Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 45 minutes mins
The asparagus in this recipe is very firm because it is not cooked before baking. I like it that way, but if that's not your thing, then blanch the asparagus first: Trim and chop the asparagus and add it to a pot of well-salted, boiling water. Cover and let boil for 2-3 minutes. Drain immediately and rinse with cold water. You can either layer it on top of the tortellini or mix it in with the sauce.
I know that many stores sell tortellini in 20-ounce packages. I've never tried that amount with this recipe, but I'm pretty confident that it would work just fine. Also, it doesn't have to be cheese tortellini, any kind will do.
Another note on tortellini: I did not boil my tortellini before baking it. It went straight from the package into my oven. If you don't trust me, then by all means boil first! It will still taste great. The recipe calls for refrigerated tortellini, but if you want to use shelf-stable tortellini, I would definitely boil it according to package instructions.