Description
A comforting and easy Cheesy Tortellini Bake featuring tender tortellini pasta baked in rich marinara sauce and topped with melted mozzarella cheese. This hearty casserole is perfect for a weeknight dinner, combining cheesy goodness with simple preparation.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 1 package tortellini (1 1/2 lbs), fresh or frozen, any flavor
Sauce and Cheese
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 2 cups freshly grated mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Boil Pasta: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Fill a medium saucepan with water, bring it to a boil over high heat, add a pinch of salt, then add the tortellini. Cook until the tortellini floats to the surface, about 6-8 minutes for fresh or thawed tortellini; cook longer if frozen.
- Drain the Tortellini: Drain the cooked tortellini using a strainer, and let it sit for 1-2 minutes to ensure all excess water is removed.
- Assemble the Bake: In an 8×8-inch or 11×7-inch baking dish, combine the drained tortellini with marinara sauce, stirring gently to coat the pasta evenly.
- Add Cheese and Bake: Sprinkle the freshly grated mozzarella evenly on top of the tortellini and sauce. Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
- Broil for Browning: Switch the oven setting to broil and broil the dish for 5-6 minutes or until the top is golden brown and slightly crisp.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and serve immediately, ideally paired with a fresh side salad for a complete meal.
Notes
- You can use any flavor of tortellini you prefer, including cheese or meat-filled varieties.
- Freshly grated mozzarella melts better and provides creamier texture compared to pre-shredded cheese.
- Allowing the tortellini to drain well prevents excess water from making the bake watery.
- Broiling at the end provides a nice golden crust; monitor closely to avoid burning.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course, Casserole
- Method: Boiling, Baking, Broiling
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
Keywords: tortellini bake, cheesy pasta casserole, baked tortellini, easy Italian dinner, mozzarella pasta bake
