Cheesy Ground Beef Tortellini Bake
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This Cheesy Ground Beef Tortellini Bake is the ultimate easy comfort food! It combines hearty ground beef, tender tortellini, and a rich, creamy marinara sauce, all topped with plenty of bubbly, melty cheese. And the best part? There’s no need to boil the tortellini first! Everything comes together in one skillet or casserole dish for a simple, family-friendly dinner.
This cozy pasta bake is perfect for busy weeknights since it only takes about 15 minutes of prep. The cream cheese makes the marinara sauce extra creamy and rich, while the seasoned ground beef adds plenty of flavor and protein. Serve it with a simple green salad or roasted vegetables for an easy dinner everyone will love.
Looking for more simple weeknight dinners? Some of my recent favorites include this One-Pot Chicken Mac and Cheese, Slow Cooker Garlic Ranch Chicken & Potatoes, Ground Turkey Stuffed Sweet Potato Bowls, Creamy Tuscan Chicken and Rice, Chicken Piccata Meatballs, or Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken.
And if you’re tired of always trying to figure out what’s for dinner, be sure to sign up for my free weekly meal plan, Dinner Decided, where I’ve already done the thinking for you. Every other week, you’ll get 5 easy dinners, a sweet treat, and a shopping list sent straight to your email! Plus, each meal plan prioritizes smart ingredient overlap to minimize food waste and strategic uses for leftovers.
Table Talk with Tawnie
This is one of those recipes that I feel like I make all the time, so I wanted something official to write down! It’s everything I want in a weeknight casserole: cozy, cheesy, and made with simple ingredients the whole family will love. It’s nothing fancy or complicated – just how I like dinners to be sometimes! The refrigerated tortellini cooks right in the sauce (no boiling required!), soaking up all that rich, creamy marinara for an easy dinner winner!
- Refrigerated tortellini: Refrigerated cheese tortellini works best and doesn’t need to be boiled first as it finishes cooking perfectly in the sauce while baking.
- Ground beef: I use lean ground beef, but you can use whatever percentage you prefer. Ground turkey or Italian sausage would also work well.
- Cheese: Freshly shredded mozzarella and Parmesan melt much more smoothly than pre-shredded cheese and give the bake that perfectly gooey, cheesy topping.
- Marinara sauce: I love Rao’s Homemade Marinara, but use your favorite marinara sauce. Since this recipe uses two jars, choose a sauce you really enjoy the flavor of!
- Cream cheese: Full-fat cream cheese works best for the creamiest, richest sauce. Soften it ahead of time and cut it into cubes so it melts quickly and evenly into the marinara.
Step by Step Directions
(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)
Cook the beef
Cook the onion in olive oil until softened, then add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it into crumbles as it cooks. Stir in the garlic, seasonings, and tomato paste, and cook until fragrant.
Make the creamy sauce
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir in the marinara sauce and add the cubed cream cheese. Stir until completely melted and smooth.
Add tortellini
Fold the tortellini into the sauce until evenly coated.
Assemble
Sprinkle evenly with the cheese.
Bake & enjoy!
Cover loosely with foil and bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for 10-15 minutes. Broil for 1-2 minutes, then let cool. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Use refrigerated tortellini: Refrigerated tortellini works best and doesn’t need to be boiled first. It finishes cooking perfectly in the sauce while baking.
- Shred your own cheese: Freshly shredded mozzarella melts much more smoothly than pre-shredded cheese and gives you that deliciously gooey, golden topping.
- Soften the cream cheese: Let the cream cheese come to room temperature before adding it to the sauce so it melts quickly and evenly.
- Don’t skip the foil: Covering the bake for the first part of cooking helps the tortellini cook through without drying out the sauce.
- Let it rest: Allow the tortellini bake to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. This gives the sauce a chance to thicken slightly.
- Add some greens: Stir in a few handfuls of baby spinach after the cream cheese melts for an easy way to add vegetables.
- Broil for a golden top: For an extra bubbly, golden cheese topping, broil for 1-2 minutes at the end. Keep a close eye on it!
Sign up for Dinner, Decided ✔️
A free weekly meal plan where I’ve already done the thinking for you. 5 easy dinners, a sweet treat, a shopping list, smart ingredient overlap to minimize food waste and strategic uses for leftovers.
Variations / Substitutions
- Swap the protein: Use ground turkey, ground chicken, or Italian sausage in place of the ground beef.
- Add vegetables: Stir in baby spinach, chopped zucchini, mushrooms, or bell peppers for extra vegetables.
- Make it spicy: Add extra crushed red pepper flakes or use a spicy marinara sauce.
- Try a different tortellini: Use spinach and cheese, three-cheese, or another refrigerated tortellini variety you love.
- Change up the cheese: Swap some of the mozzarella for provolone, fontina, or an Italian cheese blend.
Storage / Freezing
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave or larger portions in a covered baking dish until warmed through.
- Freezing: For best results, freeze the baked tortellini in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Make ahead: You can assemble the dish ahead of time, cover it, and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before baking. Because the tortellini will absorb some of the sauce as it sits, you may need to add a splash of water or extra marinara before baking.
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Cheesy Ground Beef Tortellini Bake
Ingredients
For the Beef & Sauce
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 small yellow onion (finely diced)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 (24 oz. jars) marinara sauce (I love Rao's Homemade Marinara)
- 8 oz. full-fat cream cheese (softened and cubed)
For the Bake
- 1 (20 oz.) package refrigerated cheese tortellini
- 2 cups freshly shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- For garnish: 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil, or parsley, additional Parmesan cheese, chili flakes.
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Preheat: Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Brown the beef: Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 4-5 minutes Start Timer. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it into small crumbles, until browned and cooked through. Drain any excess grease if needed.1 Tbsp. olive oil, 1 small yellow onion, 1 lb. ground beef
- Add seasonings: Stir in the garlic, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, crushed red pepper flakes, and tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute Start Timer, stirring constantly, until fragrant.4 cloves garlic, 1 tsp. kosher salt, 1/4 tsp. black pepper, 2 tsp. Italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, 2 Tbsp. tomato paste, 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- Make the creamy sauce: Reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir in the marinara sauce. (Swirl some water around in the empty marinara jars to capture every bit of sauce, then pour it into the skillet.) Add the cubed cream cheese and stir until completely melted and smooth, about 3-5 minutes. Start Timer2 (24 oz. jars) marinara sauce, 8 oz. full-fat cream cheese
- Add the tortellini: Fold the refrigerated tortellini into the sauce until evenly coated.1 (20 oz.) package refrigerated cheese tortellini
- Assemble: Sprinkle evenly with the mozzarella and Parmesan. (If your skillet isn’t large enough, you can transfer this entire mixture to a greased oven-safe 9×13 casserole dish).2 cups freshly shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Bake: Cover loosely with foil and bake for 15-20 minutes Start Timer. Remove the foil and continue baking for 10-15 minutesStart Timer, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly golden. Broil for 1-2 minutes Start Timer, if desired, for an extra golden, cheesy top. Let the casserole rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Start Timer Garnish with fresh basil or parsley.For garnish: 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil, or parsley, additional Parmesan cheese, chili flakes.
Notes
- Tortellini: Refrigerated tortellini works best and doesn’t need to be boiled first—it finishes cooking perfectly in the sauce while baking.
- Cheese: Freshly shredded mozzarella melts much more smoothly than pre-shredded cheese.
- Spinach: Stir in a few handfuls of baby spinach after the cream cheese melts for an easy way to add vegetables.
Nutrition Information
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is automatically calculated. It should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Kroll’s Korner can’t make any guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
📸 Photos by Megan McKeehan of The Broke Girl Table
