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Hot, pillowy cheese tortellini covered in a creamy, cheesy Italian Sausage meat sauce make a dinner that the whole family will love!
If you loved my Cheesy Tortellini Skillet Lasagna, then you’ll love this cheesy Tortellini Bake Casserole.
Serve the fresh tortellini casserole with hot garlic bread and a salad to round out the meal. It’s certain to become a family favorite for easy dinner recipes!
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love Tortellini Bake
- Flavor – There is so much flavor and texture going on with this easy cheesy baked tortellini!
- Weeknight Dinner – It’s the perfect meal for busy weeknights.
- Easy – You can add this Easy cheesy tortellini bake to your list of easy pasta recipes. This simple pasta bake is super easy to make and can be ready in under an hour. Most of the ingredients you should be able to find in your local grocery store.
Ingredient Notes
Below, I discuss the ingredients and possible substitutions if you don't have a specific ingredient. However, if you are looking for the specific measurements of each ingredient, scroll down to the bottom of this article, just above the comments, for the printable recipe card, which includes all the ingredients and the specific amounts of each one.
- Italian Sausage - You can use a spicy version or not. You could also do half ground beef and half Italian Sausage. Another option is to add ground turkey or ground chicken to lighten it up.
- Cheese Tortellini - (19-ounce bag) - I recommend using fresh cheese tortellini instead of frozen.
- Tomato Sauce - (24-ounce jar) - I used tomato sauce. For additional flavor, you could add pasta sauce with Italian seasoning. However, you could also use any red sauce, like marinara sauce or spaghetti sauce, or for a spicier version, you could use arrabbiata sauce.
- Cream Cheese - You can't leave this out because it adds creaminess to the tortellini casserole.
- Mozzarella Cheese - You'll need lots of cheese, 2 cups of freshly shredded mozzarella cheese to be exact. I like to shred the cheese myself.
For the complete ingredients list with measurements, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the blog post, just above the comment section.
How To Make Tortellini Casserole
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the sausage and onion to a large skillet, crumble, and cook until the sausage is no longer pink and the onions are translucent.
Drain the excess grease from the pan then add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Add the cream cheese to the skillet and stir until the cream cheese is completely melted.
Next, add in the tomato sauce, 1 ½ cups of mozzarella, ½ cup of parmesan, and spinach.
Once the spinach has wilted, stir in the tortellini.
Pour the tortellini mixture into a 9×13-inch casserole dish or other large oven-safe pan, and spread it out in the pan in an even layer.
Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and parmesan on top, then bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is bubbly.
Serve with freshly minced parsley for garnish if desired.
Recipe Tips
- Spice It Up – If you are looking for a spicy version of this dish, you could add crushed red pepper to give it a spicy kick.
- Seasonings – Italian sausage adds a lot of flavor. However, if you want a little more flavor, you could add Italian Seasoning to the meat sauce.
Variations
- Pizza Tortellini Bake – Add your favorite pizza toppings, like pepperoni, to the tortellini casserole.
- Veggie Tortellini Bake – The recipe includes spinach, but you could add in your favorite vegetables, such as broccoli, red and green bell peppers, and more.
What To Serve With Tortellini Bake?
FAQs
Yes, just let it thaw for about 30 minutes prior to adding to the recipe.
Yes, you can assemble this casserole the night before, cover and refrigerate it overnight, and bake it the next day.
Tightly cover the casserole dish, or place it in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Place in a freezer-safe, airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
If frozen, please put it in the refrigerator to thaw first. To reheat, place the casserole in a preheated 350-degree oven and bake for 20 – 25 minutes.
More Tortellini Recipes
If you enjoy this Tortellini Bake recipe, be sure to leave a 5-star rating and review. For more recipes to enjoy with your family, be sure to visit our Flavor Mosaic's collection of Casserole Recipes.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian sausage (as spicy as you like it)
- ½ white onion diced
- 5 cloves garlic finely minced
- 8 ounces cream cheese cut into pieces
- 1 (24-oz jar) tomato sauce
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese freshly shredded and divided
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese divided
- 1 cup baby spinach packed
- 1 (19-oz bag) fresh cheese tortellini
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Add the sausage and onion to a large skillet and crumble and cook until the sausage is no longer pink and the onions are translucent.
- Drain the excess grease from the pan then add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Stir in the cream cheese until fully melted then stir in the tomato sauce, 1 ½ cup of the mozzarella, ½ cup of the parmesan and spinach.
- Once the spinach has wilted, stir in the tortellini and pour it into a 9×13-inch casserole dish and spread it out.
- Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and parmesan on top then bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is bubbly.
- Serve with freshly minced parsley for garnish if desired.
Kathryn says
I know what’s going on my dinner table tonight!
Michele says
Hi Kathryn,
Yes, you are not alone because we’ll be having leftovers of this tortellini casserole tonight! Let me know how you like it.
Thanks,
Michele