Description
This one-pan beefy tortellini bake combines ground beef, cheese-filled tortellini, rich tomato sauce, and melted mozzarella in a single dish. No pre-cooking pasta required—everything bakes together for ultimate convenience. Ready in 35 minutes with just 10 minutes of prep, this family-friendly comfort food requires only one dish to clean.
Ingredients
1½ pounds ground beef (85/15)
1 pound cheese tortellini (fresh or frozen)
1 large onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
2 cups beef broth or chicken broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
2. Optional: Brown ground beef with diced onion in skillet over medium-high heat for 6-7 minutes. Add garlic, cook 1 minute. Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Drain if needed. Or use raw beef method: spread raw beef in baking dish, scatter onion and garlic over top, season generously.
3. Add raw tortellini in even layer over beef.
4. In large bowl, combine crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, broth, tomato paste, sugar, basil, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Mix well.
5. Pour sauce mixture evenly over tortellini, ensuring all pasta is submerged. Press down any exposed pieces.
6. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
7. Bake 25 minutes (fresh tortellini) or 30 minutes (frozen tortellini).
8. Remove foil carefully. Stir gently and check pasta tenderness.
9. Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over top.
10. Bake uncovered 10-12 minutes until cheese melts and develops golden spots.
11. Let rest 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil.
Notes
Use 85/15 ground beef for best flavor without excess grease.
Don’t thaw frozen tortellini—use directly from freezer, add 5 minutes to baking time.
Ensure all pasta is submerged under sauce to prevent drying.
Cover tightly with foil to trap steam for cooking pasta.
Let rest 5 minutes after baking for sauce to thicken.
Store leftovers up to 4 days—flavors improve overnight.
Freeze unbaked assembled dish up to 3 months or baked leftovers for quick meals.
Customize with vegetables, different cheeses, or international seasonings.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 generous portion
- Calories: 485
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 890mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
Keywords: one pan beef tortellini, easy tortellini bake, ground beef pasta casserole, no boil pasta bake