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Cheesy Baked Tortellini

This Cheesy Baked Tortellini is a fuss-free, ready-in-30-minute meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights. The tangy tomatoes combine with melted cheese, making a favorite family comfort meal.

Overhead shot of cheesy baked tortellini in a white oval casserole dish, topped with melted cheese and sprinkled with herbs.
Weeknight dinners are all about being fuss-free yet delicious, and this Cheesy Baked Tortellini is all that and more!

Why This Recipe Stands Out

We love an easy casserole dish, and this Cheesy Baked Tortellini is one of our favorites. Here’s why:

Key Recipe Ingredients

  • Ground Beef – We use 1 ½ pounds of lean ground beef, preferably 80% or 90% lean. You can also go with ground sausage or turkey.
  • Pasta – In this recipe, we used refrigerated cheese tortellini but any pasta will work great here. Frozen works great too.
  • Seasonings and Sauces – We use a combination of spices, tomato-based pasta sauce, and diced tomatoes for the sauce. It’s a delicious combination of flavors.
  • Cheese – We use a combination of mozzarella and parmesan cheese for the perfect level of cheesiness.

Substitutions And Variations

We love this Cheesy Baked Tortellini because it’s so versatile. Here are some of our favorite variations and substitutions:

  • Meatless: While we love to add ground meat to the casserole, you can easily leave it out for a vegetarian dish. Feel free to add mushrooms or other chopped veggies in its place.
  • Cheese: Feel free to experiment with different types of cheese. Our Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo uses sharp cheddar cheese as well which will work great in this dish too.

Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions

  1. Cook the ground beef with salt and pepper in a pot over medium heat.
  2. Add pasta sauce, diced tomatoes, garlic, oregano, basil, onion powder, and sugar to the pot.
  1. Layer the sauce, tortellini, and cheese in an oven-proof casserole dish.
  2. Cover and bake for 40 minutes if using frozen tortellini, or 30 minutes for refrigerated. Uncover and bake for another 10 minutes.

For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.

How To Prep Ahead

Take a look at the best prep-ahead strategies for this recipe:

  • Cook the Meat: You can cook the ground beef with salt and pepper in advance. Once it’s brown and cooked through, drain the excess grease and let it cool. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to make the casserole, just reheat the beef and continue with the recipe.
  • Assemble Beforehand: This casserole can be assembled the night before. Simply follow all the layers in the casserole pan, cover it tightly, and store it in the fridge. The frozen tortellini will defrost overnight, so you’ll need to reduce the initial bake time to 30 minutes.
A serving of cheesy baked tortellini being lifted from a red baking dish with a wooden spoon.
This Cheesy Tortellini Casserole is hard to beat if you’re looking for a quick and easy yet scrumptious weeknight meal.

What To Serve With Cheesy Baked Tortellini

Bread

Vegetables

Soup

Commonly Asked Questions

What type of tortellini should I use?

You can use either frozen or refrigerated cheese tortellini for this recipe. Both work well, so it’s really just a matter of personal preference and convenience.

How long does cheesy baked tortellini keep?

This cheesy baked tortellini will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Make sure to store it in an airtight container to maintain its freshness and flavor.

Can I freeze this dish before baking?

Yes, you can assemble the casserole, cover it tightly, and freeze it before baking. When you’re ready to enjoy it, simply let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then bake it according to the original instructions.

Did you make this?

Please give us a rating and comment below. We love hearing from you!

A serving of cheesy baked tortellini being lifted from a red baking dish with a wooden spoon.

Cheesy Baked Tortellini

4.86 from 7 ratings
This Cheesy Baked Tortellini is hard to beat, if you're looking for a quick and easy yet totally scrumptious weeknight meal. Make it meatless, if you like.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Author: Amy Dong

Ingredients  

  • 1 ½ lbs ground beef
  • ½ tsp table salt
  • ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 20 oz cheese tortellini, from package, frozen or refrigerated
  • 26 oz tomato-based pasta sauce
  • 28 oz diced tomatoes, with all juices
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 2 tsp dried basil
  • 1 TB onion powder
  • 1 TB white sugar
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 2 cups shredded parmesan cheese, not powder

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400F.
  • Cook ground beef with salt and pepper in a large, heavy pot over medium high heat. Continually stir and break up pieces until browned and cooked through. Drain excess grease, and turn heat to low.
  • Add red pasta sauce and diced tomatoes with juices to the pot. Add garlic, oregano, basil, onion powder, and sugar. Stir to incorporate. Remove from heat.
  • Spread one-third of the sauce mixture evenly onto the bottom of a 9×11" casserole pan or similar sized baking dish. Arrange half of the frozen tortellini over the sauce. Sprinkle one-third of both the mozzarella and parmesan over the tortellini. Repeat layers. You should end with the last third of sauce on top, followed by the last third of cheeses.
  • Spray a sheet of aluminum foil with oil, and lay the oil-side down loosely over casserole. Bake 40 minutes for frozen tortellini; 30 minutes for refrigerated ones. Uncover and bake another 10 minutes, or until cheese turns bubbly and golden.

Notes

  • Use a large, heavy pot to cook the ground beef. This allows for even heat distribution and gives you plenty of space to add the sauce and other ingredients later.
  • Don’t forget to drain the excess grease after cooking the ground beef. This helps to reduce the grease. 
  • Starting with the sauce on the bottom of casserole dish ensures that the pasta cooks evenly and stays moist.
  • Cover the casserole with lightly greased aluminum foil before baking. It will prevent the cheese from sticking to the foil and also help the tortellini to cook through without drying out.
  • Allow the casserole to rest for a few minutes after baking. This allows the dish to set and makes it easier to serve.
  • This casserole may be assembled the night before, covered tightly, and stored in the fridge. The frozen tortellini will become defrosted, so reduce the bake time to 30 minutes in this case.
  • For substitutions and make-ahead suggestions, see original article.
  • Serve with Rosemary Garlic Bread or these  Easy Garlic Parmesan Knots and crisp green salad like our Chopped Greek Salad for a complete meal.
If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and give it a rating. We ❤️ hearing from you! 
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Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 573kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 121mg | Sodium: 1014mg | Potassium: 442mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 456IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 583mg | Iron: 5mg
Course: Main
Cuisine: American Italian
Method: Bake

More to Bake And Eat

4.86 from 7 votes (1 rating without comment)

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Recipe Rating




22 comments

    • Catherine
    • 5 stars

    This is one of my family’s favorite dinners. It’s on our regular rotation. I also bring it to friends for meals or potlucks. Delicious and so easy.

    • R
    • 5 stars

    Excellent! I used frozen tortellini and added carrots + spinach but followed recipe otherwise.

      • Amy Dong

      YAY! 🙂 🙂

    • RS

    Hi – if using frozen tortellini, do you recommend thawing first or adding it frozen?

      • Amy Dong

      You can thaw frozen tortellini in fridge overnight, if you’d like to cut down on bake time. Otherwise, frozen tortellini can be used with increased bake time (add about 20 minutes)

    • Linn

    How many servings does this make?
    I can’t imagine these ingredients with room for tortellini to expand fits into a 9×11 pan.

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