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National Tortellini Day

Food · February 13

A food day for tortellini, the small ring-shaped stuffed pasta from Italy, and the many ways to cook and serve it at home.

National Tortellini Day falls on Saturday, February 13, 2027. That is 109 days away.

Tortellini are small rings of fresh egg pasta folded around a filling. Each one starts as a little square or circle of dough, gets a dab of stuffing, then is folded and wrapped around a fingertip until the ends meet. The result looks a bit like a tiny hat, or a belly button, depending on who you ask.

The pasta comes from northern Italy, where fillings often lean on pork, prosciutto, mortadella and Parmigiano. In American kitchens the cheese versions are just as common, along with spinach and ricotta.

The classic way to eat them is floating in clear broth, which lets the pasta and filling do all the talking. Cream sauces, butter and sage, and tomato sauce are popular too. Cold tortellini also turn up in pasta salads, tossed with vegetables and a simple dressing.

Making them by hand is slow but calm work, and it goes faster with company at the table. Dried and refrigerated tortellini from the store cook in a few minutes, which explains why they show up so often on weeknights.

Fresh tortellini are done soon after they rise to the surface of the boiling water, so it pays to watch the pot rather than the clock.

Ways to celebrate

• Try tortellini in a simple clear broth.
• Fold a small batch by hand with friends or family.
• Toss leftover cooked tortellini into a cold pasta salad.
• Compare two fillings side by side, like cheese and meat.
• Make a quick butter and sage sauce for store-bought tortellini.

Dates

All national days on February 13

Also on February 13

• National Cheddar Day
• Galentine's Day
• Get a Different Name Day

Categories: Food days