Description
This Tortellini Casserole is a comforting and hearty baked pasta dish featuring cheese tortellini, seasoned ground beef, and a rich tomato sauce layered with melted mozzarella cheese. Perfect for a family dinner, it combines flavorsome Italian seasoning and easy preparation in a single casserole dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 16 ounces refrigerated cheese tortellini
Meat Sauce
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion finely diced
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 jar (24 oz) pasta sauce
- ½ cup beef broth
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
Topping
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat Oven. Preheat your oven to 350℉ and spray a 9×13 casserole baking dish with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Set it aside for later.
- Cook Tortellini. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the tortellini according to the package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta in a colander without rinsing, then drizzle a little olive oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.
- Sauté Onions. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil and add the finely diced onion. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the onions become soft and translucent.
- Cook Ground Beef. Add the ground beef and kosher salt to the skillet. Cook, stirring and crumbling the beef, until it is no longer pink. Drain off any excess grease from the pan.
- Add Sauce and Seasonings. Stir in the pasta sauce, beef broth, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder. Bring the mixture to a low boil and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and lowering heat to avoid splatter.
- Combine Tortellini and Sauce. Add the cooked tortellini to the skillet with the meat sauce and stir gently to combine everything evenly.
- Assemble Casserole. Spread half of the tortellini and beef mixture evenly in the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle half of the shredded mozzarella cheese over the top. Layer with the remaining tortellini mixture, then finish with the remaining shredded cheese on top.
- Bake. Place the casserole in the preheated oven and bake for 35 minutes or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden brown around the edges. To prevent overly crispy topping, cover loosely with foil for most of the baking time and remove foil during the last 10 minutes.
- Cool and Serve. Remove the casserole from the oven and let it cool for about 5 minutes before serving to allow flavors to set and to avoid burns.
Notes
- Beef Broth Substitute: Use chicken broth, stock, or reserved tortellini pasta water instead of beef broth depending on your preference and availability.
- Make Ahead: Prepare the casserole up to 24 hours in advance, cover tightly with foil, and refrigerate until ready to bake.
- Al Dente Tortellini: Cooking tortellini al dente is essential to prevent it from becoming mushy during baking.
- Spice It Up: Add red pepper flakes, chipotle powder, or chili powder with the seasonings for a spicy kick; hot pasta sauce and pepper jack cheese also work well.
- Cheese Variations: Feel free to use mozzarella, provolone, muenster, havarti, or an Italian cheese blend for topping.
- Tortellini Options: Cheese, spinach and cheese, or beef-filled tortellini can be used depending on taste preferences.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 750 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
