Description
Cheesy Spinach Tortellini Bake brings comfort straight to your dinner table with minimal effort and maximum flavor. Creamy cheese, tender tortellini, and fresh spinach combine into a simple weeknight meal that makes your family smile.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 500 g cheese tortellini
- 200 g fresh spinach
- 2 cups marinara sauce
Cheese and Dairy:
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
Seasonings and Aromatics:
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
- Boil 500 g of cheese tortellini in salted water for 8-9 minutes until perfectly tender. Drain immediately and set aside.
- Warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté 3 minced garlic cloves for 45-60 seconds until fragrant.
- Add 200 g chopped spinach to the skillet. Cook for 2-3 minutes until leaves soften and reduce in volume. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Pour 2 cups marinara sauce into the skillet with cooked spinach. Stir gently to combine and heat through for 2 minutes.
- Coat a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spread half the tortellini across the bottom of the dish.
- Layer half of the spinach-marinara mixture over the tortellini. Scatter ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese across the surface.
- Add remaining tortellini as the next layer. Top with remaining spinach-marinara sauce.
- Sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella and ½ cup Parmesan cheese over the entire dish. Cover with aluminum foil.
- Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking 10-15 minutes until cheese turns golden and bubbling.
- Rest the casserole for 5 minutes before serving to allow sauce to settle and cheese to set.
Notes
- Make sure to salt the water generously when boiling tortellini to enhance the pasta’s flavor from the inside out.
- Fresh spinach works best, but frozen spinach can be a quick substitute if you drain it thoroughly to prevent excess moisture.
- For a protein boost, add cooked chicken, ground turkey, or crumbled Italian sausage to the skillet when sautéing the spinach.
- If avoiding dairy, swap mozzarella and Parmesan with nutritional yeast or dairy-free cheese alternatives for a vegan-friendly version.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Baked
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 414 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 43 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 21 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg