If you're looking for a super easy weeknight meal, this Tortellini Bake made with frozen cheese tortellini will be your new favorite.
If you know me or have been a reader here for awhile, you'd know that I very rarely use prepackaged foods. Personally, fresh always tastes best.
However, sometimes I find it necessary to purchase those items to keep on hand when I still need to get dinner on the table and have no time.
That's how this simple to make, cheesy Tortellini Bake came to be. Since August, I have not been feeling well and have two separate health issues I've been dealing with. Somedays it's hard to even sit at my computer to work; let alone cook and photograph new recipes.
This week I'll be going in for surgery to resolve one of those issues, so I've been trying to stock up the freezer with meals my family can quickly reheat while I'm recovering.
I've made some of our favorites like lasagna, chicken chili, beef stew, chicken soup and this easy cheesy baked tortellini.
How do you make Tortellini Bake?
For this recipe I used frozen cheese tortellini, jarred marinara sauce, dried oregano and shredded Mozzarella cheese.
Yes, you read that correctly. Jarred sauce. I didn't use my usual homemade marinara sauce because I didn't want to use the only container of meat sauce I had in the freezer to make this meal.
Honestly, jarred sauces have come a long way and the brand I got was very tasty. Of course, I had to "doctor" it up a bit first by adding some more spices and grated cheese, but that's just me.
Start by bringing a medium pot of water to a boil; then add the tortellini. Cook 2-3 minutes until they start to float to the top; then drain the water and add the tortellini to a bowl.
Add prepared marinara sauce, oregano and half of the shredded cheese; then toss to coat. Add the mixture to a 2-quart oven safe casserole dish, top with remaining cheese; then bake in a preheated 375 degree F oven for 20 minutes until the cheese is hot and bubbly.
What substitutions can I make?
This recipe is just a base for a myriad of ways you can make this dish.
Here are some suggestions or substitutions to make it your own:
- Fresh or dried tortellini (cooking times may vary; read package instructions)
- Meat instead of cheese tortellini
- Add your favorite vegetables like sliced mushrooms, peppers, spinach or onions
- Brown some ground beef, chicken or turkey and add it to the sauce before tossing it with the pasta
- Serve with some garlic bread, your favorite vegetable or a tossed salad!
This baked cheese tortellini pasta recipe was so tasty, super cheesy and easy to make. Making recipes using short cuts every now and then can certainly make meal prepping a breeze.
Hopefully everything goes well this week with the surgery and my appetite comes back quickly so I can dig into this for dinner soon! ~Enjoy!
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Tortellini Bake
Ingredients
- 1- (12-ounce) package frozen cheese tortellini (3 cups)
- 3 cups prepared marinara sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese; divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil; then add the tortellini. Cook 2-3 minutes until they start to float to the top; then drain the water and add the tortellini to a bowl.
- Add prepared marinara sauce, oregano and half of the shredded cheese; then toss to coat.
- Add the mixture to a 2-quart oven safe casserole dish, top with remaining cheese; then bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is hot and bubbly.
Nutrition
Related Recipes
Tortellini with Creamed Spinach & Tomatoes
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