Tortellini in spinach-feta sauce with lots of fresh herbs! (aka macaroni spanakopita with cheese)
Spinach and feta are a fabulous flavor combination that I enjoy in different forms, my favorite is a creamy sauce! This tortellini with spinach and feta is essentially macaroni with cheese with spinach and feta added to the sauce, as well as many fresh herbs. The sauce is a basic white sauce that starts with butter and flour to make a roux before adding milk to form a deliciously thick sauce. The cheese is melted into the sauce before adding the spinach and crumbled feta with fresh persil, dill and green onions. You can use this sauce for almost anything and it is perfect when combined with a pasta sauce such as macaroni or tortellini. I like to finish it off while I garnish some more cheese and cook it until the cheese is melted on top! Yum!
Tortellini in spinach-feta sauce with lots of fresh herbs! (aka macaroni spanakopita with cheese)
Ingredient
- 4 Tablespoons of butter
- 3 chopped garlic cloves
- 4 Tablespoons flour (gluten-free rice flour)
- 3 Cups of milk
- 1/4 Teaspoon Nutmeg (Optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup Parmigiano reggiano (Parmesan), grated
- 1 cup grated mozzarella
- 10 Ounces Spinach (Thawed, frozen or freshly wilted)
- 1 cup of crumbled feta
- 1 Tablespoon dill, chopped
- 1 Tablespoon chopped persil
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 1 Pound tortellini with cheese, cooked (gluten-free for gluten-free)
- 1 cup grated mozzarella
Direction
Melt the butter in a large oven saucepan over medium heat until it foams and starts to brown a little.
Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Sprinkle the flour and cook until it starts to brown a little, about a minute.
Add the milk and cook until it thickens, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the nutmeg, salt and pepper.
Add the parmesan and mozzarella and cook until they melt in the sauce.
Stir in spinach, feta, dill, persil, green onions.
Stir in the tortellini, sprinkle with mozzarella and bake in a preheated oven 350F / 180C until the cheese has melted and the sides are bubbling, about 15 minutes.
- Option: add a splash of lemon juice to the sauce!
- Option: before baking, garnish with panko breadcrumbs, possibly mixed with melted butter, for a crispy filling!
Tip: Cook the tortellini while making the sauce.
Nutritional Value: Calories 611, Fat 32G (Saturated 19g, Trans 0.2g), Cholesterol 120mg, Sodium 948mg, Carbohydrates 50g (Fiber 2G, Sugar 8G), Protein 30g
