Air fryer tortellini with broccoli
Cheese tortellini and broccoli crisp up together in the air fryer with garlic and parmesan, crunchy at the edges and soft in the middle.
- 20 min total
- 5 min hands-on
- Anyone can make this
- Serves 2
- About $2.36 a serving
- 580 calories
- Vegetarian
Dolly says: I’d make this on a weeknight. It’s on the table in 20 minutes.
Ingredients
For 2 servings.
- 10 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini, refrigerated
- 2 cups broccoli, small florets
- 3 tbsp grated parmesan
- ½ lemon, cut into wedges
- ½ cup marinara sauce, warmed, for dipping (optional)
From your pantry
- 1½ tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning
- ¼ tsp salt
Each serving has about 580 calories, 24 g protein, 66 g carbs and 25 g fat, and costs about $2.36 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No broccoli? Frozen broccoli works.
- No grated parmesan? Parmesan wedge works.
- No lemons? Limes work.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
Heat the air fryer to 400°F.
the tortellini and broccoli in a bowl with the oil, garlic powder, Italian seasoning and salt.
Toss. Tossing means gently lifting and turning food so everything gets coated, like pasta in sauce or vegetables in oil. It coats every piece evenly without mashing anything.
How you’ll know: Every piece looks glossy or evenly coated, with no dry spots hiding underneath.
Dolly’s tip: Straight from the fridge, no boiling. The oil keeps them tender inside while the outsides crisp.Spread them in the basket and air fry 8 to 10 minutes, shaking twice, until the tortellini are at the edges and the broccoli is in spots.
Golden brown. Golden brown is the color of good toast, somewhere between yellow and light brown. It means the outside is cooked and crisp but not burnt.
How you’ll know: It looks like toast and smells toasty; dark brown with a bitter smell means it went too far.
Char. Charring means cooking over very high heat until some spots turn black. Those dark spots add a smoky, slightly bitter flavor that balances sweet or rich food.
How you’ll know: You see black spots and blisters in places, while most of the surface keeps its own color.
Timer: 9 min
Tip everything into a bowl and with the parmesan while it’s hot.
Toss. Tossing means gently lifting and turning food so everything gets coated, like pasta in sauce or vegetables in oil. It coats every piece evenly without mashing anything.
How you’ll know: Every piece looks glossy or evenly coated, with no dry spots hiding underneath.
Serve with lemon wedges to squeeze over, and marinara for dipping if you like.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
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30-minute dinners ›Vegetarian dinners ›What to make with broccoli and parmesan ›