This baked tortellini alfredo is one of the best, easy recipes for a homemade dinner made in less than an hour. Cheese tortellini is mixed with homemade alfredo sauce and topped with mozzarella cheese and baked in a casserole dish until melty and delicious.
Easy dinner recipes are a must in our house for a busy weeknight. Having a home cooked meal is something I try to do as often as I can for my family and this recipe is a great way to do that.
All you need to do is to grab some cheese-filled tortellini from the grocery store and make a quick alfredo sauce. Then the pasta is mixed with the creamy alfredo sauce and topped with mozzarella cheese and baked for a delicious dinner.
This cheesy baked tortellini alfredo recipe is a quick meal, using simple ingredients, with big flavor. Try serving it with Italian focaccia, air fryer calamari or baked sausage and peppers.
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🧀 Ingredient notes
- Tortellini - Either fresh pasta or frozen tortellini will work for this baked tortellini alfredo. Simply cook the tortellini according to the package instructions, but make sure to save some of the pasta cooking water to add to the alfredo sauce. It not only adds amazing flavor, but it also helps the creamy sauce stick to the pasta.
- Alfredo - I love making my own alfredo sauce from scratch. It takes almost no time at all and has the best flavor. If you are tight on time or don't feel like making your own, store bought will be just fine too. If you use a store bought sauce, only mix in ¼ cup of the pasta cooking water.
📋 Substitutions and variations
- Meat - Mix in grilled chicken strips, meatballs or Italian sausage with the alfredo sauce and tortellini before baking it.
- Spicy - Add ¼ teaspoon of crushed red pepper to the alfredo sauce.
- Veggies - Mix in cooked broccoli florets, green beans or asparagus with the alfredo and tortellini.
- Sauce - Use old school Italian gravy for a red sauce in place of alfredo or use ½ red and ½ white for a creamy tomato sauce.
- Creamy - Use heavy cream instead of half and half for a thicker, more creamy alfredo.
🔪 Step by step instructions
First, cook the tortellini in a large pot of salted, boiling water on the stove top according to the package directions or until the tortellini float to the surface. Drain all but ½ cup of the pasta cooking water to be reserved for use in the alfredo sauce. Spread the cooked tortellini in an even layer in a buttered 2 quart baking dish.
Next, melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat and then whisk in the garlic and let it cook for 30-60 seconds. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk, while cooking for a minute. Slowly whisk in the half and half, lower the heat to medium and whisk and cook the sauce until it starts to thicken.
Remove the sauce off of the heat and stir in the parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, nutmeg and reserved pasta liquid. Pour the finished alfredo sauce over the tortellini in the baking dish.
Sprinkle the tortellini with the shredded mozzarella cheese and then bake in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is melted and slightly browned.
If you ever don't recognize a tool or skill that I mention, be sure to look it up in the Glossary of Cooking Terms and Definitions for more information.
⭐ Expert tips
- Cook the tortellini until it just floats to the top so that it doesn't overcook and become mushy.
- Make sure to save some of the pasta cooking water to be added to the sauce. If you forget, milk, chicken broth or vegetable broth can also be used to thin it out a bit.
- The broiler can be turned on for a bit to brown the cheese a bit extra if you like.
⏲️ Make ahead instructions
Cook the tortellini and alfredo sauce and mix it together, top with the cheese and allow it to cool completely in the refrigerator. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil and store in the freezer for up to 1 month.
The tortellini alfredo can be completely unwrapped and baked from frozen, however baking time will be closer to 45-60 minutes. It can also be thawed in the refrigerator and then baked. Baking time will be closer to 30-45 minutes for the refrigerated dish.
🥡 Storage suggestions
Leftover baked tortellini alfredo will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-5 days and can be reheated in the microwave or in the oven.
🥘 More easy dinner recipes
If you loved this baked tortellini alfredo, check out these other delicious recipes for easy dinners that I know you will love too!
📖 Recipe
Baked Tortellini Alfredo
Ingredients
- 19 ounces cheese tortellini fresh or frozen
- ½ stick unsalted butter
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 1 pint half and half
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ cup reserved pasta cooking water
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350˚ and grease a 2 quart baking dish with butter or baking spray.
- Cook the tortellini in a large pot of boiling, salted water according to the package instructions or until they float to the surface.
- Drain all but ½ cup of the water from the tortellini, reserving it to be used in the alfredo sauce.
- Spread the cooked and drained tortellini into an even layer in the prepared baking dish and set aside.
- Heat a skillet over medium high heat on the stovetop and then melt the butter in it until it stops foaming.
- Whisk in the garlic and let it cook for about 30-60 seconds until it becomes fragrant.
- Sprinkle the flour over the butter and garlic mixture and cook while whisking continuously for 1 minute.
- Slowly whisk in the half and half and then lower the heat to medium and continue to whisk and cook until the sauce starts to thicken.
- Remove the sauce off of the heat and stir in the parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, nutmeg and reserved pasta cooking liquid.
- Pour the finished alfredo sauce over the tortellini in the baking dish and sprinkle evenly with the shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until the sauce if bubbly and the cheese is melted and slightly browned.
Notes
- Cook the tortellini until it just floats to the top so that it doesn't get mushy.
- If you forget to save some pasta cooking liquid, milk, chicken broth or vegetable broth can also be used.
- The broiler can be turned on for a bit to brown the cheese a bit extra.
Substitutions and Variations
- Meat - Mix in grilled chicken strips, meatballs or Italian sausage with the alfredo sauce and tortellini before baking it.
- Spicy - Add ¼ teaspoon of crushed red pepper to the alfredo sauce.
- Veggies - Mix in cooked broccoli florets, green beans or asparagus with the alfredo and tortellini.
- Sauce - Use old school Italian gravy for a red sauce in place of alfredo or use ½ red and ½ white for a creamy tomato sauce.
- Creamy - Use heavy cream instead of half and half for a thicker, more creamy alfredo.
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