This tortellini in mushroom-parmesan broth is an amazing midweek dinner recipe to get you through to Friday!
If you’ve been here since, like, yesterday, you’ll know that I’ve been all about using those parmesan rinds! I happen to have a huge bag so I’ve been throwing them in everything.
I had a package of tortellini in the fridge, and right before bed, I thought, “I need to make tortellini in a mushroom sauce.” So I promptly texted him because I knew I would forget otherwise, as one does.

And so, today, I set out to make simple tortellini in mushroom sauce. Originally, I envisioned this being a brown butter sauce situation. Then I thought, “Well, no, how about cream? We have to have cream.” But then I realized I made a creamy sauce yesterday with my orecchiette, sausage, and broccoli rabe. So, as I was frying the mushrooms, it hit me: BRODO. I love tortellini in broth and knew this would be an amazing way to enjoy these without the heaviness of a cream sauce.

And so, the tortellini in mushroom-parmesan broth was born. It’s so easy to make, too. Here’s what you do:
Start with mushrooms. I use a blend of cremini and beech. Torn oyster or maitake mushrooms would also be amazing in this. Tear or slice the mushroom depending on the variety.
Brown the mushrooms. You want them to develop a nice golden crust, so fry them in batches until nicely golden brown. Transfer all of them to a bowl.
Get some butter up in there. OF COURSE, we need butter if we’re cooking mushrooms. Once the butter is melted, add the onion and sauté it for about 10 minutes until it just begins to take on a nice golden color. It doesn’t need to be fully caramelized. After about 10 minutes, I like to throw in a big pinch of sugar to get it a little browner and more caramel-y.
Time for aromatics. I use garlic confit, though freshly minced garlic works just fine along with Piment d’Ville and Dijon mustard. Use your favorite Piment d’Espelette or smoked paprika. Let them sizzle in the onions for about 1 minute.
Bring it all together. Throw in the cooked mushrooms and add water or stock and a parmesan rind. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 20 minutes. Throw in some kale and let it simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Be sure to season the broth along the way. Discard the parmesan rind after cooking.
That’s it for the broth. While it simmers, cook the tortellini and then drain them. Serve it up by dividing the cooked tortellini between bowls and ladling that hot broth on top. Drizzle each bowl with extra virgin olive oil. Garnish with freshly minced parsley and finish each bowl with a sprinkle of freshly grated parm and some fresh cracked black pepper. It is heaven in a bowl!
Looking for more vegetarian recipes? Need some midweek dinner recipe inspo? Check my archives!

Tortellini in Mushroom-Parmesan Broth
Equipment
- Large pot
- Large pot
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 1 pound mixed mushrooms sliced or torn depending on the variety
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 yellow onion peeled and thinly sliced into half-moons
- Big pinch of sugar optional
- 4 cloves confit garlic or use freshly minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons piment d’Espelette or use smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 6 cups water or vegetable stock
- 1 Parmesan rind
- 1 head curly kale stems removed and leaves torn into bite-sized pieces
- 16 ounces tortellini
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Extra virgin olive oil black pepper, freshly grated parmesan, and minced parsley for garnish
Instructions
Cook the mushrooms:
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms in batches and cook for 8–12 minutes per batch until golden brown. The edges will crisp up a bit. Season each batch with salt and pepper. Transfer all the mushrooms to a large bowl.
Brown the onion:
- Add the butter to the pot. Once bubbly and melted, add the onion and cook, stirring regularly, for 10–15 minutes or until the onion becomes lightly caramelized and golden in color. Add a pinch of sugar, if you like, and sauté an additional 3 minutes.
Cook the aromatics:
- Add the garlic, piment d’Espelette, and Dijon mustard. If using garlic confit, mash the garlic into the onion. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Simmer the broth:
- Return the cooked mushrooms to the pot and toss to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Add the water or vegetable stock to the pot along with the parmesan rind. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
Simmer the kale:
- Add the kale to the pot and simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Taste and season the broth to your preferences and discard the rind.
Cook the tortellini:
- As the broth simmers, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the tortellini according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
To serve:
- Divide the tortellini between bowls and ladle the broth on top. Serve with extra virgin olive oil, fresh cracked black pepper, grated parmesan, and minced parsley on top if you like. Enjoy!
Im making this right now! Question — Why do you boil the tortellini separately? Why not just plop them in the boiling broth?
Hi! You can cook the tortellini in the broth if you like. I prefer to keep them separate to avoid overcooking the tortellini and to prevent the broth from becoming cloudy.
Thank you! It came out delicious by the way! I added half a lemons juice in it to brighten it up. It was perfect!
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that. Lemon juice is a great way to finish it!
That was sooooo good!! I didn’t have Dijon mustard, so I added a little bit mustard powder, white pepper powder, a pinch of allspice (another recipe said that’s what Dijon was. Hopefully, that’s true. Tasty either way!)
Great recipe! Thanks again!
Yay! I’m so happy you enjoyed it! Thanks for the comment!