Description
This Baked Tortellini Casserole is a comforting, cheesy dish featuring fresh cheese tortellini baked in a rich homemade meat sauce. It’s perfect for a hearty family meal, combining seasoned ground beef, crushed tomatoes, and plenty of mozzarella cheese for a deliciously gooey baked pasta casserole.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef (97/3)
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 28 oz can crushed tomatoes (or whole peeled tomatoes crushed by hand)
- 8 oz can tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Pasta and Cheese
- 24 oz package fresh cheese tortellini
- 3 cups freshly grated mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure it’s ready when the casserole mixture is prepared.
- Sauté Vegetables: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
- Cook Ground Beef: Add the lean ground beef to the skillet with the onions and garlic. Cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until browned and no longer pink throughout.
- Add Tomatoes and Seasoning: Stir in the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce. Season the mixture with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and dried Italian seasoning. Mix well to combine all flavors evenly.
- Add Tortellini and Cheese: Gently stir in the uncooked fresh cheese tortellini and 1 1/2 cups of the shredded mozzarella cheese into the meat sauce, making sure the pasta is well coated.
- Assemble Casserole: Transfer the entire mixture to a casserole dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese evenly on top of the casserole.
- Bake: Cover the casserole dish tightly with foil to retain moisture. Bake in the preheated oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 40 minutes or until hot and bubbly throughout.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and let it cool slightly before serving. Enjoy your warm, cheesy baked tortellini casserole!
Notes
- This recipe uses fresh tortellini, which cooks perfectly in the sauce while baking—no pre-boiling needed.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute the ground beef with a plant-based meat alternative or sautéed mushrooms.
- You can add chopped fresh basil or parsley on top before serving for extra flavor and a burst of color.
- Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat nicely in the oven or microwave.
- If you prefer a spicier dish, add red pepper flakes to the meat sauce while cooking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 569
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 1386 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 49 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 36 g
- Cholesterol: 102 mg
