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Cheese tortellini in a creamy Parmesan brown butter sauce with crispy prosciutto and fried sage. This Brown Butter Tortellini is a cozy 20-minute dinner!
This Brown Butter Tortellini with Prosciutto and Sage tastes like something you’d order at a cozy Italian restaurant, but it’s on the table in about 20 minutes. Tender cheese tortellini gets tossed in a silky Parmesan brown butter sauce, then topped with crispy prosciutto and fried sage leaves. Every bite is nutty, salty, creamy, and so comforting.
The secret is the brown butter. Cooking the butter until it turns golden and smells toasty gives the sauce a rich, nutty flavor that plain butter just can’t match. A splash of cream and starchy pasta water makes it glossy and smooth, and a squeeze of lemon at the end brightens everything up.
It’s one of my favorite weeknight dinners because it starts with a package of refrigerated tortellini, but it feels special enough for company. If you love easy pasta dinners, you’ll also love my Marry Me Chicken Pasta, Fettuccine Alfredo, and Best Alfredo Sauce.
Why you’ll love this brown butter tortellini
- Ready in about 20 minutes. Refrigerated tortellini cooks in just a few minutes.
- Restaurant-worthy flavor. Brown butter, sage, and prosciutto are a classic Italian combination.
- Creamy but not heavy. Just ½ cup of cream plus pasta water makes a silky sauce.
- Crispy toppings. Crunchy prosciutto, fried sage, and toasted nuts add texture.
If you love pasta check out my other favorite pasta recipes…
- Marry Me Chicken Pasta
- Best Alfredo Sauce
- Fettuccine Alfredo
- Marry Me Gnocchi
- Cheesy Baked Gnocchi
- “Date Me” Creamy Sausage Rigatoni
- Marry Me Chicken Tortellini Soup
- World’s Best Buttered Noodles
Brown butter tortellini ingredients
Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.
- Refrigerated cheese tortellini: One 18–20 ounce package. Refrigerated cooks faster and is more tender than dried. Frozen works too; just cook it a few minutes longer.
- Unsalted butter: Use unsalted so you can control the salt, since the prosciutto and Parmesan are already salty.
- Prosciutto: Cut into thin strips and cooked until crispy. Pancetta or bacon work as substitutes.
- Fresh sage: Frying the leaves in brown butter makes them crisp and fragrant. Don’t use dried sage here.
- Garlic: Finely minced so it melts into the sauce.
- Heavy cream: Just enough to make the sauce silky.
- Pasta water: The starch helps the sauce cling to the tortellini and keeps it from breaking. Save a cup before draining.
- Parmesan cheese: Freshly grated melts smoothly. Pre-shredded can turn grainy.
- Red pepper flakes (optional): A little warmth.
- Lemon juice (optional but recommended): Cuts through the richness and brightens the sauce.
- Toasted walnuts or pecans (optional): Add crunch and play up the nutty brown butter flavor.
I buy my refrigerated cheese tortellini from Costco but you can find it at any grocery store. I buy my prosciutto at Trader Joe’s or Costco, because they are good quality and a good price. Also, I buy my fresh sage at Trader Joe’s. It is important to use fresh sage in this dish! I love to use freshly grated Parmesan cheese or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. If I don’t want to mince fresh garlic, I buy the frozen garlic cubes in the frozen section at Trader Joe’s.
HOW TO BROWN BUTTER:
Brown butter is just butter cooked a little longer, until the milk solids toast and turn golden.
- Use a light-colored skillet so you can see the color change.
- Melt the butter over medium heat. It will foam and sizzle as the water cooks off.
- Swirl or stir often. Watch for golden color and small brown flecks on the bottom of the pan.
- Smell for a nutty, toasty aroma. That’s when it’s ready, usually 4–6 minutes.
- Add the sage right away. This stops the butter from going too far, because brown butter can burn in seconds.
How to make brown butter tortellini with prosciutto
- Cook the tortellini. Boil the tortellini in a large pot of salted water according to the package directions, until just tender. Save 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- Crisp the prosciutto. While the pasta cooks, cook the prosciutto in a large skillet over medium heat for 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp around the edges. Move it to a plate.
- Brown the butter. Add the butter to the same skillet. Cook over medium heat, swirling often, until it foams, turns golden brown, and has toasted brown flecks, 4–6 minutes.
- Fry the sage. Add the sage leaves and cook 30–60 seconds, until fragrant and slightly crisp. Set a few aside for garnish.
- Add the garlic. Lower the heat to medium-low. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook about 30 seconds.
- Make the sauce. Pour in the cream and ¼ cup pasta water. Simmer gently 1–2 minutes.
- Toss with the tortellini. Add the tortellini and Parmesan and toss until the cheese melts and the sauce turns glossy. Add more pasta water a little at a time until it’s the consistency you like.
- Finish. Stir in most of the prosciutto and the black pepper. Taste before adding salt. Add the lemon juice, then top with the remaining prosciutto, crispy sage, extra Parmesan, and toasted nuts.
Tips for the best brown butter tortellini
- Don’t walk away from the butter. It goes from golden to burnt quickly. Pull it off the heat if it browns too fast.
- Lower the heat before the garlic so it doesn’t burn in the hot butter.
- Save the pasta water. It’s the key to a smooth sauce that coats every piece.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan. It melts into a silky sauce instead of clumping.
- Taste before salting. Prosciutto and Parmesan add plenty of salt.
- Add the lemon. Just a tablespoon balances the rich butter and cream.
- Serve right away. The sauce thickens as it sits. Loosen it with a splash of pasta water if needed.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use frozen tortellini? Yes. Cook it according to the package, usually a few minutes longer than refrigerated.
What kind of tortellini is best? Cheese tortellini is classic. Spinach and cheese, mushroom, or three-cheese tortellini all work well too.
Can I use dried sage? Fresh sage is best because the leaves fry and turn crispy. Dried sage won’t crisp, but you can stir in ½ teaspoon for flavor.
Prosciutto vs. pancetta: what’s the difference? Prosciutto is thinly sliced, dry-cured ham that crisps quickly. Pancetta is cured pork belly, usually diced, with a richer, fattier flavor. Either works here.
Can I make this without cream? Yes. Use half-n-half and Parmesan for a lighter brown butter sage sauce.
How do I keep the sauce from breaking? Lower the heat before adding the cream and cheese, and use pasta water to keep it smooth.
Can I make it ahead? It’s best fresh, but you can crisp the prosciutto and toast the nuts ahead. The rest takes about 15 minutes.
What to serve with brown butter tortellini
- Homemade Bakery French Bread: Perfect for soaking up every bit of the brown butter sauce.
- Cheesy Garlic Monkey Bread: Warm, pull-apart garlic bread that’s always a hit.
- Burrata Caprese Tomato Salad: Fresh tomatoes and creamy burrata balance the rich pasta.
- Italian Chopped Salad: A crisp, tangy salad that pairs perfectly with creamy tortellini.
How to store and reheat
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Keep extra prosciutto and sage separate so they stay crisp.
- Reheat: Warm in a skillet over low heat with a splash of milk or water, stirring gently until the sauce is creamy again. Microwaving works, but the sauce may separate.
- Freezing: Not recommended, since cream sauces can turn grainy when thawed.
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Brown Butter Tortellini with Prosciutto and Sage
Ingredients
- 18 to 20 ounces Refrigerated Cheese Tortellini
- 6 Tablespoons Butter
- 4 ounces Prosciutto cut into thin strips
- 10 to 12 Fresh Sage Leaves
- 3 cloves Garlic finely minced
- 1/2 cup Heavy cream
- 1/2 cup Reserved Pasta Water plus more as needed
- 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice optional but recommended
- 1/3 cup toasted chopped walnuts or pecans optional
- Extra Parmesan for serving
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the tortellini according to package directions until just tender. Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of pasta water.
- Meanwhile, add the prosciutto to a large skillet over medium heat. Cook for about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp around the edges. Transfer the prosciutto to a plate.
- Add the butter to the same skillet. Cook over medium heat, swirling or stirring frequently, until the butter foams, turns golden brown, and develops toasted brown flecks, about 4 to 6 minutes.
- Add the sage leaves and cook for about 30 to 60 seconds, until fragrant and slightly crisp. Remove a few leaves for garnish if desired.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for about 30 seconds.
- Pour in the heavy cream and about 1/4 cup reserved pasta water. Stir and let it gently simmer for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the drained tortellini and Parmesan. Toss gently until the cheese melts and the tortellini is coated in a glossy sauce. Add more pasta water, a little at a time, until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
- Stir in most of the crispy prosciutto and black pepper. Taste before adding salt since both Parmesan and prosciutto are salty. Finish with the lemon juice, if using. Top with the remaining prosciutto, crispy sage, extra Parmesan, and toasted walnuts or pecans.
Notes
- Watch the butter closely. It can go from brown to burnt quickly.
- Taste before salting. Prosciutto and Parmesan are both salty.
- Swaps: Pancetta or bacon instead of prosciutto. Frozen tortellini works; cook it a few minutes longer.
- Storage: Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of milk.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
