Variety is the spice of life! Perhaps that’s why we find ourselves combing back to casseroles. They can be made with just about every kind of ingredient and we have to admit, almost any ingredient is made even better with a layer of cheese. Today we’re focusing on a pasta classic: A tortellini casserole with plenty of sauce and lots of cheese. So preheat the oven and let’s get started!
Our Tortellini Casserole with Ground Meat: A Crispy Casserole Delight
Quick and easy dishes that the whole family enjoys can sometimes be a little hard to find. Our tortellini casserole, however, fits the bill. The combination of tender tortellini and savory bolognese sauce, topped with a golden brown, crispy cheese crust, tastes great to young and old alike. It’s also ready in under an hour, so it can be prepared right after work for dinner.
We’ll start off with choosing the right tortellini. We, personally, like to keep it simple and opt for ready-made tortellini in this recipe. The choice of filling we will leave entirely up to you, whether filled with ground meat, spinach and ricotta, or cheese, rest assured it all works magnificently.
Our tortellini casserole is quick and easy to make, which suits it perfectly for a quick weeknight dinner. All you need to do is prepare a bolognese sauce and cook the tortellini on the side. Once ready, alternate layers of tortellini and sauce. And just like that, your casserole is ready to be popped into the oven! Once the cheese has formed a golden and bubbling crust and the pasta combined with the sauce to create a savory poem, you’ll know that your delectable dish is ready to be enjoyed.
You can even use plant-based tortellini to make the entire dish vegan. Simply replace the ground meat with soy protein or ready-made plant-based alternatives. Vegan cheese works well too! Other than that, no additional prep or adjustments are needed, and the result will be just as yummy.
We at Scrumdiddlyumptious are crazy about simple, delicious casseroles and could eat them any day, any time. If you feel the same way, why not enjoy try our salmon pasta bake, baked spaghetti with sausage, or tuna noodle casserole with corn?
Tortellini Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh tortellini
- 1 onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 lb (vegan) ground meat
- salt & pepper
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- ⅓ cup red wine
- 1 can (14 oz) canned tomatoes
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ¾ cup (vegan) mozzarella or preferred cheese
- fresh basil
Instructions
- Cook the tortellini according to package directions until al dente.
- Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic.
- In a pan, heat some of olive oil and brown the ground meat in it. Add the onion and garlic and continue to cook until fragrant. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the tomato paste and deglaze with red wine. Add the canned tomatoes and oregano. Bring to a boil and simmer for a few minutes.
- Combine the sauce with the tortellini and pour the mixture into a baking dish of your choice.
- Spread the cheese over the pasta and bake for 25 minutes at 350°F. Bake until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown. Sprinkle the finished casserole with some basil before serving.