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Tortellini Casserole Recipe

Okay, just for you (because you deserve it), I’m sharing my family's tortellini casserole recipe. It’s my go-to comfort food when you need something cozy but effortless. With only 15 minutes of prep, this cheesy, crowd-pleasing dish practically makes itself.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 615 kcal
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: North American

Ingredients

  • 1 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 1 lb Italian sausage or ground beef see notes
  • 3 3 cups marinara sauce see notes
  • 1 1 cup water or broth
  • 1 1 teaspoon EACH: Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 20 20 ounces fresh cheese tortellini see notes
  • 2 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
  • ½ ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 1 ball fresh mozzarella cheese see notes
  • Minced basil or parsley to serve

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Remove the sausage meat from the casing, add it to the pan, and cook until it is no longer pink, about 10 minutes. If the sausage releases a lot of oil, wipe it out with a paper towel.
  2. Stir the marinara sauce into the cooked sausage, add the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder and then season to taste with salt and pepper.
  3. Add the tortellini to a 9x11 inch baking dish, pour the sauce over the top, add the parmesan and 1 cup of cheddar cheese, and mix well. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheddar over the top then break apart the ball of mozzarella and scatter it over top. Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil.
  4. Bake the casserole for 35-40 minutes, or until it is hot and bubbly and the tortellini is soft. Remove the foil and broil for 3-5 minutes, until the cheese turns golden. Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with some fresh basil over the top.

Notes

  • Sausage: I love to use spicy Italian sausage as it has a wonderful flavor, but mild works well too. I've also made this with ground beef, and it's delicious. To remove the sausage meat from the casing, cut the casing down the length of the sausage and peel it off. 
  • Marinara: For the sake of simplicity, I've kept the flavorings minimal and relied on the marinara sauce for flavor. But store-bought marinara sauce is never as good as homemade, which is why I've added the extra flavorings. If you'd like, you can saute some minced onion and garlic with the sausage instead of using the powdered versions.
  • You may need two jars of marinara sauce to get 3 cups. I tried this recipe using 2 cups but found it was too dry. You can freeze any extra marinara sauce for the next time you make this!
  • Tortellini: This recipe uses fresh tortellini. If you'd like to use dried tortellini, cook it first and omit the water from this recipe.
  • Mozzarella: Fresh mozzarella adds extra creaminess to this dish, but firm, shreddable mozzarella will work, too. You'll want to use about a cup of shredded mozzarella. 
  • Serving size: This will serve 6-8 people, depending on what you serve with it. I always like a big side salad. Leftovers taste amazing reheated for lunch!

Nutrition Information

Serving 1 = ⅛ of the recipe Calories 615kcal (31%) Carbohydrates 36g (12%) Protein 31g (62%) Fat 39g (60%) Saturated Fat 16g (80%) Polyunsaturated Fat 3g Monounsaturated Fat 13g Cholesterol 112mg (37%) Sodium 1391mg (58%) Potassium 369mg (11%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 5g (10%) Vitamin A 650IU (13%) Vitamin C 5mg (6%) Calcium 416mg (42%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 615

% Daily Value*

Serving 1 = ⅛ of the recipe
Calories 615kcal 31%
Carbohydrates 36g 12%
Protein 31g 62%
Fat 39g 60%
Saturated Fat 16g 80%
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g 18%
Monounsaturated Fat 13g 65%
Cholesterol 112mg 37%
Sodium 1391mg 58%
Potassium 369mg 8%
Fiber 4g 16%
Sugar 5g 10%
Vitamin A 650IU 13%
Vitamin C 5mg 6%
Calcium 416mg 42%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.