Frozen tortellini becomes a weeknight dinner with little more than butter and sage. Brown the butter to deepen the flavor and crisp the sage leaves, letting the cheese inside the pasta speak for itself.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 430 calories a serving, 11 g protein, 10 g carbohydrate, 39 g fat. From USDA figures for 67% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add 10 oz frozen cheese tortellini and cook until they float to the surface and hold there for one minute, then cook one minute longer.10 min
2. While the tortellini cooks, melt 4 tablespoons butter in a small pan over medium heat, swirling occasionally until the milk solids darken and the butter smells nutty, about 4 minutes. Tear 8 to 10 fresh sage leaves into the brown butter and remove from heat.4 min
3. Drain the tortellini and transfer to a shallow bowl. Pour the brown butter and sage over them, season with salt and pepper, and toss gently to coat.

Note Swap sage for fresh thyme or parsley if needed. Leftover tortellini keeps refrigerated for two days and reheats gently in butter. Serve with grated cheese on the side and a simple green salad dressed with lemon.