Cheesy Tortellini Casserole Recipe
This dish is the ideal weeknight savior. You only need 30 minutes to prepare and cook it, and then all you have to do is scoop and serve the golden bubbling cheesy casserole that is guaranteed to please. It really is that easy to make! Cook the cheese tortellini, and mix it with a jar of marinara and alfredo sauce. Finish it off under the broiler, and you’re done.
I will admit this recipe uses jarred sauces, but I’m not going to apologize for that. When you have baseball, swim lessons, and soccer all on the same Tuesday, jarred sauce is the right call. The mixture of marinara and Alfredo may sound strange, but trust me, it works. It becomes creamy and cheesy, with a rich flavor all at the same time. The sauce and cheese on top blend everything together beautifully.
Why This Casserole Works
- No precooking the sauce. You simmer the marinara and Alfredo together for just 10 minutes while the pasta cooks — the flavors meld without a long cook time.
- The broiler does the heavy lifting. A minute or two under the broiler at the end gives you a lightly browned, slightly crisped cheese topping that you can’t get any other way.
- Cheese tortellini holds up to baking. Unlike thin pasta that can go mushy, tortellini keeps its shape in the oven and gives you something to bite into.
- It reheats well. The sauce doesn’t separate when you reheat leftovers, which is more than I can say for a lot of cream-based pasta dishes.
- Short ingredient list. Seven ingredients total, most of which are pantry staples if you cook Italian-style food regularly.
What to Know Before You Start
There are a lot of moving parts to get this casserole done quickly. You need to have your sauce simmering while your pasta is cooking because you have to mix them together before they cool down. You’ll want to combine everything before adding it to the baking dish to get the casserole prepared. Begin by boiling the water. Once that’s going, start your sauce.
A quick tip is to not let the tortellini boil for too long. Make sure to take it out when it is al dente, because it will continue to cook a bit more under the broiler. If the tortellini is soft when it is put in the dish, the texture will be mushy by the time the cheese browns.
If you are serving more than 4 people, just double this recipe! Use a 9×13 baking dish and broil for a minute longer to make up for the bigger surface area.
Ingredients
- 1 (7 oz) package cheese tortellini — Refrigerated tortellini works and cooks faster. Dried works too but adds a few minutes to cook time. Either is fine here.
- 12 oz marinara sauce — About half a standard jar. Use whatever brand you like. A chunky style blends fine with the Alfredo.
- 8 oz Alfredo sauce — About half a jar. This is where the richness comes from. If you have homemade Alfredo in the freezer, absolutely use it — it makes a noticeable difference. Store-bought works on a busy night.
- 1½ tsp dried Italian seasoning — Split between the sauce and the topping. This is the only seasoning in the dish, so don’t skip it.
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded — Freshly shredded melts better than pre-shredded (which has anti-caking coating), but pre-shredded is fine and saves time.
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated — Adds a salty, nutty edge to the topping. The real stuff from a block is noticeably better here. The green can works but has a different texture.
How to Make Cheesy Tortellini Casserole
Step 1: Get the water for the pasta ready. Start a large pot with some water and put it on the stove to boil. Add lots of salt because this is your one chance to season the pasta.
Step 2: While you wait, begin making your sauce. In a separate medium saucepan, on medium heat, add your marinara sauce, Alfredo sauce, and ½ tablespoon of the Italian seasoning. Combine them in the pan. Allow the sauce to reach a gentle simmer — at this point you will start to see the small bubbles form — then reduce the heat and let it relax for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 10 minutes, your sauce should thicken and the two sauces should become one. Around minute 7 you should start to smell a very nice marinara.
Step 3: Now it’s time to cook the tortellini. Add the tortellini to the water and cook it following the instructions on the packet. If the instructions say to boil the tortellini for 3-5 minutes, stick to the 3-minute side. Once the time is done, make sure to drain the tortellini. Do not rinse it because you want the starch to help cling to the sauce.
Step 4: Combine and transfer. Stir the drained tortellini into the sauce until all the tortellini is coated in the sauce. Then, carefully pour the mixture into a greased 9-inch pie dish (or a similar kind of baking dish). Make sure it is evenly spread out.
Step 5: Add the toppings. Evenly distribute the mozzarella on top, followed by the Parmesan. Finally, the last teaspoon of Italian seasoning can be sprinkled on top of the cheese.
Step 6: Broil. Set your oven to the BROIL setting (high if there’s that option) and adjust the rack to be no more than 6 inches from the heating element. Broil for 1-3 minutes while watching. You want the cheese to bubble with some golden spots. Definitely pull it if it is at the color you want. It goes from golden to burned in under a minute, so keep an eye on it.
Step 7: Serve. Allow the dish to rest for 2 to 3 minutes so the sauce can settle and will be easier to scoop. Dish and serve as is. It’s great on its own, but with a green salad or garlic bread, you have a complete meal.
Helpful Tips
- Watch the broiler. This is the one step where things can go wrong fast. Stay in the kitchen, check it at the 1-minute mark, and pull it when the cheese has the color you want.
- Grease the dish well. The cheese on the edges will stick if you skip this. A quick spray of cooking spray or wipe of butter does the job.
- Add a protein if you want. Browned Italian sausage, cooked ground beef, or even shredded rotisserie chicken can be stirred in with the tortellini before it goes in the dish. Add about 1 cup of cooked meat and it becomes a much heartier meal.
- Freshly shredded mozzarella melts better. The pre-shredded bags have a starch coating that can make the melt slightly grainy. If you have a block of low-moisture mozzarella, shred it yourself — it makes a difference on top.
- Don’t skip the simmer step. Ten minutes of simmering the sauces together matters. It burns off some of the jarred sauce flavor and lets the two sauces integrate. If you skip it and just mix them cold, the flavor is noticeably flatter.
Variations
Roasted red peppers, sautéed mushrooms, or fresh spinach that have been stirred into the hot sauce (until wilted) are great additions to this casserole and will not change the overall profile of the dish.
Meat tortellini: If you replace the cheese tortellini with a meat version, the dish becomes heartier and more satisfying. For even more cheese pull, feel free to use a three-cheese tortellini too.
Make it spicier: While the sauce is simmering, add ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the sauce. The dish won’t be overtly spicy; it will simply have a slight warmth that will cut through the richness of the Alfredo.
For a stronger flavor, try provolone cheese melted on top instead of mozzarella! For a slightly more nutty flavor, a blend of mozzarella and fontina cheese, which melts beautifully, is a good option.
Storage, Make-Ahead, and Leftovers
\n\nCasseroles can last for 4 days in the fridge if you let them cool before covering the dish which can be done with an airtight container.\n\nA little splash of water or chicken broth helps to loosen the pasta which can be more saucy when reheated.
If using a microwave, heat in 90-second intervals, stirring each time, until the food is hot. For oven instructions, cover with foil and heat at 350°F for 15 minutes. To get the cheese on top to crisp a little again, take the foil off for a few minutes at the end.
Freezer: You can freeze this casserole, but keep in mind that the texture of the pasta will soften, as will the overall texture of the casserole, after thawing. To freeze, make the casserole up until the step of broiling, let it cool completely, then tightly wrap it in plastic wrap and foil. You may freeze it for two months. You may thaw the casserole in the refrigerator the night before you would like to bake it. Then, you can broil it after thawing.
You can prepare the casserole up to 24 hours in advance. Just put all the elements together and stop at adding the cheese topping. Then, cover the casserole and place it in the fridge. When you’re ready, pull it out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature while you preheat the oven. Then broil it right from the fridge. It may need an additional minute or two to cook.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen tortellini instead of refrigerated?
Yes. You can prepare the meal from frozen based on the instructions on the package. It usually takes an extra 2-3 minutes compared to the refrigerated tortellini. As for the sauce, drain it well first before mixing. The casserole will turn out just the same.
Why combine marinara and Alfredo? Can I just use one?
It’s okay to use just marinara. You will create a simpler and lighter dish. Using just Alfredo will get heavy and rich. Using both sauces is worth it because the acidity of the marinara cuts through the fat of the Alfredo, and the cream of Alfredo helps to balance the sharpness of the marinara. You have something that tastes like neither sauce alone.
My cheese didn’t brown — what happened?
Here are some suggestions; Maybe the rack is far from the broiler element or maybe the cheese was cold or the oven needed more time to preheat to the boil setting. When using the broil setting, make sure the rack is about 4-6 inches from the boil element, and give the oven a full 5 minute preheat before sliding the dish in. Pre-shredded cheese may not brown well and may do so unevenly, due to the anti-caking starch coating.
Can I make this in a slow cooker?
Not very recommended. The step for broiling at the end is what gives this dish it’s texture, and the brown cheese topping is one of the most important parts of how this dish works. With a slow cooker, you would achieve a softer, saucier pasta dish instead of a casserole. If what you want is slow cooker tortellini, that’s a different recipe.
How do I know when it’s done under the broiler?
Check to see if the cheese has completely melted and is bubbling with some golden-brown spots appearing all over the surface. The brown spots will develop towards the edge first. The casserole is finished, and you’ll want to pull it just to the point of your preference on the top. This can range from a pretty light golden to a really deep brown. Underneath the top layer, everything is cooked.
What size baking dish should I use?
For a single recipe, a 9-inch pie dish works well, as it accommodates one package of tortellini and serves about four people. It can also be prepared in a shallow 8×8 square dish. For a doubled recipe, go with a 9×13 baking dish. The most important thing to keep in mind is that the pasta should be kept in a shallow layer. This is so that the broiler can get the cheese on top to brown while ensuring that the middle doesn’t remain cold.
Related Recipes
- Homemade Alfredo Sauce — If you want to make the Alfredo from scratch, this is the recipe. Takes about 10 minutes and tastes noticeably better than jarred.
- Baked Pasta Recipe — Same idea, different pasta shape. Good if you want something with more tomato flavor.
- Creamy Chicken Pasta — A stovetop pasta dish with a similar creamy sauce profile but with chicken added.
- Easy Weeknight Dinners — More recipes in the same spirit as this one — fast, real food, minimal cleanup.
Cheesy Tortellini Casserole
Equipment
- Medium saucepan
- 9-inch pie dish
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 7-ounce package cheese tortellini
- 12 ounces marinara sauce
- 8 ounces Alfredo sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning divided
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- In a medium saucepan, combine marinara sauce, Alfredo sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Cook the tortellini according to package directions, using the shorter end of the range. Drain well.
- Stir the drained tortellini into the sauce until coated. Transfer to a greased 9-inch pie dish or similar baking dish.
- Top with mozzarella, Parmesan, and the remaining Italian seasoning.
- Broil 1 to 3 minutes, watching closely, until the cheese bubbles and develops golden spots.
- Let rest 2 to 3 minutes before serving.