Weeknight Cheesy Tortellini Casserole

No tortellini casserole goodness has ever gotten cheesier than this.

The schedules leading up to the year’s biggest family gatherings can certainly get me crazy. I should know exactly how it feels like since I am hosting family events every year.

However, I still need to find some time to cook meals on weekdays no matter how busy I get preparing for the holidays.

Weeknight Cheesy Tortellini Casserole

An awesome dinner food, Cheesy Baked Tortellini casserole is one of the easiest pasta recipes you can prepare on your busiest days. And believe me, this pasta goodness only takes me around 10 minutes or less than 20 minutes to get everything done in my oven. Here’s why you should try this:

• Takes only between 10 and 20 minutes to cook
• Yields more than other pasta recipes
• Requires fewer ingredients, so that’s less stress for you
• Can be prepared ahead of time
• Perfect for pasta lovers with lots of cheese

This Cheesy Tortellini Casserole can become your kids’ most requested pasta favorite if you are looking for an easy-to-make weeknight meal for them. No need to add meat as you will only need jarred pasta sauces, quick-melting cheese, and a reliable oven to finish the job.

Preparing Cheesy Tortellini Casserole is effortless, just like you are making lasagna. Just pour in the tomato sauce over cooked tortellini, top with your choice of cheese and baked it to perfection! Dinner will be ready in half an hour! Yummy!

The great thing about this comfort food is that the active time is just 10 minutes, but more than enough to feed everyone. Also, all the ingredients are readily available in every supermarket nearest you. You may purchase fresh or frozen tortellini whichever is available, but the results are the same.

As a healthier version, you can top your Cheesy Baked Tortellini Casserole with chopped parsley, cremini mushrooms or chard for an added aroma and taste. If you couldn’t take the meat out, you could use sausages or ground beef for a more enticing meat-based version.

Storage Tips

This cheesy pasta casserole can last up to four days too and the leftovers are even yummier! You can reheat the tortellini casserole in smaller portions or the entire casserole in an oven until the pasta warms through.

Ingredients:

• 7 ounce package cheese tortellini
• 12 ounces marinara sauce
• 8 ounces Alfredo sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning (divided)
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese (grated)
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions for making the cheesy baked tortellini casserole:

This kid friendly dinner is super simple to assemble, and everyone LOVES it too. This is perfect for an easy dump and go weeknight meal. Here’s how to cook this tortellini casserole recipe:

1. Cook pasta al dente according to directions and drain (cook 2-3 minutes less than the written cooking instructions on the box)
2. In a medium-size cooking pot, bring spices and sauces (marinara and Alfredo sauce) to a simmer for 10 minutes.
   
3. Stir cooked tortellini into sauce and pour into greased 9″ pie dish and then top with cheese.
   
4. Broil under broiler for 5 minutes or less. The baked tortellini casserole is ready to serve when the cheese begins to melt or turns golden brown.
5. Serve with garlic bread, dinner rolls, baked potatoes or buttered vegetables if available.
6. Serve hot and invite everyone to hop at the dinner table!
   

How to Arrange the Tortellini in the Casserole Dish

1. Spread at least one-third of the sauce at the bottom part of the 9″ baking dish and then arrange the cooked tortellini over the sauce mixture.
2. Slowly sprinkle the mozzarella and parmesan over the tortellini.
3. Repeat the layers of tortellini, sauce mixture and sprinkles of mozzarella and parmesan cheese until you have filled up the pie dish.
4. Pour in the remaining sauce and cheese toppings on top to cover the whole area.
5. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and check it every once in a while.
6. Do step 4 as instructed above.

Recipe notes

The tortellini casserole can be assembled and stored in the fridge the night before to defrost the frozen tortellini, thus reducing your prep time the next morning. You would just need to bake the casserole in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or so after removing it from the fridge.

The cheesy baked tortellini casserole is a fuss-free, yet delicious dinner recipe that can relieve you from different day-to-day stressors. This is a perfect example of a luscious sweetness of tomato-based sauce carefully mixed over the subtle creaminess of cheese. If you would like to add your favorite meat, whether beef, sausages or boneless chicken, this tortellini casserole recipe will suit just fine in prepping a sumptuous meal for the whole family.