Baked Cheese Tortellini with Marinara

Name: Baked Cheese Tortellini with Marinara
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, for greasing the dish; 24 ounces (680 g) refrigerated cheese tortellini, straight from the package, not cooked; 3 cups (720 ml) marinara sauce, good-quality jarred or homemade, at room temperature; ¾ cup (180 ml) water, hot tap water; 3 cloves (9 g) garlic, minced; 1 teaspoon (1 g) dried Italian seasoning; ¼ teaspoon (½ g) red pepper flakes (optional); ¼ teaspoon (1½ g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; 8 ounces (225 g) low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, coarsely grated (about 2 cups packed); 1 cup (90 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated, divided; ½ cup (12 g) fresh basil leaves, loosely packed, torn, divided

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Refrigerated cheese tortellini are tossed with marinara, a little cream-free ricotta-style richness from Parmesan, and plenty of mozzarella, then baked until bubbling and golden. No pre-boiling, no fuss, and ready in about 45 minutes.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 35 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 1 hr
Makes: 1 casserole (6 generous servings)

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Steps

Before you start

Use refrigerated (fresh) cheese tortellini, not dried or frozen; they cook through in the sauce without boiling first.
Grate your own mozzarella from a block if you can; it melts more smoothly than pre-shredded.
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) with the rack in the center.
Plan 10 minutes of resting time after baking so the sauce thickens and doesn't run.

1
Preheat and prep dishOven 400°F / 205°C
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 400°F (200°C).
- Brush the bottom and sides of a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish with the olive oil.
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Ready when: Oven reaches 400°F (200°C)
2
Grate the cheeses
- Coarsely grate the mozzarella and finely grate the Parmesan.
- Keep the mozzarella in one bowl and divide the Parmesan into two equal portions (½ cup / 45 g each).
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Ready when: About 2 cups mozzarella and 1 cup Parmesan
Tip: Grating mozzarella from a cold block is easier if you freeze it for 15 minutes first.
3
Make the sauce
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the marinara, hot water, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and red pepper flakes if using.
- The sauce should look loose and pourable, like thin tomato soup.
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Ready when: Sauce is evenly mixed and thin enough to pour
Tip: The added water is essential; the uncooked tortellini absorb liquid as they bake and will be dry without it.
4
Toss the filling
- Add the uncooked tortellini, half of the mozzarella (about 1 cup), one portion of the Parmesan (½ cup), and half of the basil to the bowl.
- Stir gently until every tortellini is coated in sauce.
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Ready when: No dry pasta visible; everything is coated in sauce
Tip: Stir gently so the tortellini do not tear.
5
Fill the dish
- Pour the mixture into the prepared dish and spread into an even layer, making sure the tortellini are mostly submerged in sauce.
- Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil.
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Ready when: Pasta sits in an even layer with sauce coming up around it
Tip: Tent the foil slightly so it doesn't touch the pasta; it traps steam to cook the tortellini.
6
Bake coveredOven 400°F / 205°C
- Bake covered at 400°F (200°C) for 20 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling at the edges and the tortellini are tender when poked with a fork.
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Ready when: Sauce bubbles around the edges and a tortellini is tender with no firm center
Tip: Carefully lift a corner of foil away from you to avoid a steam burn when checking.
7
Add cheese and brownOven 400°F / 205°C
- Remove the foil and stir gently once.
- Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and remaining ½ cup Parmesan.
- Return to the oven uncovered and bake 12 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted, bubbling, and spotted golden brown.
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Ready when: Cheese is fully melted with golden-brown spots and sauce bubbles at the edges
Tip: For deeper browning, broil on high for the last 1 to 2 minutes, watching constantly.
8
Rest and serve
- Let the dish rest on a rack for 10 minutes so the sauce thickens.
- Scatter with the remaining torn basil and serve hot.
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Ready when: Sauce has thickened and stops bubbling

Good to know

Tips

Do not skip the water; it provides the liquid the pasta needs to cook.
Do not use frozen tortellini without adding 5 to 10 minutes of covered baking time.
Add cooked Italian sausage or spinach to the sauce for a heartier meal.
Check a tortellini at 20 minutes; if the center is still firm, re-cover and bake 5 minutes more.

Make ahead

"Assemble through step 5 up to 8 hours ahead, cover, and refrigerate. Add 5 minutes to the covered baking time since the dish starts cold."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: airtight container up to 4 days. Freezer: up to 2 months, thawed overnight in the fridge. Reheat covered with foil at 350°F (175°C) for 15 to 20 minutes, or microwave individual portions with a splash of water until hot."

Substitutions

refrigerated cheese tortellini → Refrigerated cheese ravioli. Use the same weight; bake time is the same.
low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella → Provolone or fontina. Both melt well; provolone adds a sharper flavor.
Parmesan cheese → Pecorino Romano. Saltier, so omit the added salt.
dried Italian seasoning → Dried oregano. Use ¾ teaspoon.