Get All of Your Food Groups in One Dish: Spinach and Bacon Tortellini

Every summer since I was little my parents have grown herbs, leafy greens, peppers, always cherry tomatoes, and one year we even grew pumpkins. The entire backyard became a prickly pumpkin patch.

It’s tradition for our whole family to get together for a barbeque on Fourth of July. Last year I was in charge of making a side dish. My mother had so many cherry tomatoes and spinach plants that I harvested them and began to think about what kind of dish I wanted to make.

Was it going to be mainly meat? No. Was it going to be only veggies? No. Did I want it to be cold? No. Must it contain cheese? Yes! Eventually, I came up with a dish that includes every food group; it has a meat, a veggie, a fruit, a grain and a dairy product.

Spinach and Bacon Tortellini. Since it was such a hit, this dish will now be served at every Fourth of July get-together of ours. My family even asked me to double the recipe for this year! You’ll be surprised at how refreshing the spinach and tomatoes are even when the dish is served warm.

The bacon’s smoky flavor goes great with the fresh garlic and gives the dish a richer essence. Everything is better with bacon, right? The cheese in the tortellini is appreciated but still too subtle. So I add a heaping handful of shredded mozzarella cheese on top. Yes, it’s definitely necessary. Mm, bacon and cheese.  

Ingredients:

The Meat: 6 strips of bacon (or more if you’re a meat lover)

The Grain: 1 package of refrigerated cheese filled tortellini

The Veggies: 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced AND

1 large bunch of spinach, chopped up

The Fruit: 2 handfuls of cherry tomatoes, halved

The Dairy: Shredded mozzarella (for those cheese heads out there)

Olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

First, start to boil a pot of water. While the water is heating, cook the bacon.

I recommend cooking the bacon until right before it gets crispy because when the bacon is chewy yet still  lean textured, it still has all the flavor from the fat juices and produces a sturdier, less limp bacon. Once cooked, remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Once cooled, crumble the bacon in to small pieces.

By now the water should be boiling, so drop in your tortellini. The tortellini will be done when they have floated to the top and have reached the point of slightly past al dente. Once done, remove from heat and strain. Then toss slightly with olive oil.

While the noodles boil, you’ll sauté the spinach. In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. After about 1 minute, add the minced garlic and sauté for another minute. Reduce to medium heat and add the chopped spinach, adding small bunches at a time. Using a pair of tongs, keep tossing and flipping the spinach as to best evenly coat the greens and not to burn them. After all of the spinach has been added, cover and reduce to low heat. Watch the pan carefully and when spinach has wilted completely, remove from heat.

Combine the tortellini noodles, sautéed spinach, crumbled bacon and the halved tomatoes in a medium mixing bowl. The little use of olive oil and the slight bit of grease from the bacon serves as the dressing but it tastes like a high-end bacon infused glaze.

Add salt and pepper to your liking and sprinkle the Spinach and Bacon Tortellini with mozzarella cheese right before devouring.  

Whether you decide to make this for Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, another Holiday, or just to try it, I really hope you, and whoever you share it with, enjoy this dish just as much as my family and I have.

Bon Appetit!