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This Easy Cheesy Baked Tortellini is simple and delicious too. Tortellini, bacon, cheese, basil, & spinach fill this recipe and make it irresistible and perfect for dinner any night.

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.

Baked Tortellini scooped with a serving spoon
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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. 

Cheesy Tortellini Bake in a glass casserole dish

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. 😉

Tortellini Casserole in a serving spoon

For more Cheese Tortellini recipes:

4.91 from 22 votes

Cheesy Tortellini Bake

By: Lil’ Luna
Easy and extra cheesy tortellini bake is a weeknight favorite. It's filled with bacon and spinach and on the table in about 30 minutes!
Servings: 6
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 35 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 1 (12-ounce) package cheese tortellini, or any kind of tortellini
  • 4 bacon strips
  • 3 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups milk
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 2 cups frozen spinach, thaw, drain, and chop
  • ¾ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • ¾ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add tortellini and cook as directed on the package.
  • Cook bacon and cut it up. Reserve bacon fat from the pan. Add garlic and cook for a minute or two. Add flour to the pan and whisk for a minute. Add milk and mix until smooth. Add salt, pepper, lemon juice, and basil. Bring to a simmer.
  • Drain tortellini and add back to the pot. Turn to low heat and add spinach and most of the mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, and bacon. Add sauce and stir until well combined.
  • 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. Serve and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Prep ahead. Assemble the dish as directed, but don’t bake. Instead, cover with plastic and refrigerate for 1-2 days, or wrap again with aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw if needed, and bake as directed.
Store leftovers in an airtight container(s) in the fridge for 2-3 days or freeze for 2-3 months. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. Add a little bit of milk to help revive the creamy texture. 

Nutrition

Calories: 230kcal, Carbohydrates: 9g, Protein: 14g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 37mg, Sodium: 750mg, Potassium: 348mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 6420IU, Vitamin C: 4.3mg, Calcium: 385mg, Iron: 1.5mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

About Kristyn

My name is Kristyn and I’m the mom of SIX stinkin’ cute kids and the wife to my smokin’ hot hubby, Lo. My mom’s maiden name is Luna, and I’m one of the many crafty “Lil’ Lunas” in the fam. On this site I like to share all things creative - from recipes to home decor to gifts and home decor ideas. Welcome!

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4.91 from 22 votes (5 ratings without comment)

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80 Comments

  1. Jaime says:

    Can you make this ahead of time and bake later?

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      Of course! Hope you like it!! Thanks so much for stopping by!

  2. Franceska says:

    5 stars
    LOVE this!! Tried with cheese ravioli instead (my tortellini is sausage cheese). Easy to make, yummy to eat. What more can a busy mama ask for?? Definitely a winner

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      LOL!! Thanks so much!! That sounds delicious 🙂

  3. Colleen says:

    Have you ever tried putting it in the crock pot instead of baking it? I would like to try it just not sure how long it should cook for. I would not want it to turn to mush. Thanks

  4. Jericha says:

    This was absolutely delicious!!! I add some tomatoes to mine as well. My family loved it. Thank you!

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      Thank you so much for letting me know!! Tomatoes are a great addition to this recipe!!

  5. Rachel says:

    5 stars
    Making this for dinner tonight. But I am not sure how many servings this makes. I have 3 teen age boys and a husband to feed. I need to make about 8 servings. Could you help me with this?

  6. Kyle says:

    Is that 2 tablespoons of flour

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      Yes. 🙂

  7. Barbe says:

    I’m making it tonight with chickem meatballs instead of bacon. Can’t wait

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      Oooh – sounds great! Let me know how it goes. 😉

  8. Maren says:

    I cooked the tortellini-spinach-bake today for me and my family (also a husband and four kids), after I saw this recipe at Pinterest before a few days. And it was easy to make and delicious to eat. I just change the bacon into chicken. Thank you.

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      Thanks for stopping by, Maren. SO glad you liked it!! I’ve never tried it with chicken before but will have to try that out – sounds like a great substitution. 😉

  9. Jenetta Penner says:

    This definitely looks tempting! Will definitely give it a try! 🙂

    1. Miranda says:

      5 stars
      This looks delicious! I will definitely be trying this tonight!

      Only tip that I have is instead of cooking the bacon in the dish (I find that some bacon – depending on the brand, tend to get soft, soggy, and just taste weird – I almost always mix in my bacon at the end and top it off at the end. So just set it to the side until the end!

      That way you still get that heavenly bacon taste.

      1. Lil' Luna says:

        Great tip! Thanks, Miranda!!