Olive Garden Braised Beef and Tortellini in Marsala Cream Sauce Recipe.

By froggyess

This one tastes great - but it's not a quick one... takes some time before and after the slow cooker!! Great for cold winter day when you feel like cooking.

If you have ever been to Olive Garden than you will know that the Braised Beef and Tortellini is absolutely Divine. Now you can make it at home instead of paying an expensive restaurant.

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 lbs beef bone in short ribs.
• 2 Tablespoon olive oil + 2 Tablespoon olive oil.
• 3 Garlic Cloves minced
• 1 Medium onion finely chopped.
• 1/2 bag of mini carrots
• 6 fresh basil leaves chopped. (only fresh)
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme chopped
• 3 Tablespoons flour
• 2 cups Marsala cooking wine.
• 2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar.
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 can diced tomatoes drained.
• 1 carton portobello mushrooms sliced.
• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream.
• 1 Large tomato diced
• 9 oz package of cheese tortellini. (buy extra for extra remainder sauce).
• Fresh Parmesan cheese for sprinkling

Preparation

Step 1

Olive Garden's Braised Beef and Tortellini.

Salt and pepper your short ribs, Heat your olive oil in a pan and heat on medium heat. Then add your beef ribs, and brown them real good.

When they are browned transfer each piece as it cooks to the cutting board. When they are all browned turn off your burner; leave the pan on the stove; and start to debone your short ribs.

Put the meat aside, and cut into bite size pieces. Discard the fat trimmings from the meat and put your bones in the crock pot. (The bones give it extra flavor). You want your bones to be all on the bottom of the pot. When the ribs are all deboned than you want to add the meat on top of the bones in the crock pot.

Chop up the carrots, thyme, onion and basil, and add them to the pot that you left on the stove. (The beef grease left in the pot is important and do not drain). Cook the ingredients until the onions are translucent.

Next add the flour and cook a couple minutes. (This creates a rue). Continue to stir mixing really well.

Next add the vinegar, and wine to the pot on the stove and continue to stir. Cook 8 minutes to reduce the alcohol. Next add the can tomatoes, and cook another 5 min. When your time is up pour the cooked mixture over your meat in the crock pot.

Add Chicken Broth and stir in as best as you can in the slow cooker. Add bay leaves to slow cooker.

Continue to cook in the crock pot on high for 6 hours. When the time is up- remove the bones from the crock pot, and bay leaves. Spoon out the fat oil from the settling of the crock pot and discard.

Heat 2 T olive oil on the stove and cook the mushrooms till done. Leave the mushrooms in the pan. Reduce the pan heat to low and add all the ingredients from the crock pot to the pan on the stove minus the bones.

Get out another pot and start boiling your tortellini according to package directions.

While your tortellini noodles are cooking add the chopped tomatoes to your pot on the stove and cook 12 minutes on medium- continuously stirring. When this is done add your heavy whipping cream and continue to keep warm till your tortellini is done. Serve the sauce over the cooked tortellini. Sprinkle fresh parmesan on top.