This easy baked tortellini alfredo recipe is a hearty, quick meal made in just 45 minutes. Cheese tortellini is baked with homemade alfredo and mozzarella cheese until golden brown.
This post was originally published in September 2022 and has been updated for content.
Easy dinner recipes are a must in our house, especially for a busy weeknight. This tortellini alfredo bake takes just 15 minutes to prep and is one the whole family will love.
Serve this cheesy baked tortellini alfredo recipe with Italian cheese bread, green beans with bacon, and also blackberry crumble.
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🧀 Ingredient notes
- Tortellini - Use refrigerated or frozen tortellini from the grocery store for this baked tortellini alfredo. Fresh tortellini can also be used.
- Alfredo - My homemade alfredo sauce can be made in just 10 minutes with just a few simple ingredients. Use heavy cream instead of half and half for an extra creamy alfredo sauce. Use store-bought alfredo if you don't want to make your own alfredo sauce.
📋 Substitutions and variations
- Meat - Mix in shredded rotisserie chicken, baked meatballs, or Italian sausage before baking the tortellini alfredo.
- Spicy - Add ¼ teaspoon of crushed red pepper to the alfredo sauce.
- Veggies - Mix in cooked broccoli florets, artichoke hearts, green beans, sauteed mushrooms,, or asparagus in this tortellini bake.
- Sauce - Substitute the alfredo for your favorite red sauce or use ½ alfredo sauce and ½ marinara sauce to make a creamy tomato sauce.
🔪 Step by step instructions
First, cook the cheese-filled tortellini in a large pot of salted, boiling water on the stovetop according to the package directions. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water for the alfredo sauce.
Light grease a 2 quart casserole dish with either butter or olive oil. Place the cooked tortellini in the baking dish in an even layer.
Next, melt butter in a skillet, over medium heat, to make the roux for the alfredo sauce. Add the garlic and then saute for 30-60 seconds.
Whisk in the flour and then cook for a couple of minutes. Slowly whisk in the half and half and then cook until the alfredo sauce starts to thicken.
Remove the sauce from the heat and then stir in the parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and reserved pasta liquid. Pour the finished alfredo sauce over the tortellini.
Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese over the sauce. Bake in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. The sauce should be bubbly and the cheese should be melted and slightly browned.
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⭐ Expert tips
- Cook the tortellini until it floats to the top so that it doesn't overcook and fall apart.
- Don't forget to save pasta cooking water to add to the sauce. If you forget, milk or chicken broth can also be used instead.
- Use the broiler at the end of cooking to brown the cheese extra.
⏲️ Make ahead instructions
Assemble the dish up until baking time and cool it completely in the refrigerator. Cover with plastic wrap and then store for up to 2 days ahead of time. Bake as directed.
To freeze, wrap the cooled dish tightly in plastic wrap and foil and then store for up to 1 month. Unwrap the frozen tortellini alfredo and then bake for 45-60 minutes or thaw and bake for 30-45 minutes.
🥡 Storage suggestions
Keep leftover baked tortellini alfredo in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven.
🍝 More hearty pasta dinner recipes
If you loved this easy baked tortellini alfredo recipe, then check out these other hearty pasta dinner recipes that I know you will love too!
- Carbonara Mac & Cheese
- Baked Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
- Baked Mostaccioli with Ricotta
- Creamy White Lasagna
📖 Recipe
Easy Baked Tortellini Alfredo Recipe
Ingredients
- 19 ounces cheese tortellini fresh or frozen
- 4 Tablespoons 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 lightly grease a 2 quart baking dish with butter or olive oil.
- Cook the tortellini in a large pot of boiling, salted water until they float to the top. Drain the water from the tortellini, reserving ½ cup for 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 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 a couple of minutes.
- Slowly whisk in the half and half and then lower the heat to medium low. Whisk and cook for a few minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Remove from 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 is bubbly and the cheese is melted and slightly browned. Turn on the broiler the last few minutes to get the cheese extra browned, if desired.
Notes
- Meat - Mix in shredded rotisserie chicken, meatballs, or Italian sausage.
- Spicy - Add ¼ teaspoon of crushed red pepper to the alfredo sauce.
- Veggies - Mix in cooked broccoli florets, sauteed mushrooms, green beans, artichokes hearts, or asparagus.
- Sauce - Use heavy cream instead of half and half for a richer alfredo. Substitute the alfredo for marinara sauce or use ½ alfredo sauce and ½ red sauce for a creamy tomato sauce. 3 cups of store-bought alfredo sauce can be substituted for the homemade sauce.
- Make Ahead - Assemble the dish up until the baking time, cool it in the refrigerator, cover it in plastic wrap, and store it up to 2 days ahead of time. To freeze, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil and store for up to 1 month. Bake the frozen tortellini alfredo for 45-60 minutes or thaw and bake for 30-45 minutes.
- Leftovers - Keep leftovers in an airtight container for 3-5 days in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven.
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