Homemade Cheese Tortellini: Step-by-Step Recipe and Tips

Make your own homemade cheese tortellini using simple ingredients and a rich five-cheese filling. This recipe yields tender pasta pockets that pair beautifully with red or cream-based sauces.

Homemade Cheese Tortellini

Take dinner up a notch with homemade cheese tortellini. This recipe combines a simple mascarpone-enriched pasta dough with a creamy five-cheese filling for a comforting, restaurant-quality meal you can make at home.

Serve the tortellini with a homemade vodka sauce or a store-bought marinara — both work wonderfully. Once you try making tortellini from scratch, you’ll find it easier than you expect.

What is tortellini? Tortellini are small Italian stuffed pasta shapes, traditionally filled with meat or cheese. You can make them from scratch or buy ready-made versions, but homemade tortellini give you control over ingredients and texture.

What’s in the tortellini?

Tortellini Pasta Dough

The dough for these tortellini is simple and requires just four ingredients:

• Flour: all-purpose flour works well for this dough.
• Water: used to bring the dough together.
• Mascarpone cheese: adds creaminess and richness to the pasta.
• Salt: enhances the pasta’s flavor.

Make Your Own

Mascarpone Cheese

Mascarpone is easy to make at home and brightens the texture of the dough. If you prefer, use store-bought mascarpone.

5-Cheese Filling

Instead of a single cheese, this filling blends five cheeses for depth and creaminess.

• Ricotta cheese
• Mozzarella cheese (shredded)
• Mascarpone cheese
• Asiago cheese (shredded)
• Romano cheese (shredded)

How to Make Cheese Tortellini

Make the Cheese Filling

Combine all filling ingredients in a medium bowl with Italian seasoning, mixing until evenly incorporated. Set aside.

Make the Dough

In a bowl, combine flour and salt, make a well, then add water and mascarpone. Mix until a loose ball forms.

Knead and Rest

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead about 5 minutes until smooth and firm but not sticky. Wrap tightly in plastic and let rest for 30 minutes.

Roll Out the Pasta

Divide the dough in half and roll thinly. A pasta roller or KitchenAid attachment works well — start on the widest setting and gradually reduce until the sheet is thin enough to see your fingers through.

Cut Squares

Trim the sheets into rectangles, then cut into roughly 2×2-inch squares for filling.

Fill and Shape the Tortellini

Place about 1 teaspoon of filling into the center of each square. Dip a finger in water and moisten the edges, fold one corner over to form a triangle and press edges firmly to seal. Bring the two bottom corners together, press to join, and form the classic tortellini shape.

Cook the Tortellini

Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the tortellini for 2–3 minutes, or until they float to the surface. Drain and toss with your preferred sauce.

FAQ

Sauce Pairings

These tortellini are versatile and pair well with many sauces. Try any of the following:

• Garlic butter sauce
• Vodka sauce
• Garlic Parmesan sauce
• Mushroom cream sauce
• Classic Alfredo

Storage

Keep leftover cooked tortellini in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in sauce or in a covered skillet with a splash of water.

How to Freeze Tortellini

1. Place uncooked tortellini on a baking sheet in a single layer, not touching.
2. Freeze for 30–60 minutes until firm.
3. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag, remove as much air as possible, and seal.
4. Freeze for up to 3 months. Cook from frozen, adding a minute or two to the boiling time.

5 from 1 vote

How to Make Cheese Tortellini

This homemade cheese tortellini recipe comes together with just a few ingredients and a creamy five-cheese filling.

By: Lee Funke

Prep: 1 hr

Cook: 15 mins

Total: 1 hr 15 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

Pasta Dough

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• ¾ cup water
• 3 tablespoons mascarpone cheese
• ½ teaspoon salt

Filling

• ½ cup whole milk ricotta cheese
• ½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• ¼ cup mascarpone cheese
• ¼ cup asiago cheese, shredded
• ¼ cup romano cheese, shredded
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Instructions

• Prepare the cheese filling by combining all cheeses and Italian seasoning in a bowl. Mix until uniform and set aside.
• For the dough, combine flour and salt, make a well, add ½ cup water and the mascarpone, and mix until a loose ball forms.
• Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 5 minutes, adding a little water if needed. The dough should be smooth and not sticky. Wrap and rest 30 minutes.
• Divide the dough, roll each portion thinly (or use a pasta roller), and cut into 2×2-inch squares.
• Place ~1 teaspoon of filling in each square, moisten the edges, fold into a triangle, seal, then bring the two opposite corners together and press to form the tortellini shape.
• Boil a pot of salted water and cook tortellini 2–3 minutes until they float. Drain and toss with your favorite sauce.

Tips & Notes

• If needed, you can substitute Parmesan for Romano and Asiago. For vodka sauce without tomato paste, use ½ cup tomato sauce and simmer a little longer.
• If using store-bought Italian seasoning, taste before adding extra salt since blends vary in salt content.

Nutrition

Calories: 486 kcal, Carbohydrates: 50 g, Protein: 19 g, Fat: 22 g, Sugar: 1 g

Nutrition info is an estimate and should be used as a guide.