Tortellini Casserole (No-Boil & Extra Cheesy!)
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.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb Italian sausage or ground beef, see notes
- 3 cups marinara sauce, see notes
- 1 cup water, or broth
- 1 teaspoon EACH: Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 20 ounces fresh cheese tortellini, see notes
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 ball fresh mozzarella cheese, see notes
- Minced basil or parsley, to serve
Instructions
- 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.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 lb Italian sausage or ground beef
- 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 cups marinara sauce, 1 cup water, Salt and pepper, 1 teaspoon EACH: Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder
- 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.20 ounces fresh cheese tortellini, ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, 1 ball fresh mozzarella cheese, 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 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.Minced basil or parsley
Notes
Sausage: I love using spicy Italian sausage for its 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 along its length and peel it off.
Marinara: For 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!
Serving: 1 = ⅛ of the recipe, Calories: 615kcal, Carbohydrates: 36g, Protein: 31g, Fat: 39g, Saturated Fat: 16g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 13g, Cholesterol: 112mg, Sodium: 1391mg, Potassium: 369mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 650IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 416mg, Iron: 3mg