This Cheesy Tortellini Bake with ground beef is made with just four ingredients (plus salt and pepper!). It takes only 20 minutes to prep and is a great family friendly recipe to keep in your back pocket for busy weeknights.
Four Ingredient Tortellini Bake
On days when dinner feels like an impossible feat, we turn to this super fast and easy tortellini bake. This simple ground beef and pasta casserole uses pantry staples to deliver a comforting casserole to your table in under an hour (and most of that time is hands off baking time!).
Pasta casseroles are something we know we can serve our whole family without complaining. Whether it's the ultra creamy Company Casserole or Baked Spaghetti, our kids go crazy for anything that combines noodles and pasta sauce.
This ground beef tortellini casserole is the easiest of all our casserole recipes, but it still delivers big on flavor. We love the way the stuffed tortellini provides a different texture and extra cheesy goodness!
It's also easy to make ahead of time and freezer friendly! We think this one will quickly become a go-to for family dinners without any extra fuss.
Key Ingredients
- Ground beef- I usually use 90/10 lean ground beef for our recipes, unless we are making burgers. Whatever you have on hand will work fine for this recipe.
- Pasta sauce- Use whatever brand of pasta sauce or marinara you love. We like TJ’s tomato basil sauce, Prego, and Rao’s, if you want to splurge a bit.
- Dried tortellini- We used dried, boxed tortellini, but you could use frozen as well.
- Mozzarella cheese- We usually recommend shredding cheese off the block for the best gooey, melty texture, but this recipe is all about SPEED and EASE. Grab a bag of the pre-shredded stuff! If you don't have mozzarella cheese on hand, try cheddar or a shredded Mexican blend.
How to Make a Tortellini Bake
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 7 x 11 or 9 x 13 inch pan with cooking spray.
- Cook the tortellini. Start a large pot of salted water to boil. Once boiling, add the tortellini and cook to al dente, about 9 minutes. Drain well, then pour it into the prepared pan.
- Brown the beef. Meanwhile, brown the beef. Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Add the ground beef, breaking it up into big chunks and spreading evenly across the skillet. Brown undisturbed for a few minutes, then stir and continue to cook until no pink remains. Drain off any excess grease, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Stir together. Stir the marinara sauce into the ground beef, heating for about one minute, then add the beef mixture to the tortellini in the pan, stirring until it’s well combined.
- Add cheese and bake. Sprinkle the cheese on top then bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the casserole is bubbling.
Zhush it up!
If you have a little extra time and ingredients, you can amp up the flavors of this tortellini bake with these tips!
- Saute an onion with the ground beef, and add a couple cloves of minced garlic.
- Stir some spinach into the sauce and ground beef mixture, allowing it to wilt before adding it to the casserole dish.
- Use ½ Italian sausage and ½ ground beef for some extra spice.
- A sprinkling of fresh basil really takes this tortellini bake over the top!
Tips and Storage Instructions
- If you use frozen tortellini, be sure to follow the package instructions for cooking. I recommend cooking just shy of the al dente instructions to avoid mushy pasta.
- Leftover tortellini bake can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for about five days.
- Reheat leftovers in the microwave. If you have a larger quantity left in the pan, you can cover it with foil and reheat in the oven for 20 minutes.
How to Make Baked Tortellini Casserole Ahead of Time
- To make the casserole in advance, prepare it as written, then allow it to cool. Cover with foil and place in the refrigerator. Bake, uncovered, within 24 hours.
- To freeze a tortellini bake, prepare the casserole as written and allow it to cool. I recommend using foil pans for freezing. Cover with a double layer of saran wrap and foil and freeze for up to four months. To bake, place the foil pan directly in the preheated oven, and bake covered for 30 minutes. Uncover the pan and bake an additional 15-20 minutes, or until casserole is browned and bubbly.
FAQs
What meat goes well with tortellini?
We love pairing ground beef with tortellini because it's so affordable and pairs nicely with tomato sauce. However, you could also use Italian sausage, chicken, or even shredded beef.
Can you make this tortellini bake vegetarian?
Yes! If you prefer, you can omit the ground beef entirely and make a vegetarian version.
What goes well with tortellini casserole?
We usually serve this with Skillet Garlic Green Beans, Air Fryer Asparagus, Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower, or an Easy Garden Salad.
Store bought garlic bread or breadsticks makes it a complete and easy meal!
More Ground Beef Casseroles to Try
- Mexican Cornbread Casserole
- Walking Taco Casserole
- Hamburger Hashbrown Casserole
- Hamburger Potato Casserole
- Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole
📖 Recipe
Tortellini Bake
Ingredients
- Olive oil (to coat)
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 12 oz. three cheese dry tortellini
- 28 oz jar marinara or pasta sauce
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 7 x 11 or 9 x 13 inch pan with cooking spray.
- Start a large pot of salted water to boil. Once boiling, add the tortellini and cook to al dente, about 9 minutes. Drain well, then pour it into the prepared pan.
- Meanwhile, brown the beef. Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Add the ground beef, breaking it up into big chunks and spreading evenly across the skillet. Brown undisturbed for a few minutes, then stir and continue to cook until no pink remains. Drain off any excess grease, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Stir the marinara sauce into the ground beef, heating for about one minute, then add the beef mixture to the tortellini in the pan, stirring until it’s well combined.
- Sprinkle the cheese on top then bake for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted and casserole is bubbling.
Notes
- Amp up the flavors in this dish by sauteeing an onion with the ground beef, and adding a couple cloves of minced garlic.
- You could also stir in some spinach to add some veggies to the sauce.
- Using ½ Italian sausage and ½ ground beef is another great flavor variation.
- If you use frozen tortellini, be sure to follow the package instructions for cooking. I recommend cooking just shy of the al dente instructions to avoid mushy pasta.
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