I'm all in for easy dinners, especially this Tri-Color Tortellini with Thai Pesto Sauce. This Asian mashup uses ready-made, fresh tortellini pasta with my fragrant Thai pesto sauce recipe with tons of fresh herbs. Perfect for those super busy weeknights!

Tri-color tortellini in two white bowls tossed in a Thai pesto sauce with a fork on the side place on top of a gray wooden board.

Instead of pulling out rice noodles for the "umpteenth" time, I decided to go more mainstream with some tri-color tortellini. Kind of an Asian-Italian mashup, right?

Tri-color tortellini in two white bowls tossed in a Thai pesto sauce with a fork on the side of the bowl and a glass and bottle of Reisling wine in the background.

I grabbed a bag of frozen cheese tortellini at my local grocery store and quickly boiled them so they were soft and pillowy. I had defrosted my pre-made Thai pesto from before so that was already done (this easy pesto is loaded with fresh herbs, walnuts, and other flavorings -- see recipe below). I tossed it all together and topped it with some shredded parmesan cheese and, "voila," a delicious dinner in no time! I paired this meal with a beautiful glass of Pacific Rim dry riesling wine from Washington state. Just perfect!

[This post is sponsored by Pacific Rim Winery.] Pacific Rim's Dry Riesling wine portrays complex character balanced by bright citrus flavors and aromas of pear and jasmine, ideal with this Asian-inspired dish!

Fresh green herbs on a white wooden board.

How to make Thai Pesto Sauce:

This fragrant and delicious Asian pesto sauce is so wonderful on just about anything! The basil, mint, and cilantro combined with the garlic, walnuts, and green curry paste give it just the right amount of flavoring.

Grab some gorgeous, fresh Thai basil (use regular basil if you can't find Thai basil), mint leaves, and cilantro. Add the herbs to a food processor. Drizzle in your fish sauce.

Fresh green herbs in a small food processor with a fish sauce pour.

2. Then add in the garlic, walnuts, green curry paste, and wine. You can find green curry paste at the Asian market, or order it here on Amazon.

Fresh green herbs and nuts in a food processor ready to make a Thai pesto sauce with a squeeze of lime.

3. Squeeze in the lime juice. Finally, drizzle in the olive oil and pulse until it forms a paste. Taste for seasoning.

Thai basil pesto sauce in food processor with a rubber red spatula inserted.

How to quickly make tortellini pasta:

Fill a large pot with water. Add about a teaspoon of salt to the water. Bring the water to a rolling boil.
Add the frozen pasta to the boiling water, stirring it gently with a wooden spoon as you add it to the water.
The tortellini should take about 5 to 7 minutes to cook so watch it carefully so as not to overcook!
The tortellini will be done when it's soft and pillowy, but not mushy.
Remove the pasta with a strainer and reserve about a cup of the pasta water.

Rri-color tortellini in spider strainer being lifted out of a pot of water.

Gorgeous tri-colored tortellini cooks up quickly so watch carefully while it's cooking!

Tri-color tortellini in a white bowl with Thai pesto sauce and parmesan cheese on the side in smaller white bowls.

These three ingredients are all you need for a delicious and quick Asian-inspired dinner: tortellini, Thai pesto, and parmesan cheese!

Grab a bottle of Pacific Rim dry riesling wine for the perfect pairing with this meal!

TIPS & TRICKS:

You can pre-make the Thai pesto and refrigerate for up to four days, or freeze the pesto and defrost when ready to use.
The tortellini should take about 5 to 7 minutes to cook so watch it carefully so as not to overcook!
The tortellini will be done when it's soft and pillowy, but not mushy.

WANT MORE? If you like this recipe, you’re going to love my Thai Pesto Zucchini Noodles with Shrimp Meatballs. It's so healthy and beyond delicious!