Homemade Easy Italian Tortellini Carbonara - Fresh Dinner Ideas For 5
Dinner just got a serious glow-up. Imagine a bowl of cheese-stuffed tortellini swimming in a silky carbonara sauce, with crispy bacon bits and sweet peas popping through like little flavor fireworks. Sounds fancy, right? But don’t worry—this is totally doable on a busy weeknight, even when your energy level is somewhere between “meh” and “order takeout.”
Tortellini already feels like comfort food royalty, so pairing it with carbonara is basically a power couple. The creamy sauce clings to every curve of those little pasta pillows, turning each bite into a mini celebration. IMO, this might be one of the best tortellini upgrades you can make without spending hours in the kitchen.
Looking for fresh new dinner ideas that don’t taste like leftovers from last week? This recipe fits right in. It works as easy dinner ideas for 5 when friends or family show up hungry, but it’s also perfect for easy meals for family of 3 with leftovers for lunch tomorrow. And yes, you can scale it down too—because one person dinner recipes deserve to feel luxurious, not sad.
This dish hits all the boxes for homestyle dinner ideas with a little Italian flair. Stuffed tortellini brings built-in richness, bacon adds salty crunch, peas bring color (and make you feel slightly virtuous), and Pecorino Romano ties everything together with that bold, nutty kick.
Need easy entree ideas that feel impressive but require minimal effort? This is it. Dishes with tortellini already have a cozy vibe, but carbonara takes it straight into “wow, did you really make this?” territory. FYI, you might want to make extra—people tend to go back for seconds… and thirds.
Ingredients
- 10 oz (283.5 g) fresh tortellini (see notes for dried or frozen)
- 3 oz (85 g) guanciale, diced (bacon works great too)
- 1/4 cup (36 g) peas, fresh or thawed
- 1 whole egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 cup (50 g) Pecorino Romano, finely grated
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Directions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Drop in the tortellini and cook just until tender and floating—usually around 5–7 minutes for fresh pasta (10–12 minutes for dried or frozen). Scoop out about 1/4 cup of the pasta water, then drain the tortellini and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, heat a skillet over medium-high. Add the guanciale and cook until the pieces turn golden and crisp. Toss in the peas and cook for another minute until heated through.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the whole egg, egg yolk, and grated Pecorino until smooth and creamy.
- Add the drained tortellini directly into the skillet with the guanciale and peas. Take the pan off the heat, then pour in the egg and cheese mixture. Stir quickly so the eggs turn into a silky sauce instead of scrambling. Splash in a tablespoon or two of the reserved pasta water to thin the sauce and make it glossy.
- Taste, season with salt and plenty of black pepper, and finish with extra Pecorino on top. Serve immediately while it’s hot and ultra-creamy.
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