Baked pasta is classic comfort food that’s always a crowd pleaser. This version uses tortellini in a homemade meat sauce and can easily be doubled to serve a large group. It’s one of my favorite baked pastas along with baked ziti, baked spaghetti and pasta al forno.
Baked Tortellini Ingredients
When you make this delicious baked tortellini you will need tortellini, marinara sauce, olive oil, white onion, ground beef, mozzarella cheese, parsley, salt and pepper. This baked pasta is delicious with a veggie side dish like grilled broccoli, roasted parsnips or asparagus salad. You could even serve an appetizer like garlic knots for a real feast!
How Do You Make Baked Tortellini?
Start this baked tortellini recipe by bringing a pot of water to boil. While the water is heating sauté diced onion and ground beef in a large pan with a little salt and pepper. Cook the tortellini in the boiling water. Add marinara sauce to the beef mixture. When the tortellini is done, drain the water and pour the meat and marinara mixture over the pasta. Spoon the tortellini and sauce into baking dish or casserole dish and top it with shredded mozzarella. Bake it until the cheese is melted and bubbly then serve it with a sprinkle of parsley!
Tips For The Perfect Baked Tortellini
You can use your favorite jarred marinara sauce or you can make your own homemade marinara sauce. Use 90% lean ground beef which has a lot of flavor but is not overly greasy. Do your best to cover the tortellini with sauce or cheese before it goes in the oven. You can make the meat sauce up to two days in advance if you store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This can save time when you make the pasta.
Baked Tortellini Variations
This recipe is quick, easy and delicious as-is; however, you can change it to suit your taste:
Veggies: Try adding some spinach leaves to the sauce or sauté some diced zucchini, carrot or chopped mushrooms with the onion. Cheese: You can add some fontina or ricotta cheese to the dish before baking it. You can also grate some parmesan cheese over the top of the pasta after you remove it from the oven. Meat: Instead of ground beef you can use ground turkey or Italian sausage. Stovetop: If you don’t want to heat your oven, try my stovetop cheese tortellini in meat sauce.
My whole family loves this baked tortellini, and I love how easy it is to make. It’s the perfect meal for a busy weeknight, or you can make a double batch and serve it up at a potluck! Regardless of how you serve it, it’s sure to be a hit with both kids and adults alike. If you want more pasta, check out some of my favorite slow cooker pasta recipes.
Baked Tortellini Video
