Description
Whipping up this easy baked tortellini casserole means diving into comfort food heaven with minimal effort. Cheesy pasta layers, hearty sauce, and zero fuss make this dinner a total weeknight winner.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 20-ounce package cheese tortellini
- 1 24-ounce jar marinara sauce
- 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese
Seasoning Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Supporting Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Fresh basil
- Fresh parsley
Instructions
- Warm your oven to 375°F. Coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon olive oil to prevent tortellini from sticking.
- Fill a large pot with salted water. Boil 20 ounces of tortellini for 2 minutes less than package instructions to maintain perfect texture.
- Drain tortellini thoroughly. Transfer to a large mixing bowl with 24 ounces marinara sauce, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes. Stir until pasta is completely coated.
- Transfer saucy tortellini into prepared baking dish. Distribute 1 ½ cups mozzarella and ½ cup Parmesan cheese evenly across the surface.
- Slide dish into preheated oven. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes until cheese melts and bubbles slightly.
- Switch oven to broil. Watch carefully and broil for 2-3 minutes until cheese develops a golden, crispy top. Remove immediately to prevent burning.
- Let dish rest for 3-5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley if desired.
Notes
- Check tortellini package cooking times carefully, as fresh and frozen varieties differ slightly in preparation.
- Salt the pasta water generously to enhance the overall flavor of the dish before cooking tortellini.
- Remove tortellini from boiling water just before fully cooked to prevent becoming mushy during baking.
- Experiment with different cheese blends like provolone or fontina for a unique twist on the classic recipe.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 17-18 minutes
- Category: Baked
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 482 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 710 mg
- Fat: 21 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 49 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg