There’s something about putting pastas in a casserole dish and baking it, whether it’s this baked tortellini, baked spaghetti, or a chicken alfredo bake, it’s always a winner in our house.
extra Cheesy Goodness
Who here loves an easy dinner recipe? We are all about them and have realized that pasta recipes are the kids’ favorites. Today’s recipe is a Cheesy Baked Tortellini that the whole family enjoyed. We’ve always loved Tortellini and have used it in so many recipes here on the site (including our Italian Tortellini Soup and Tortellini Salad). We knew we’d love this recipe considering that it’s covered in cheese, bacon and spinach. And because the tortellini is already filled with cheese, it’s kind of a no-brainer to love this double-cheesy baked tortellini goodness.
Make and bake
We’ve already established the fact that Cheese Tortellini on it’s own is delicious, and turning it into an even cheesier, more delicious dinner idea is going to earn you major kudos with the family. Here is how you make baked tortellini casserole. TORTELLINI. Cooking tortellini as directed on the package. SAUCE. Cook bacon and cut up. Reserve bacon fat from pan. Add garlic and cook for a minute or two. Add flour to the pan and whisk for a minute, then add milk and mix until smooth. Lastly, add salt, pepper, lemon juice and basil and bring to a simmer. COMBINE. Drain tortellini and add back to the pot. Turn to low heat and add spinach and most of the mozzarella, Parmesan cheeses and bacon. Add sauce and stir until well combined. BAKE. Add to an 8×8 or 9×9 dish. Top with the remaining mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and bacon. Cover your dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes. What can I use instead of bacon? If you’re not a fan of bacon you can substitute it with another meat such as ham, pepperoni, italian sausage, chicken, turkey bacon, sauteed shrimp. Also, the recipe calls for saving the bacon grease. Since you will not have bacon grease to use when sauteing the garlic use 1-2 Tablespoons of olive oil.
Make it ahead!
As if this recipe wasn’t already amazing, the fact that it’s a perfect make ahead meal is even better! Just follow the recipe steps up until it’s time to bake. Cover with with plastic wrap and keep in the fridge for 1-2 days then bake. To freeze: Cover with plastic and again with aluminum foil. Label and freeze for 3-4 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bake. We really hope you love this cheesy, flavorful baked tortellini. We know you can buy tortellini with meat inside, so we think we’re going to try that next time. Either way, it’s a keeper recipe for sure. 😉
For more Cheese Tortellini recipes:
Italian Tortellini Soup Tomato Tortellini Soup Spinach And Tortellini Salad Steak And Tortellini Salad
