SuperQuick Pimento Cheese-Inspired Tortellini with Bacon

15-Min Meal

SuperQuick

and Sweet Corn and Cheddar

2 min

Difficulty: 1/3

If you're new to pimento cheese, it's a southern favourite—it's often used as a sandwich filling or served as a dip with crackers. We've used the classic flavours of cheddar, roasted peppers and greens onions in pimento cheese to create this tangy pasta dinner. Ingredients: Cheese tortellini (pasta: durum wheat semolina, water, liquid egg yolk, liquid whole eggs, filling: cheeses (ricotta, parmesan, romano), toasted wheat crumbs, whey, vegetable oil, flavour (milk), water, salt, yeast extract, garlic powder) (egg, milk, wheat) • Bacon (pork, water, salt, sugar, sodium phosphates, sodium erythorbate, sodium nitrite, spices, smoke) • Thaw-friendly corn (corn, modified vinegar) • White cheddar cheese (pasteurized milk, modified milk ingredients, cream, salt, calcium chloride, bacterial culture, microbial enzyme, microbial rennet, cellulose, natamycin) (milk) • Spinach • Roasted red pepper pesto (roasted red pepper, soybean oil, water, sunflower seeds, garlic, parmesan cheese (milk, bacterial culture, salt, lipase, calcium chloride, microbial enzyme, powdered cellulose), modified corn starch, salt, sugar, herbs, citric acid, spices, xanthan gum, potassium sorbate) (milk) • 35% Cream (cream, milk, dextrose, cellulose gel, carrageenan, mono and diglycerides, cellulose gum, polysorbate 80, sodium citrate, disodium phosphate) (milk) • Cream cheese (milk ingredients, modified milk ingredients, salt, bacterial culture, lactic acid, guar gum, carob bean gum, xanthan gum, potassium sorbate) (milk) • Green onion • Cream sauce spice blend (wheat flour, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, canola oil, silicon dioxide) (wheat).

Allergens

Soy

Mustard

Wheat

Milk

Sulphites

Egg

May contain traces of allergens

Peanuts

Sesame

Tree nuts

Utensils

Large Pot

Measuring Spoons

Large Non-Stick Pan

Measuring Cups

Colander

Tags

SuperQuick

Ingredients

Cheese Tortellini

350 g

Corn Kernels

113 g

Green Onion

2 unit(s)

Baby Spinach

56 g

Roasted Pepper Pesto

0.25 cup

Cream Cheese

1 unit(s)

Cream

56 mL

Cream Sauce Spice Blend

10 g

White Cheddar Cheese, shredded

0.5 cup

Bacon Strips

100 g

Unsalted Butter

1 tbsp

Salt

0.125 tsp

Pepper

0.125 tsp

Preparation

Before starting, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry all produce.
Heat a large non-stick pan over medium.
When hot, add bacon. Cook for 5-7 min, flipping occasionally, until crispy.** Remove from heat.
Using tongs, transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside.
Meanwhile, slice green onions, keeping green and white parts separate.
Discard fat from the pan.
Reheat the same pan over medium-high, then add 1 tbsp (2 tbsp) butter, corn, green onion whites and 1 tbsp (2 tbsp) water. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 4-5 min, stirring often until corn is golden.

Sprinkle Cream Sauce Spice Blend over top. Stir to coat corn and green onions.
Add cream, cream cheese, pesto and 3/4 cup (1 1/2 cups) water. Season with salt and pepper.
Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium.
Cook for 3-5 min, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens slighty.

Meanwhile, to the boiling water, add tortellini. Cook for 2-4 min, stirring occasionally, until tender but still firm to the bite.
Reserve 1/4 cup (1/2 cup) pasta water. Strain tortellini, then add to pan of sauce. Stir to coat. (TIP: For a lighter sauce consistency, add reserved pasta water, 1-2 tbsp at a time.)
Add spinach. Season with salt and pepper. Stir for 30 sec, until spinach wilts.

Divide tortellini between bowls.
Sprinkle cheddar and remaining green onions over top.
Roughly crumble bacon over top.

If you've opted to add bacon, heat a large non-stick pan over medium. When hot, add bacon. Cook for 5-7 min, flipping occasionally, until crispy.** Remove from heat. Using tongs, transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside. Meanwhile, slice green onions, keeping green and white parts separate. Discard fat from the pan. Reheat the same pan over medium-high, then cook corn as the recipe instructs.