When it comes to dinner, we like it quick and simple. While a multi-course meal may be nice, it’s really better suited for the weekend or when guests are coming over. On weekdays, the motto is »fast & furious«. After a long day at work, nobody wants to spend hours toiling in the kitchen, right? That’s precisely when this Air Fryer Tortellini Gratin with Tomatoes is perfect: minimal effort, great flavors, and ready in a flash.
Air Fryers have truly evolved into all-rounders in recent years. What started out as a gadget for making less fatty French fries, chicken wings, and the like has transformed into a multifunctional little wonder machine. These days, just about anything gets tossed into an Air Fryer. That includes this delicious tortellini gratin.
Of course, you don’t »need« to buy an Air Fryer just to make a gratin. A standard oven does the job just as well. However, if you already have one of these machines sitting on your counter in the kitchen, it makes a great alternative to the good old oven. These compact appliances generally consume far less electricity, heat up faster, and offer quicker cooking times. The heat simply circulates better inside the small cooking chambers, speeding things up a bit…
Making a tortellini gratin in an Air Fryer is incredibly easy. First, you toss in the ingredients that require a bit of roasting flavors – in our case that was the onions. It never hurts to let them pick up some color. Then come the stars of the dish: the ricotta-filled tortellini, along with some liquid and spices, giving the little pasta packages a base to »swim« in while they cook. Finally, you just add some cheese on top and let the Air Fryer do the work. Tutto bene – as an Italian might say.
Without an Air Fryer, we would first sauté the onions in a frying pan, then add the tomatoes, spices, and liquid, followed by the tortellini. We’d let it all simmer briefly, then transfer the mixture to a baking dish, top it with cheese, and pop it in the oven. It’s not particularly complicated, but there is a bit more washing up to do afterward.
Preparing casseroles in an Air Fryer is certainly faster and easier, but admittedly, the result doesn’t look quite as impressive on the dining table as a gratin in a nice casserole dish. The cooking basket, or rather, the Air Fryer drawer just doesn’t look that stylish on the table. You really have to portion everything out onto plates or into bowls before serving when using an Air Fryer..
There are worse problems to have, right?! After all, most people plate the food beforehand anyway. So, if you prefer placing the casserole dish on the table so everyone can help themselves, you’re probably better off sticking to the classic preparation method.
As mentioned, you can now prepare much more than just fries and the like in an Air Fryer. Chefs and food bloggers around the world have done an impressive job exploring just about everything these little machines can do.
Air Fryer Käsespätzle aka. German Cheese Noodles definitely count as one of the more experimental dishes. It’s a slightly simplified version of the classic dish, yet it holds its own against the original in terms of flavor. We love this simple meal for a busy weeknight.
If you have a sweet tooth, you might want to try our Air Fryer Cheesecake. This version is every bit as good as a cheesecake baked in a conventional oven. The only downside is that, since our Air Fryer isn’t all that big, the cake turns out a bit smaller than what you could make in an oven.
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
(4 servings)
26.5 oz. (750g) tortellini (e.g., with cheese or ricotta filling)
1 large onion, diced
7 oz. (200g) cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup (120ml) veggie broth
7 oz. (200g) heavy cream
1 tsp. dried oregano*
1 tsp. paprika powder (sweet)*
1 tsp. garlic powder*
1 tsp. chilli flakes* (optional)
about 5.3 oz. (150g) mozzarella, grated
salt, pepper
(4 Personen)
750g Tortellini (z.B. mit Käse oder Ricotta)
1 große Zwiebel, gewürfelt
200g Cherrytomaten
120ml Gemüsebrühe
200g Schlagsahne
1 TL Oregano*
1 TL Paprikapulver (edelsüß)*
1 TL Knoblauchpulver*
1 TL Chiliflocken* (optional)
etwa 150g Mozzarella, gerieben
Salz, Pfeffer
DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
1. Peel the onion and dice it coarsely. Wash and dry the cherry tomatoes, then halve them – or quarter them if they are a bit larger.
2. Set the Air Fryer to a temperature of 200°C (390°F) and place the diced onion into the air fryer basket (without a rack or similar). Roast the onions for about 8 minutes.
3. Add the tortellini and cherry tomatoes, and mix everything. Next, add the veggie broth, heavy cream, oregano, paprika powder, garlic powder, and chili flakes (optional), and mix thoroughly. Cook the tortellini at a temperature of 180°C (350°F) for about 24 minutes. Stir everything once halfway through the cooking time. About 10–12 minutes before the cooking time is up, add the cheese and let it melt over the tortellini. Season the baked tortellini with some salt and pepper to your liking, then serve hot.
1. Die Zwiebel schälen und grob würfeln. Die Cherrytomaten waschen, trocknen und dann halbieren oder vierteln, wenn sie größer sind.
2. Den AirFryer auf eine Temperatur von 200°C (390°F) einstellen und die gewürfelte Zwiebel in den Korb des AirFryers geben (ohne Gitter o.Ä.). Die Zwiebeln für etwa 8 Minuten rösten lassen.
3. Die Tortellini und Cherrytomaten dazugeben und alles vermengen. Gemüsebrühe, Sahne, Oregano, Paprikapulver, Knoblauchpulver und Chiliflocken (optional) dazugeben und alles gut vermengen. Die Tortellini bei einer Temperatur von 180°C (350°F) für etwa 24 Minuten backen. Zwischendurch alles einmal durchrühren. Etwa 10-12 Minuten vor Ende der Backzeit den Käse dazugeben und die Tortellini damit überbacken. Den Tortellini Auflauf nach Belieben noch mit etwas Salz und Pfeffer würzen und dann heiß servieren.
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Air Fryer Tortellini Gratin with Tomatoes
- Prep Time: 00:05
- Cook Time: 00:32
- Total Time: 00:40
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Air Fryer Recipes
- Method: -
- Cuisine: International
Description
This Air Fryer Tortellini Gratin with Tomatoes is an easy weeknight dinner that’s easy to prepare and really delicious. We love this quick dinner option!
Ingredients
26.5 oz. (750g) tortellini (e.g., with cheese or ricotta filling)
1 large onion, diced
7 oz. (200g) cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup (120ml) veggie broth
7 oz. (200g) heavy cream
1 tsp. dried oregano*
1 tsp. paprika powder (sweet)*
1 tsp. garlic powder*
1 tsp. chilli flakes* (optional)
about 5.3 oz. (150g) mozzarella, grated
salt, pepper
Instructions
1. Peel the onion and dice it coarsely. Wash and dry the cherry tomatoes, then halve them – or quarter them if they are a bit larger.
2. Set the Air Fryer to a temperature of 200°C (390°F) and place the diced onion into the air fryer basket (without a rack or similar). Roast the onions for about 8 minutes.
3. Add the tortellini and cherry tomatoes, and mix everything. Next, add the veggie broth, heavy cream, oregano, paprika powder, garlic powder, and chili flakes (optional), and mix thoroughly. Cook the tortellini at a temperature of 180°C (350°F) for about 24 minutes. Stir everything once halfway through the cooking time. About 10–12 minutes before the cooking time is up, add the cheese and let it melt over the tortellini. Season the baked tortellini with some salt and pepper to your liking, then serve hot.
Notes
Let’s cook something amazing!
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