Baked Tortellini Casserole is a comforting, family-friendly dish featuring tender cheese tortellini baked in a savory turkey tomato sauce with creamy ricotta and melted mozzarella. It’s simple to prepare and perfect for busy weeknights.
If you want an easy one-dish meal that still feels special, this Cheesy Baked Tortellini Casserole delivers. The sauce combines sautéed onions, garlic, lean ground turkey and tomato sauce, enriched with ricotta for a creamy finish. Fresh cheese tortellini cooks in the sauce while baking, so there’s no need to boil pasta ahead of time.
The finished casserole is topped with mozzarella and bakes to a bubbly, golden finish. It reheats well, making it a great option for leftovers or meal prep.
You’ll Love this Baked Tortellini Casserole
This no-boil baked tortellini is both easy and satisfying. It requires minimal prep and little cleanup while producing a rich, cheesy meal the whole family will enjoy. The simple red sauce can be made from plain canned tomato sauce flavored with onion, garlic and Italian seasoning, or you can use a jarred marinara if you prefer.
The recipe is flexible: swap the ground turkey for ground beef, Italian sausage, or omit meat entirely for a vegetarian version. Stirring ricotta into the sauce gives a lovely creamy texture and a slight blush color to the tomato base. Using fresh refrigerated tortellini ensures the pasta cooks through in the oven and stays tender.
Serve the casserole with a crisp green salad or garlic bread for a complete and comforting dinner.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Ground turkey – a lean, mild option. Substitute ground beef or Italian sausage, or omit meat and add extra vegetables for a vegetarian dish.
- Tomato sauce – use a smooth canned tomato sauce or your favorite marinara. If using jarred marinara, you can simplify the aromatics.
- Ricotta – part-skim or whole milk ricotta both work. Cottage cheese or a small amount of cream cheese can be used in a pinch.
- Tortellini – fresh cheese tortellini from the refrigerated section is ideal; avoid the very small dried tortellini.
- Mozzarella – shredded mozzarella melts to create a classic cheesy topping. Use whole milk or part-skim depending on preference.
How to Make Baked Tortellini Casserole
Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Prepare a large casserole dish or a 9 x 13-inch baking pan by greasing it lightly.
Step 1: Cook the aromatics and meat
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in minced garlic, kosher salt and Italian seasoning, then add the ground turkey. Break the turkey into pieces and cook until browned and cooked through, about 6–8 minutes.
Step 2: Add tomato sauce
Pour in the tomato sauce and reduce the heat to bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Let it warm through so the flavors meld.
Step 3: Stir in ricotta
Turn off the heat and stir in the ricotta until it’s evenly incorporated into the sauce, creating a creamy, slightly pink sauce.
Step 4: Assemble and bake
Place the uncooked tortellini in the prepared baking dish. Pour the sauce over the tortellini and gently toss or stir to coat the pasta pieces. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella evenly over the top and cover the dish with foil. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and bake an additional 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Easy Cheesy Baked Tortellini
This Cheesy Baked Tortellini Casserole is a cozy, crowd-pleasing meal that comes together quickly. The combination of savory meat sauce, creamy ricotta and tender cheese-filled tortellini makes it a satisfying centerpiece for family dinners or casual gatherings. It pairs well with a green salad, roasted vegetables or garlic bread.
Recipe Tips
- Make it vegetarian by skipping the ground turkey and adding mushrooms, zucchini, bell peppers or other favorite vegetables.
- Use fresh or frozen cheese tortellini for best results; frozen will cook fine in the oven, but dried tortellini may require adjustment.
- If you don’t have ricotta, cottage cheese or a few ounces of cream cheese can substitute, or you can omit ricotta altogether.
- Make-ahead: assemble the casserole and refrigerate until ready to bake. It also freezes well; thaw before baking and increase bake time as needed.
- Leftovers: refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days and reheat covered in the oven or in the microwave.
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Baked Tortellini Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ½ onion, diced (about 1 cup diced)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 ½ pounds ground turkey
- 2 15 oz cans tomato sauce
- 1 cup part-skim ricotta (or whole milk ricotta)
- 1 ½ pounds cheese tortellini
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a large casserole dish or 9 x 13-inch pan with nonstick spray or a little oil.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the minced garlic, kosher salt and Italian seasoning, then stir in the ground turkey. Cook, breaking up the meat, until browned and cooked through, about 6–8 minutes.
- Pour in the tomato sauce and bring the mixture to a low simmer. Once warmed through, remove the skillet from heat and stir in the ricotta until smooth and combined. Set the sauce aside.
- Place the uncooked tortellini into the prepared baking dish. Pour the sauce over the tortellini and gently toss or stir to coat. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella evenly over the top and cover the dish with foil.
- Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and bake an additional 5 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Vegetarian option: omit the turkey and sauté additional vegetables such as mushrooms, zucchini or bell peppers.
- Tortellini options: cheese tortellini is recommended, but spinach-and-cheese or similar fresh varieties work well. Avoid very small dried tortellini.
- Ricotta substitutes: cottage cheese or a small amount of cream cheese can replace ricotta if needed.
- Make-ahead: assemble the casserole and refrigerate until ready to bake. It also freezes well for future meals.
- Storage: keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.