This tortellini baked pasta is delightfully simple to make, yet feels like a special, comforting meal. Made with cheese tortellini (no-boiling required!), hearty ground beef, a few handfuls of fresh spinach, and no chopping, it’s giving lasagna vibes without all the time and effort. I’ll show you how easy it is!
5 star review
“This was fantastic! I will make it again, absolutely! Turned out GREAT!! Thanks Robyn, for another winner!!!”
– Robin
Tortellini Baked is the Best Way to Skip Boiling & Add More Ease to Dinner!
Okay, seriously, nothing makes me happier than a giant plate of pasta. And while a plateful of cheese tortellini with tomato sauce is delicious on its own, why not step it up a notch by baking it with seasoned ground beef for extra heartiness, plus baby spinach for freshness? And, by baking tortellini you’ve got a little bit of lasagna vibes (like my FAVORITE stuffed shells with meat) along with Italian flavors all in a simple, dump-and-bake casserole.
And you’ve gotta love how simple it is to put this tortellini bake together – there’s no chopping involved and you don’t need to pre-cook the tortellini. All you have to do is cook the ground beef with seasonings; then mix the tortellini with tomato sauce, top with spinach beef, add more marinara sauce and cheese; then pop into the oven to bake. Speaking of tomato sauce, since there are so few ingredients in this recipe, using one you love makes a difference, such as a quality store-bought sauce or my homemade marinara sauce (it’s so easy and really elevates a super simple dish into something delicious).
For best results with this recipe, make sure each tortellini is really well coated in marinara and the rest of the ingredients. Also, every oven is a bit different, so after 30 minutes of baking, pierce the tortellini with a fork and make sure it’s cooked to your liking. If not, bake an additional 10 min covered. And, if you’re feeling extra, I highly recommend dunking in there with some easy buttery garlic bread. I mean, how can you possibly go wrong?
Welcome to My Kitchen! Let’s Make Tortellini Baked Pasta
Testing Notes: The Best Tortellini to Use
I tested this recipe using 2 (10-oz) packages of Trader Joe’s fresh cheese tortellini as well as 1 (24-oz) Costco 4-cheese fresh tortellini. The recipe worked with both, so regardless of brand you want somewhere between 20- and 24-oz fresh tortellini, or about 2 heaping cups. Also note that this recipe was tested using fresh tortellini, not dry. If using dry, you’ll need to boil first according to package directions, then prepare as instructed.
No-Boil Tortellini Baked Pasta (w/ Ground Beef)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 24 oz marinara sauce, about 3 cups
- 20 oz fresh cheese tortellini, see notes
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1 cup Italian cheese blend
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add olive oil, and the beef, sprinkling with salt and garlic powder. Break into small pieces and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Drain any excess fat if desired. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Spray a high-sided 9×13 baking dish with olive oil spray. Add the tortellini, half the marinara (about 1 ½ cups) and ¼ cup water, tossing so that the tortellini is equally covered in sauce, then spread into an even layer.
- Sprinkle over the spinach in a layer, then carefully add the cooked beef in another layer.
- Evenly spread over the remaining marinara (about 1 ½ cups), then sprinkle evenly with cheese.
- Cover tightly with foil. Bake for 30-40 minutes covered or until browned, bubbling, and the tortellini is cooked to your liking. Optional, uncover and bake or broil for 5 minutes until browned on top.
Notes
- I tested this recipe using 2 (10-oz) packages of Trader Joe’s fresh cheese tortellini as well as 1 (24-oz) Costco 4-cheese fresh tortellini. The recipe worked with both, so regardless of brand you want somewhere between 20- and 24-oz fresh tortellini, or about 2 heaping cups.
- This recipe was tested using fresh tortellini, not dry. If using dry, you’ll need to boil first according to package directions, then prepare as instructed.
- In testing I preferred layering the tortellini vs. mixing everything, as I found the tortellini cooked best when covered with sauce on the bottom and covered with other ingredients while baking.
Nutrition
The post No-Boil Tortellini Baked Pasta (w/ Ground Beef) appeared first on Real Food Whole Life.