time. It’ll make the house smell amazing and the flavors will deepen even further.
The Supplies
Ingredients
To make this brown butter tortellini bolognese, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Olive oil
- Yellow onion
- Carrots
- Garlic cloves
- Dried oregano
- Red pepper flakes
- Kosher Salt
- Black pepper
- Ground beef
- Italian sausage
- Tomato paste
- Dry red wine
- Tomato passata
- Canned diced tomatoes
- Grated parmesan cheese
- Shredded parmesan
- Cheese tortellini
- Unsalted butter
For the exact ingredient amounts, check out the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
Equipment
In order to make this tortellini bolognese, you’ll need the following pieces of equipment:
- Large dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot
- Cutting board and knife
- Measuring spoons and cups
- Vegetable peeler
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Large pot or saucepan
- Large frying pan
- Colander
Frequent Recipe Questions
Can I make this recipe in advance?
- A: Yes, mostly! The bolognese can be made in advance. If eating it the same day, keep it warm in a slow cooker or in a dutch oven with a lid on the lowest heat on the stove top. The tortellini should be boiled and tossed in the brown butter right before enjoying.
Is it ok to substitute red wine?
- If you need to substitute the red wine, you can use 1 cup of beef broth plus 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar.
Can I switch out the pork sausage for chicken sausage?
- Absolutely! You can definitely substitute in chicken sausage.
Tortellini Bolognese Recipe Tips
When you make this brown butter tortellini bolognese recipe, here are a few tips to make sure it turns out delicious:
- Don’t rush any of the steps while making the bolognese. Being sure that each ingredient is well cooked at each step means the end-result will have a nice, rich flavor.
- This may go without saying, but opt for adding a red wine to this recipe that you’d also enjoy drinking. Not only will it make the bolognese taste nicer, you’ll enjoy the rest of the bottle of wine after pouring in the cup that you need.
Recipe Details
Start the Bolognese
To get this recipe started, you’ll first make a classic bolognese. Get a large dutch oven on your stove top and turn the burner below to medium heat. Once the pot is warm, drizzle in a bit of olive oil. Add the onions and carrots to the pot and cook them for a few minutes until softened. Scrape in the minced garlic, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and black pepper to the onions and carrots. Stir to combine everything together and cook for one additional minute.
Add the ground beef and ground Italian sausage to the dutch oven. Stir to break the proteins up into smaller pieces and brown until they’re both cooked through. Scoop the tomato paste into the pot and stir to mix it into the cooked beef, sausage, and vegetables. Cook the tomato paste until it deepens in color, stirring often so it doesn’t burn.
Pour the red wine into the pot and let it cook and steam for a few minutes so that it reduces slightly. Add in the tomato passata and diced tomatoes, then stir to combine it all together. Bring the bolognese to a simmer and then reduce the heat to low. Simmer the sauce for at least 20 minutes or up to all day.
Make the Brown Butter Tortellini
To make the tortellini, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season the water with a large pinch of salt and cook the tortellini according to the package directions. Drain the noodles in the sink.
While the tortellini boils, add unsalted butter to a large skillet. Melt the butter over medium low heat and let it cook until it begins to bubble, brown, and smell nutty. Stir the butter every minute or two. Take the skillet of butter off the heat once it’s browned to your liking.
Carefully add the boiled and drained tortellini to the skillet with the browned butter, being careful to not splash the hot butter. Toss the tortellini in the brown butter and then transfer to a plate or bowl for serving.
Finish the Bolognese and Serve
Before serving the bolognese, stir in some grated parmesan cheese and stir to melt it in. Ladle the bolognese over the prepared tortellini. Sprinkle the bowls of tortellini with additional grated parmesan. Enjoy the bolognese with a brussels sprout salad and a glass of wine for a delicious night in!
If you make this brown butter tortellini bolognese, be sure to leave a comment or give this recipe a rating – I can’t wait to hear how it goes. As always, tag me on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook in your photos. It makes me feel like we’re getting to cook together!
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Brown Butter Tortellini with Bolognese
Description
Tortellini is tossed in nutty brown butter and then topped with a rich, classic bolognese in this brown butter tortellini bolognese recipe.
Ingredients
Bolognese Sauce
Brown Butter Tortellini
Instructions
Start the Bolognese
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Preheat a large dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pan over medium heat. Once warm, after about 4 minutes, drizzle the olive oil into the dutch oven. Add the onions and carrots and cook them for 5-6 minutes until softened. Add in the minced garlic, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine and cook one minute more, until the garlic is fragrant.
-
Add the ground beef and ground Italian sausage to the dutch oven. Stir to break it up into smaller pieces. Stir every 1-2 minutes until the beef and sausage are browned and cooked through.
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Scoop in the tomato paste and stir to incorporate into the cooked beef, sausage, and vegetables. Continue to cook for 5 minutes, stirring often so the tomato paste doesn’t burn, but deepens in color.
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Pour in the red wine and cook for 3-5 minutes until it’s reduced by about half. Pour in the tomato passata and diced tomatoes and stir to combine. Bring the sauce to a simmer and then reduce the heat to low. Simmer the bolognese for at least 20 minutes or up to a few hours.
Make the Brown Butter Tortellini
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Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add a large pinch of salt to the water and boil the tortellini according to the package directions. Drain in the sink.
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Meanwhile, add the unsalted butter to a large skillet. Melt the butter over medium low heat and let cook until it begins to bubble, brown, and smell nutty, about 8 minutes. Stir the butter every minute or two. Take the skillet of butter off the heat.
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Carefully add the boiled tortellini to the skillet with the browned butter, being careful of the butter splashing. Toss the tortellini in the brown butter and then transfer to a plate or bowl for serving.
Finish the Bolognese and Serve
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When you’re ready to serve the bolognese, stir in the grated parmesan. Ladle the bolognese over the tortellini. Sprinkle with additional grated parmesan, if desired, and enjoy!
