If mac ‘n cheese and lasagna had a love child, it would turn out something like the recipe below. With layers of pasta, cheese, and tomato sauce all nestled together, it would be high on the list of comfort foods. And the best part? It wouldn’t take hours to make like your typical lasagna.
The great thing about this dish is that you start with jarred sauce and frozen, pre-filled tortellini. Add a few vegetables and some cheese and you’ve got an seriously satisfying meal. You can vary this in a million different ways too. Add cooked, crumbled Italian sausage, crispy pancetta or bacon, even shredded chicken if you want a meatier version.
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Cooktop Cove
Cheesy Baked Tortellini Pasta Using Frozen Pasta
6
10 minutes
55 minutes
1 hour and 5 minutes
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
10 ounces mushrooms, sliced
2 cups chopped fresh spinach
1 24-ounce package frozen tortellini
1 25-ounce jar pasta sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they have softened and browned, about eight minutes. Stir in the spinach and cook just until wilted, about two minutes.
Spread about ½ cup of the pasta sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange half of the tortellini in a single layer in the baking dish. Spoon half of the mushroom-and-spinach mixture over the tortellini, and then half of the remaining sauce. Top with half of the mozzarella. Repeat with the remaining tortellini, mushroom-and-spinach mixture, sauce, and mozzarella. Sprinkle the Parmesan over the top. Cover with aluminum foil.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove the foil, and continue to bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is melted and beginning to brown. Serve it hot.
