Baked cheese tortellini is easy to make and is perfect for a weeknight dinner. Use your favorite tortellini, and this will be ready in no time at all!
You know when you just want a BIG helping of cheesy pasta, but you don't want to put in a bunch of work? Enter this cheesy tortellini bake.
Back when Josh and I lived in Seattle many years ago, this was a staple meal in our house.
We'd get a package of tortellini from Trader Joe's, boil it up, add some sauce, top with cheese and broil.
I still love this dish and how easy it is to make. It's even easier (and quicker, if you don't have a lot of time) if you just use a jarred marinara.
One thing I do not skimp on is the cheese. I just love those cheesy bites. And I love it when the cheese gets all bubbly and delicious. Mmmmmm.
Ingredients
- Tortellini
- Tomato sauce
- Yellow or white onion
- Olive oil
- Dried Oregano
- Salt
- Pepper
- Mozzarella Cheese
- Basil (optional)
How to customize
You can easily use a jarred marinara or tomato sauce instead of making your own from scratch! That will cut down the cook time. (And note -- this recipe still uses a canned tomato sauce to cut down on the cook time-- so the sauce isn't technically made completely from scratch).
I also typically use dried oregano in my sauce, but you could leave it out, or use an Italian seasoning blend.
To make the sauce creamy, you can always add a splash of heavy cream to the sauce.
If wanting a spicy version, add red pepper flakes to the sauce, calabrian chili paste, or harissa paste.
What to serve with the baked cheese tortellini
I love serving this with a simple salad, like this arugula salad or Tuscan kale salad.
It's also delicious with air fryer zucchini or a zucchini galette.
How to make
First, heat up a large pot of water to boiling.
While water comes to temperature, in another pot, add the olive oil. Add the chopped onions and saute until translucent and softened. Add the tomato sauce and stir to combine.
Add the dried oregano, salt, and pepper to the sauce. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
Once water is boiling, add the tortellini and cook according to the package directions. Drain.
To a casserole dish, the sauce, and then add the cooked tortellini. Stir to combine so tortellini is coated in the sauce.
Top with slices of mozzarella cheese (alternately, you could use shredded mozzarella).
Broil until cheese is browned. Top the baked cheese tortellini casserole with fresh basil and enjoy!
More pasta recipes
Baked Cheese Tortellini
Ingredients
- 10 oz tortellini
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow or white onion diced
- 15 oz tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- salt
- pepper
- 4 oz fresh mozzarella cheese
- Fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
- First, heat up a large pot of water to boiling.
- Heat another pot over med-high heat and add olive oil. Add the diced onion and cook until onion is softened and translucent. Reduce heat to medium and add the tomato sauce, oregano, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Cook the tortellini according to the package directions and drain once cooked.
- To layer the dish, first add sauce to an 8 ½ x 11 casserole dish. Add the tortellini on top, and stir to combine. Tear the mozzarella cheese and place over the top.
- Broil until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Remove from oven and top with fresh basil if desired.
Nutrition
If nutrition info is shown, values are based on an online calculator and are estimates. Please verify using your own data.
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