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Four-Cheeses Tortellini with Tomatoes, Kalamatas and Basil

Four-Cheeses Tortellini

Summer dinners call for quick and flavorful, using fresh seasonal produce. This pasta meal takes as long as your pasta takes to cook in water.    I’ve used sweet grape tomatoes in combination with colorful yellow and orange tomatoes, not only for slight flavor variations, but also aesthetically a bright and summery presentation.      Good extra-virgin olive oil tossed with garlic and basil lend to the complimentary cheese flavors both within the tortellini and the cheeses sprinkled on top of the pasta.     The red pepper flakes adds a kick to the dish without overpowering the delicately balanced flavors.     This is a meal in itself with or without a small side salad of baby lettuce greens.     Pair it with a glass of crisp Pinot Gris…a lovely meal, indeed!

Teenie Notes

  • Picked up a healthy portioned package of tortellini from Costco that included the four cheese blend within the tortellini.
  • Found a nice four cheese mix of pre-grated cheeses that blended provolone, asiago, romano and Parmesan. Worked complimentary well in the dish.
Four-Cheeses Tortellini with Tomatoes, Kalamatas and Basil
source Cristina from TeenieCakes.com

Serves 2

Four Cheeses Tortellini Ingredients

Ingredients
4 cups cheese tortellini pasta

2 – 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
14 grape or cherry tomatoes
1 yellow tomato, chopped large pieces
1 orange tomato, chopped large pieces
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted
Salt
Tellicherry black pepper

1 1/2 – 2 teaspoons fresh basil, chopped

2-3 teaspoons red pepper flakes
Four cheese blend, grated

Directions

Prepare and cook tortellini according to package instructions.   Drain and place in a large bowl (where you will eventually be gently tossing the additional ingredients within).

While the pasta is cooking, in a medium-sized bowl gently mix olive oil, garlic, tomatoes, kalamata olives, salt and pepper to taste.   Add this olive oil-tomato mixture to prepared pasta and gently incorporate together with basil.

Portion into two servings.   Sprinkle with cheese blend and red pepper flakes.

Four Cheeses Tortellini Ingredients

Reader Interactions

Comments

  6. RKM says

    I can taste this dish right off the screen. You have a way of telling a story with your pictures, and the message is EAT GREAT FOOD!

  11. Patty says

    Oh my yes! This is what I’m talking about! I have yet to fully enjoy a good, solid pasta dish this summer and I think your recipe hits the spot! I’ll most definitely have this pasta dish with some white wine! Yum!

  12. Patty Price says

    What a perfectly simple summer meal that really takes advantage of the delicious tomatoes with a few fresh herbs thrown in, it’s on my list of recipes to try, thanks!

  15. MaryMoh says

    Looks light and delicious to me. I love all the different types and colours of tomatoes. Makes the dish very cheering and inviting 😀

  16. Mary says

    What a lovely dish. It is a perfect summer meal. It looks and sounds delicious. I hope you are having a wonderful day. Blessings…Mary

  23. FOODESSA says

    Cristina…this dish is so inviting.
    I can’t wait until our Montreal market is overflowing with the same variety of tomatoes.
    Cheese tortellini are the pasta of preference at our home.

    Beautiful photos ;o)
    Flavourful wishes, Claudia

  25. Dawn@CocinaSavant says

    this looks absoultey perfect! the colors in the dish help to look just as mouthwatering as it sounds. this combination would be perfect for a summer dish to bring to an outdoor get together. i’m drooling at the thought of getting to try it soon.

  26. Chef Dennis says

    What a perfect summer meal Christina! those lovely tortellini’s with those gorgeous tomatoes and kalamata olives…..not only delicious but beautiful too!

  28. Jeanne says

    The colors that you used really caught my eye! And it sounds so delicious, too. Great inspiration for a summer dinner!

  31. Monet says

    I love using different hued tomatoes during the summer months. My personal favorites are the little yellow ones. Your salad looks beautiful visually, and with such a vibrant list of ingredients, I’m sure it tastes wonderful as well!

  33. Jean says

    Yum! The tomatoes are so vibrant–I’ve always enjoyed them paired with olives. What a perfect dish for lunch…come to think of it, now…

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