Tortellini With Garlicky Brown Butter and Dill

There are few foods ready faster than dried pasta. One of them is refrigerated tortellini. Thrillingly convenient, these little bundles come in a variety of fillings, but cheese-stuffed usually wins for versatility. All you need is a swift sauce and dinner is done. Sure, you could opt for a jarred marinara or food-processor pesto. But this homemade favorite is also quick—just brown butter (a lot of it), stung with fresh garlic, then splashed with lemon zest and juice. It is weeknight-meets-fancy: fast enough to come together as the tortellini boil, yet vastly more flavorful than the sum of its parts. If dill is not your scene, swap in another tender herb like parsley or basil. Just don’t be shy with the black pepper; it makes the cheese filling sing. While this recipe makes a generous meal for one, you can easily scale it up for a bigger group.