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This cheesy tortellini casserole is a quick and easy 3 ingredient dinner that you’ll love keeping in your back pocket for a busy night! It’s a cheesy tortellini bake that you’ll be making again and again!
*Please note* this post was originally published in 2020. I’ve since redone the text and added a video but the recipe remains the same.
You guys are really loving my 3-ingredient recipes, and that makes me REALLY happy, because I love them too! We’re all living in a time where some ingredients are scarce, so if you can make something delicious out of only a few staples, the world is a better place!
Speaking of scarcity – I have mostly been able to find what I’ve needed, but when I went to the grocery store today to get a few things, I couldn’t even get half of them. Toothpicks (really!?), coffee filters and baking powder were all completely sold out. Yikes! Are people really stocking up on this stuff, or is something else going on? I can’t imagine there being a run on coffee filters…so strange.
Anyway, today’s 3-ingredient recipe contains two things that you might already have sitting around your house. I don’t know about you, but we’ve always got a package or two of tortellini in the freezer for those emergency dinner nights! They’re so quick and easy, and everyone in the family loves them. We always buy a 3-pack of them from Costco when we go!
This cheesy tortellini casserole is the easiest way to make something that everyone is going to love. You can even have it ready in 30 minutes! Win!
Ingredients For This Cheesy Tortellini Casserole
As I already mentioned, you only need 3 INGREDIENTS for this cheesy tortellini bake!
You will need:
- tortellini
- marinara sauce
- mozzarella cheese
Tortellini: I usually just use a cheese-filled tortellini but if you’d like some meat in the dish, you could also use a sausage and cheese filled tortellini! Really any type of tortellini works in this dish. You can also use frozen tortellini, it’ll just add a minute or two to the cooking time!
Marinara sauce: I find a simple marinara sauce has the best flavour in this tortellini bake but you can use pretty much any tomato sauce you have on hand for this casserole.
Instructions For a 30 Minute Cheesy Tortellini Bake
This dish is so quick, I only have 2 steps in the entire recipe!
1. Since tortellini is very quick to cook up, start by preheating the oven to 350 F. Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring it to a boil on high. Once the water starts boiling, add a pinch of salt, followed by the tortellini. Cook the pasta until it starts to float to the top, about 6-8 minutes.
2. Drain the tortellini and let the pasta sit in the strainer until all of the water has completely drained out, 1-2 minutes. Combine the pasta with the marinara sauce and empty everything into an 8″x 8″ casserole dish. Top the tortellini with a heap of freshly grated mozzarella cheese, then place it in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Turn the oven to broil and brown the cheese for 5-6 minutes. You’re done!
Can This Recipe be Doubled to Feed a Crowd?
I find this meal makes enough to comfortably feed my family of 5, especially if you’re serving it with extra side dishes or a salad on the side; however, if you are feeding a lot of people or you just want leftovers, this recipe can definitely be doubled and then fit into a 13″ x 9″ casserole dish.
Since there are only 3 ingredients it’s pretty simple to make as much as you need, even baking it in two batches if need be!
What Can You Serve Cheesy Tortellini Casserole With?
This cheesy casserole is so good just on its own, but if you want some greens with your meal, you could serve up this tortellini bake with a simple side salad or some roasted veggies on the side!
Here’s a few of our favourite salads we like:
You could also think about some green beans or carrots on the side, or if you need a few extra carbs in your life, try serving some 30 minute dinner rolls with the meal!
More 30 Minute Meals on The Blog
Want some more 30 minute meals in your life? You’ll love these:
- creamy vegetable casserole
- cheesy tuna casserole
- cheesy Mexican quinoa casserole
- leftover turkey stuffing casserole
Now, can we just pause to look at this beautiful cheesy bake!?
I’ll be back next week with another 3-ingredient win!
PrintCheesy Tortellini Bake
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 3–4 servings 1x
Description
This cheesy tortellini casserole is a quick and easy 3 ingredient dinner that you’ll love keeping in your back pocket for a busy night! It’s a cheesy tortellini bake that you’ll be making again and again!
Ingredients
- 1 package tortellini (1 1/2 lbs), fresh or frozen, any flavor
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 2 cups freshly grated mozzarella cheese*
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and fill a medium saucepan with water, bringing it to a boil on high. Once the water starts boiling, add a pinch of salt, followed by the tortellini. Cook until the tortellini floats to the top, about 6-8 minutes (longer if cooking from frozen).
- Drain the tortellini and let the pasta sit in the strainer until all of the water has completely drained out, 1-2 minutes. Combine the pasta with the marinara sauce in an 8×8 or 11×7 pan. Top the tortellini with the freshly grated cheese, then place it in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling on top. Switch the oven to broil for 5-6 minutes or until browned. Serve immediately, with a side salad!
Leftover tortellini bake can be stored in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days.
Notes
*Try mixing mozzarella cheese with parmesan cheese!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: dinner
- Method: oven bake
- Cuisine: Italian
Three ingredient comfort food at its very best! I LOVE this!
Thanks Alex! We’re getting some chilly weather here this week so I’m all about the comfort food!
I have seen shortages on the most random things too! …Qtips…really???
I love this stress free, easy and delicious dinner!! Frozen pastas are so convenient!
Hahah Q-tips. Sooo funny. Thank you Thao! Frozen pasta can be a lifesaver!
Cheesy baked pasta is the ultimate comfort food! Love how easily this one comes together! I agree how some of the most random things are not available. Maybe all those crafty folks are making toothpick and coffee filter art??
It does come together SO easily! Thank you!! Hahaha – toothpick and coffee filter art. That cracked me up!
So so smart! I’ve recently ordered marinara sauce in a jar. The only thing I do is check the sugar content, just because I don’t think sugar belongs in any red sauce. Mostly this is because I have had to deal with an arthritic thumb, and I can’t peel garlic, or really use a knife well, or really stir well…. my surgery is tomorow! Yay!!! Anyway, what surprised me is the good quality marinara sauces I’ve discovered. I might continue using them! So I absolutely love this recipe!
Oh Mimi, I completely agree. Sugar does not belong in marinara sauce! GOOD LUCK with your surgery!! I will be thinking well wishes for you. XO
Three ingredients is about the best ingredient list ever! I normally do this raviolis, but it would be great with tortellini too! And I’m finding the stores are out of the most random things sometimes too.
Thanks Marcie! I would love to try this with raviolis too. Clever!
I am loving your easy tortellini recipe. Plus, using fewer ingredients has all of a sudden become so practical!
Yes! We’re currently surviving on a very bare fridge while we wait for our grocery delivery, so these kinds of recipes are very practical!
Wow this is so nice and simple! Definitely looks delicious. I think I have a dinner tonight
Thank you! It is so easy. Hope you enjoy!
Wow this is just perfect for those quick and fast meals! I bet it’s super comforting and very delicious too with that cheesy goodness!
A question on the ingredients? It states 3-3 1/2 lbs. of tortellini. The pictures look more like it’s about a 20 ounce package of tortellini based on the pan size and how full the pan appears. Can you confirm? Also, I don’t think 2 cups sauce would be enough for 3 lbs. of pasta.
How could I make this into a freezer meal for a friend who just had a baby? Should I follow each step right up to the baking step and freeze? Then thaw and bake as directed?
Yes, I would combine everything, including the cooked tortellini and the tortellini and cheese, but don’t bake it. You could actually bake right from frozen, you would just need to have it in the oven for about 45 minutes!