Dried Porcini mushrooms, cream and cheese sauce will be perfect with Chilean sea bass.

dcarch

Lamb shank

Grilled chicken breast or pork tenderloin medallions.

I was thinking beef. Maybe fillet. And something dark green.

The tortellini would be the main dish in my house, with some nice veggie/salad sides. I think meat is overkill for such a substantial pasta dish.

Fillet was my first thought too, plllog. Oly - I have tried this dish as the main and it is just too much. Too overpowering. It is almost something that should be a course in a five or seven course meal. We don't eat/serve in courses though. I do see possibilities in not treating it as a "main and threes sides" sort of meal though.

Thanks all! More ideas always welcome.

I was thinking like Olychick that it's the main course and only needs a salad after and perhaps some anti-pasta before.

Fish was my first thought as well - something mild & lightly seasoned...

Why does it need a meat? I would serve the tortellini and a salad and crusty bread. Strong flavored? Doesn't sound strong flavored to me...but it might be a little heavy on the thyme...I'd cut that by half.
Every meal does not have to contain meat. I might consider a side of grilled roma tomato halves or some grilled asparagus with a bit of lemon, but I would consider that a main dish pasta.

That and a salad would be a meal in our house. And I agree with Linda, that's way too much thyme! No wonder you call it overpowering.

For everyday home dinner, I agree cheese tortellini is good enough.

For me, for a special dinner with friends, that may be a little cheap, I would add a meat dish.

If you go to a restaurant, the pasta dish is always the cheapest choice on the menu, unless it is with truffles.

dcarch

I don't get what the issue is. Rosesstink wants to serve this as a side. I'd sure rather eat it than potatoes! Can you serve a pasta dish as a main? Sure! Can you serve a grain or potato dish as a main? Not as easily, but especially if it is as fancy as this, and has a bit of cheese, sure. But is there something abnormal about serving meat with a pasta side? Nope. Myself, I'd prefer it if the tortellini were filled with beans or something rather than cheese, but if scalloped potatoes can go alongside meat, so can cheese totellini. It's all about portion size and presentation.

Is there an issue? She's been given a number of suggestions ... sea bass, veal, chicken saltimbocca, lamb shank, grilled chicken breasts, pork medallions, beef. Others chimed in that the dish would stand on its own without a meat accompaniment.

I still think that's way too much thyme.

I can so relate to the "bass-ackwards" Rosesstink (which I love that user name:) I also think adding a protein is absolutely suitable for this menu, and you know your friends. As an aside, I am always aware of many people who don't necessarily want to draw attention to themselves having intolerances, gut issues, etc. (let alone big appetites!). You don't have to go overboard, but a protein would be extremely fitting with the tortellini. I found myself agreeing with any of the meat options from previous posters and think you'd be good with anything very simple. It should be a lovely evening. BTW, please report back how that tortellini turns out -- I'm intrigued!

Cathy in SWPA