Baked Tortellini (Ground Beef + No Boil!)
If you’re craving a cozy, cheesy pasta dinner that feeds everyone without a ton of steps, this baked tortellini with ground beef is your answer! It’s hearty, loaded with tender beef and melty cheese, and there’s no boiling needed, just layer, bake, and dig into the ultimate weeknight comfort food.
5 star review
“This was fantastic! I will make it again, absolutely! Turned out GREAT!! Thanks Robyn, for another winner!!!”
– Robin
Add More Ease to Dinner with My Tortellini Baked Pasta
Okay, seriously, nothing makes me happier than a giant plate of pasta. And while a plateful of cheese tortellini with tomato sauce is delicious on its own, why not step it up a notch by baking it with seasoned ground beef for extra heartiness, plus baby spinach for freshness? And, by baking tortellini you’ve got a little bit of lasagna vibes (like my FAVORITE stuffed shells with meat) along with Italian flavors all in a simple, dump-and-bake casserole.
And you’ve gotta love how simple it is to put this tortellini bake together – there’s no chopping involved and you don’t need to pre-cook the tortellini. All you have to do is cook the ground beef with seasonings; then mix the tortellini with tomato sauce, top with spinach beef, add more marinara sauce and cheese; then pop into the oven to bake. Speaking of tomato sauce, since there are so few ingredients in this recipe, using one you love makes a difference, such as a quality store-bought sauce or my homemade marinara sauce (it’s so easy and really elevates a super simple dish into something delicious).
For best results with this recipe, make sure each tortellini is really well coated in marinara and the rest of the ingredients. Also, every oven is a bit different, so after 30 minutes of baking, pierce the tortellini with a fork and make sure it’s cooked to your liking. If not, bake an additional 10 min covered. And, if you’re feeling extra, I highly recommend dunking in there with some easy buttery garlic bread. I mean, how can you possibly go wrong?
Welcome to My Kitchen! Let’s Make Tortellini Baked Pasta
Testing Notes: The Best Tortellini to Use
I tested this recipe using 2 (10-oz) packages of Trader Joe’s fresh cheese tortellini as well as 1 (24-oz) Costco 4-cheese fresh tortellini. The recipe worked with both, so regardless of brand you want somewhere between 20- and 24-oz fresh tortellini, or about 2 heaping cups. Also note that this recipe was tested using fresh tortellini, not dry. If using dry, you’ll need to boil first according to package directions, then prepare as instructed.
Baked Tortellini (Ground Beef + No Boil!)
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 24 oz marinara sauce, about 3 cups
- 20 oz fresh cheese tortellini, see notes
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1 cup Italian cheese blend
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add olive oil, and the beef, sprinkling with salt and garlic powder. Break into small pieces and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Drain any excess fat if desired. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Spray a high-sided 9×13 baking dish with olive oil spray. Add the tortellini, half the marinara (about 1 ½ cups) and ¼ cup water, tossing so that the tortellini is equally covered in sauce, then spread into an even layer.
- Sprinkle over the spinach in a layer, then carefully add the cooked beef in another layer.
- Evenly spread over the remaining marinara (about 1 ½ cups), then sprinkle evenly with cheese.
- Cover tightly with foil. Bake for 30-40 minutes covered or until browned, bubbling, and the tortellini is cooked to your liking. Optional, uncover and bake or broil for 5 minutes until browned on top.
Notes
- I tested this recipe using 2 (10-oz) packages of Trader Joe’s fresh cheese tortellini as well as 1 (24-oz) Costco 4-cheese fresh tortellini. The recipe worked with both, so regardless of brand you want somewhere between 20- and 24-oz fresh tortellini, or about 2 heaping cups.
- This recipe was tested using fresh tortellini, not dry. If using dry, you’ll need to boil first according to package directions, then prepare as instructed.
- In testing I preferred layering the tortellini vs. mixing everything, as I found the tortellini cooked best when covered with sauce on the bottom and covered with other ingredients while baking.
This was fantastic! I will make it again, absolutely! The only swaps I made, were out of necessity, because I decided to make this on a whim after not having been to the grocery store. I had to leave out the spinach (none in the fridge), and I used leftover shredded Mexican cheese blend, and grated parmesan. Still, turned out GREAT!!
Next time, I’ll be prepared, cuz I think the spinach would be a great addition!
Thanks Robyn, for another winner!!!
Robin, yay, so happy to hear this one was a hit and you were able to make it work with what you had on hand! Thanks so much for taking the time to share your thoughts. 🙂
When you say “fresh tortellini,” is frozen okay? Should it be thawed first?
Hi Lora, yes, frozen will work – you just want to avoid dry tortellini (the kind they sell alongside other dried pastas). If cooking from frozen you may need to add a couple more minutes, but otherwise everything else stays the same. I hope you enjoy!
Looks delicious!
It’s one of our favorites! I hope you enjoy!
This was so good! I doubled the meat (I used turkey) and then doubled the sauce. The spinach was a great addition. I also added some oregano and a few other Italian spices since my sauce was pretty plain.
Iska, great idea to use turkey and to double the meat! Happy to hear it was a hit for you, and thanks so much for leaving a review!
Made this last night and it was a HUGE hit with the family. Accidentally bought the dry tortellini from Aldi (mushroom and ricotta) but it was a quick 8 min boil while the meat was cooking (subbed italian sausage as it was on hand.) Did not add the extra water since the tortellini was cooked already but added a bit of extra sauce in case. So easy and will definitely be adding this on regular repeat at my house – absolutely loved it. Thanks Robyn!!
Yay, Heather, so happy to hear this one was a hit and thanks for sharing your tips for using dried tortellini in this bake – super helpful!
Delicious recipe that comes together so easily. I swapped in cheese ravioli since that’s what I had in the freezer. I made it for a party and it was a big hit!
Rebecca, great to know about the ravioli swap and that this one worked well for a party. Thanks for the tips and for leaving a review!
Hi Robyn 🙂 Just want you to know that I made this again last night, and it is SO good! I made two pans of it, one for me and one to take to a friend who’s recovering from surgery. It was the perfect meal to drop off! I took them a salad, and a piping hot dish of this pasta bake, and it got rave reviews all around! Bonus ~ leftovers mean they have a few meals done, in one dish:) (as do I!) Thanks for sharing this!
Robin, yay, I love it! How kind of you to bring one to a friend, too. Happy to hear this one’s been a hit, and thanks for leaving a reivew!
I subbed chicken sausage for the beef — this was so easy and delicious and our whole family loved it! I might sneak even more spinach in next time 😉
Gina, great idea to use chicken sausage in this tortellini bake – such a great idea. And I agree, you can easily double the spinach since it wilts down so well. Thanks so much for sharing your tips and for leaving a review!
My whole family loved this. I dumped in frozen tortellini and it worked out just fine!
Rachael, so happy to hear this one was a hit and thanks for sharing the tip on the frozen tortellini!
So yummy and easy, I did have to boil my tortellini but it was only 4 mins so no biggie! Will definitely make again for an easy dinner 🙂
Jazmyne, so happy to hear you enjoyed this one, thanks for sharing your notes and for leaving a review!
Can you use frozen spinach?
Hi Hope, yes, you can. You’ll need approximately ½ cup of thawed and well-drained (squeezed very dry) frozen spinach in place of the baby spinach. If you give it a try let me know how it turns out!
To freeze it should you bake first then freeze or freeze after it is assembled?
Hi Maureen, the choice is yours, I’ve tested both and both work well. In both cases you might want to have extra marinara on hand for serving (depending on how “saucy” people like things), as the tortellini tends to soak up a bit of extra sauce when frozen and reheated. I hope that helps!
This was wonderful! Another winner, which I plan to make for book club this month.
Linda, I’m so happy to hear this one was a hit, and what a lucky bookclub! Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and for leaving a review!