Easy 30-Minute Tortellini Pasta Bake

Cheesy tortellini pasta bake with basil leaves in a skillet.

Easy 30-Minute Tortellini Pasta Bake

This cheesy tortellini pasta bake is an easy and budget-friendly 30-minute dinner that everyone will devour. A healthy and cosy oven-baked one-pan dinner.

4.67 from 3 votes

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Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 20

Servings: servings

Author: Deborah Rainford

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
250 g (½ lb) package of fresh or shelf-stable tortellini
2 shallots, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, picked
1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs
500 g (17 oz) carton of passata (or chopped tomatoes)
100 ml (½ cups) double cream (heavy cream)
½ lemon, juice only
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
250 g (2 cups) shredded mozzarella
50 g (½ cups) parmesan, shredded
80-100 g (2 ½ cups) kale or spinach, optional

Instructions

Preheat the Oven:

Preheat your oven to 160ºC fan (180ºC regular, 350ºF).

Sauté Aromatics:

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in an oven-safe skillet or frying pan over medium heat.
When the oil is hot and shimmering, add the shallots and sauté until soft and fragrant.
Add the minced garlic and dried herbs, continuing to cook for another 5 minutes until the mixture is soft and just starting to turn light golden.

Prepare the Sauce:

Once the onions and garlic are light golden, pour the passata into the pan and bring to a gentle simmer.
Taste and adjust the seasoning, then pour in the cream, a squeeze of lemon, and a pinch of cinnamon.

Combine Ingredients:

Stir in the kale or spinach and the drained tortellini, mixing well to wilt the greens and coat the tortellini in the sauce.
Grate half the parmesan over the tortellini and stir to melt the cheese into the dish.

Bake:

Sprinkle the mozzarella and remaining parmesan over the pasta.
Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is golden and bubbling, about 20 minutes.

Serve:

Remove from the oven and serve in bowls with salad and bread.

Notes

Kale vs. Spinach: Kale will take a little longer to wilt than spinach, so leave it on the heat for an extra 3-4 minutes.
Cinnamon Tip: Adding cinnamon may seem unusual, but its warm toastiness helps balance the acidity of the tomato sauce, similar to adding a pinch of sugar but with a richer flavour.
Substitutions: You can use a regular onion in place of shallots. Cheese or vegetable-stuffed tortellini can keep the dish vegetarian, or you can use ham or beef-stuffed tortellini. Ravioli works well, too.

Nutrition

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