Meat-filled tortelloni are large, plump parcels of fresh egg pasta stuffed with a savoury beef and pork filling and finished in a pan of browned sage butter. Tortelloni are especially associated with Emilia-Romagna and the neighbouring parts of northern Italy. This guide takes you through the filling, the dough, the shaping and the sauce, with notes on freezing and common problems.
What tortelloni are
Tortelloni are a larger relative of tortellini, usually made from a square of pasta folded into a triangle, with the two corners brought together. In many places the classic fillings are ricotta with spinach or pumpkin, but meat fillings exist too, and they make a hearty main course. If you want to compare with other filled shapes, see our guides to tortelloni, ravioli, cappelletti and agnolotti, and our overview of filled pasta.
Recipe at a glance
- Serves: 4
- Dough: 300 g Tipo 00 flour and 3 eggs
- Cooking time: 4 to 6 minutes
- Make ahead: the filling keeps a day, and the shaped pasta freezes well
Ingredients
Fresh pasta dough
- 300 g Tipo 00 flour
- 3 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon olive oil (optional)
Meat filling
- 150 g lean ground beef and 100 g ground pork
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small shallot and 1 small garlic clove, finely minced
- 50 g Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
- 1 egg yolk, as a binder
- 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- Salt and black pepper
Sage butter sauce
- 90 g unsalted butter
- 10 to 12 fresh sage leaves
- 30 g Parmigiano Reggiano, to finish
- 2 to 3 tablespoons reserved pasta cooking water
Make the filling
- Soften the aromatics. Cook the shallot in the olive oil over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, then add the garlic for 30 seconds.
- Brown the meat. Add the beef and pork and break it into very fine pieces. Cook until it is fully done, with no pink, and the moisture has evaporated. Ground meat should reach 71 °C (160 °F).
- Cool and bind. Let the meat cool completely, then mix in the Parmigiano, egg yolk, parsley, nutmeg, salt and pepper until compact.
- Chill. Refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes so the filling firms up. Warm filling softens the dough and makes the pasta tear when sealing.
The filling can be made a day ahead and kept chilled in an airtight container.
Make and shape the pasta
- Knead the dough. Combine the flour, eggs and salt, and knead for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Wrap and rest for 30 minutes. See our pasta flour guide for more on the dough.
- Roll. Divide the dough into four portions and roll each on a medium-thin setting. Do not roll it paper-thin, since large tortelloni need sturdy walls to hold a hearty filling.
- Cut and fill. Cut 8 to 9 cm squares and put a generous teaspoon of chilled filling in the centre of each.
- Fold and seal. Moisten the edges lightly with water, fold diagonally into a triangle and press from the centre outward to push out air. Bring the two bottom corners together around your finger and press firmly to seal.
For the tools, see our homemade pasta tools and ravioli tools guides.
Cook and finish
- Brown the butter. Melt the butter over medium heat, add the sage leaves, and let them sizzle until the milk solids turn golden and smell nutty. Take the pan off the heat.
- Boil gently. Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil, add the tortelloni, and cook for 4 to 6 minutes. A hard boil can split the seams.
- Finish in the pan. Lift the tortelloni into the sage butter with a slotted spoon, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of the cooking water, and toss gently over low heat until the sauce turns glossy. Finish with the Parmigiano. The technique is explained in our mantecatura guide, and the basics in pasta cooking and pasta water.
What to serve with it
- A crisp arugula salad with lemon and olive oil to cut the richness of the butter.
- Crusty bread to mop up the sage butter.
- A bright Sangiovese or a medium-bodied Chianti Classico to balance the meat.
Storage and freezing
| Method | How | How long |
| Fridge, uncooked | Single layer on a semolina-dusted tray, covered | Up to 24 hours |
| Freezer, uncooked | Freeze flat on a tray, then bag | Up to 3 months |
| Fridge, cooked | Airtight container with a drizzle of oil | Up to 3 days |
Cook frozen tortelloni straight from the freezer and add 1 to 2 minutes.
Approximate nutrition per serving
Estimated for four servings: about 670 kcal, 34 g protein, 66 g carbohydrate, 31 g fat, 3 g fibre and 680 mg sodium. These figures vary with ingredients.
Tips
- Use semolina on the tray. Coarse durum semolina does not absorb moisture from the dough as quickly as plain flour, so the tortelloni are less likely to stick while they wait.
- Keep the dough covered. Fresh dough dries out quickly and will not seal.
- Do not overfill. A generous teaspoon is enough.
Common questions
Why do my tortelloni open while boiling?
Usually there is trapped air inside, or the edges dried out before sealing. Dampen the edges lightly and press firmly around the filling.
Can I make the filling ahead?
Yes. A day in the fridge lets the flavours blend. Keep it chilled and covered.
What is the difference between tortelloni and tortellini?
Tortelloni are larger, and ricotta, spinach or pumpkin fillings are common, though meat fillings exist. Tortellini are smaller and are often served in broth.
Can I use shop-bought pasta sheets?
Yes, as a shortcut. Fresh sheets work better than dried lasagne sheets, which are too thick.
Keep exploring
To see where this tradition comes from, read about Emilia-Romagna on Italia.it, learn about Parmigiano Reggiano, and see our regional pasta guide.
Syed Yasar Arafat is the founder of PastaLoverz.com and a food research enthusiast with a focused interest in pasta varieties, traditional Italian cuisine, and balanced eating. Through PastaLoverz.com, he publishes well-researched articles that explain pasta types, cooking methods, and nutritional considerations in clear, practical terms to help readers make informed food choices.