Meaty Cheesy Tortellini Casserole is one delicious meal! Easy enough for weeknights, you’ll love the flavors in this pasta dish.

NOTE: This recipe has been fully updated with pictures and text 7/2020.

Meaty Cheesy Tortellini Casserole

Pasta! Always a hit at our house! I’m always looking for new ways to prepare pasta dishes and keep the family happy. Introducing a new and oh so easy dish: Meaty Cheesy Tortellini Casserole!

Gotta love the ease of casseroles, one pan into the oven resulting in a hearty delight. Especially if it is loaded with cheeses, noodles, and oodles of goodness!

We’re certainly no strangers to a good casserole at Who Needs A Cape? in fact my very first post ever, is one of our most enduring favorites. Good old Stuffed Pepper Explosion Casserole, if you haven’t made it I assure you it is easy to prepare and satisfying. 

Meaty Cheesy Tortellini Casserole incorporates one of my favorite easy ingredients.  Frozen cheese tortellini, an often overlooked freezer staple that is perfect for easy recipes and budget-friendly too. 

I always have a bag in the freezer, cheese tortellini is extremely versatile and inexpensive. Included in the recipe is my ever so easy meat sauce. This is my “I don’t have much time to spend in the kitchen today” sauce, not my regular meat sauce, which needs time to simmer away & has a few more goodies in it.  

If you are truly scrambling for time (which we all are from time to time) use a jarred sauce, no biggie. This is a no-judgment zone around here, we’ve all opened up a jar of sauce, true story! 

Try these additions to Meaty Cheesy Tortellini Casserole:

• Spinach
• Cream Cheese
• Italian Sausage
• Red Pepper Flakes

Other amazing casserole recipes to try:

• Cattle Drive Casserole
• Creamy Chicken Ziti Casserole
• Cheesy Zucchini Cornbread Casserole
• Beefy Stuffed Shells

Looking for more ways to enjoy tortellini? Try these recipes:

• Caprese Tortellini Skewers
• Tortellini Caprese Salad
• Tortellini Pesto Pasta Salad

 

Yield: 8 servings

Meaty Cheesy Tortellini Casserole

Print

Meaty Cheese Tortellini Casserole is one delicious meal! Easy enough for weeknights, you'll love the flavors in this pasta dish.

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 lb ground beef
• 28 oz can crushed tomatoes with puree
• 8 oz water
• 1 Tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 2 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 19 oz package frozen cheese tortellini
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375° degrees. Spray 9x13 casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a saucepan heat olive oil, add ground beef and cook thoroughly, drain fat.
3. After draining the fat, add crushed tomatoes, water, oregano, basil, garlic salt, and brown sugar. Simmer on low 20-25 minutes until flavors have combined.
4. Cook frozen cheese tortellini according to package directions, drain.
5. Spread a thick layer of sauce on the bottom of the casserole dish. Place 2 layers in the following order: cheese tortellini, sauce, mozzarella cheese.
6. Cover with aluminum foil and bake 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake additional 5 minutes, browning cheese under the broiler for 1-2 minutes if desired.

Notes

Refrigerated tortellini may also be used.

Find this recipe and more at The Weekend Potluck!