• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Midnight Baker

Easy to make main meal and dessert recipes.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Text Index
  • Subscribe
  • Recipe Box
  • About Me
    • Media/PR
    • Cookbooks
      • The Classic Slow Cooker
      • The Cupboard To Table Cookbook
    • Contact
    • Privacy
Home » Uncategorized » Kale & Tortellini Alfredo

Kale & Tortellini Alfredo

March 18, 2015 by Judith Hannemann

Pin
Share
Tweet
Share

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Kale & Tortellini Alfredo | bakeatmidnite.com | #tortellini #alfredo #kale #bacon
Kale & Tortellini Alfredo

Tortellini and kale in a bacon-flavored cheese sauce is a perfect quickie dinner.

Here’s a tasty and easy meal for empty nesters!

Although there’s a few steps in this dish, they are not difficult and the whole shebang is ready in less than 30 minutes.

Kale & Tortellini Alfredo | bakeatmidnite.com | #tortellini #alfredo #kale #bacon
Perfect dinner for 2

I used kale because I bought a big bag weeks ago, blanched the lot of it and froze it. If you don’t have frozen kale (which is already processed) on hand and want to use fresh kale, it’s necessary to blanche it first. Don’t eliminate this step!! It’s necessary to eliminate some of the waxiness of the vegetable and it also takes away a lot of the bitterness.

It’s perfectly OK to use fresh baby spinach in this. In fact, it’s what the original recipe on cooking.com calls for. I just happened to have kale and thought it would be a better choice for my taste–even though I love spinach too.

Kale & Tortellini Alfredo | bakeatmidnite.com | #tortellini #alfredo #kale #bacon
A feast for the eyes too!

My recipe also differs from the original in that I use more cheese, less bacon, eliminated spices that I thought were weird with this and also used frozen tortellini.

The recipe serves 2 but it can be easily doubled to serve 4.



Kale & Tortellini Alfredo
1 bag (16 oz) frozen 3-cheese tortellini
2 cups chopped blanched kale*
4 slices bacon
3 tbs flour
2 cups milk
1/2 cup Parmesan or Romano Cheese
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper


*Fresh baby spinach may be substituted. If using fresh kale, it is important to blanche it first by submerging in boiling salted water for 3 minutes, then submerging in ice water, draining and patting dry. Frozen kale has already been blanched and may also be substituted if you wish to use kale and not spinach. 


Cook tortellini per package directions; drain and set aside.


Roughly chop bacon.


Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is crisp and brown. Remove bacon from pan with slotted spoon and set aside.


Whisk the flour into the bacon drippings, stirring to eliminate any lumps. 


Whisk the milk into the flour/drippings mixture gradually to prevent lumps. Add the salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce begins to thicken–about 2-3 minutes.


Stir in the cheese. Add the kale in small portions and cook until kale (or spinach) is wilted.


Stir in the cooked tortellini until it’s coated evenly with sauce; heat through.


Top with reserved bacon.


Serves 2


Kale & Tortellini Alfredo | bakeatmidnite.com | #tortellini #alfredo #kale #bacon
Kale & Tortellini Alfredo

Copyright © Judith Hannemann aka The Midnight Baker 2015. All Rights Reserved. No part of this website may be reproduced without The Midnight Baker’s express consent.

Follow The Midnight Baker’s board The Midnight Baker on Pinterest.

Pin
Share
Tweet
Share

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: alfredo, bacon, kale, pasta, quick dinners, tortellini

You May Also Like

Tomato basil pasta
Tomato Basil Pasta
Jalapeño popper stuffed tenderloin
Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Tenderloin
Fire noodles
Fire Noodles
Previous Post: « Slow Cooker Chopped Steak with Onion Mushroom Gravy
Next Post: Beef Mexican Trash »

Reader Interactions

Copyright © Judith Hannemann aka The Midnight Baker 2022. All Rights Reserved. No part of this website may be reproduced without The Midnight Baker's express consent.

Comments

  1. Nagi Maehashi says

    March 18, 2015 at 3:54 am

    This recipe should be called "how to make a phenomenal dish using Kale". Full stop. You are the queen of making trendy greens irresistible!

  2. Judith Hanneman says

    March 18, 2015 at 4:11 am

    Thanks Nagi! I've sort of re-discovered kale. Haven't eaten it in years!

Primary Sidebar

Now Available

bakeatmidnite
ALSO AVAILABLE bakeatmidnite

Follow by Email! Get the e-Cookbook

“Must Try” Recipes

Cheeseburger & Fries Casserole

Popular sausage and peppers goes sheet pan easy.

Sheet Pan Sausage & Peppers

Chicken Enchilada Lasagna

Mexican Chicken Enchilada Lasagna

Chalupas

Chalupas

bakeatmidnite

Footer

bakeatmidnite
my foodgawker gallery Certified Yummly Recipes on Yummly.com
bakeatmidnite
COPYRIGHT © 2023 • BAKEATMIDNITE.COM • PRIVACY POLICY