Baked Pizza Tortellini Casserole
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A layered tortellini bake with browned sausage and onions mingling with garlic and a rich mix of pizza sauce and cheddar cheese soup. Holds a balance of gooey cheese melted golden on top, pepperoni scattered through, with optional toppings like olives and mushrooms for extra texture and bite. Cooked until bubbling vigorously, signaling flavors melding just right. Hearty dinner option for six folks hungry for nostalgia and comfort food twists. Bold with Italian sausage but you can opt turkey or chicken versions. Textural contrast from al dente tortellini and melty cheeses makes this dish stand out from typical pastas.
Prep:
20 min
Cook:
23 min
Total:
43 min
Servings:
6 servings
#Italian-American
#Casserole
#Pasta Bake
#Comfort Food
#Dinner
#Sausage
#Cheese
Ever wrestled with baked pasta that turns mushy or dry lumps? Tortellini here is your secret weapon—a plump little bundle that holds its shape under heat much better than traditional noodles. Browned Italian sausage with sweet onions gives this dish a foundation of rich flavor and texture contrast. Adding garlic towards the end of browning avoids bitterness and locks in aroma. I swapped in creamy mushroom soup once for extra depth—don’t knock it till you try it. Pepperoni scattered through adds a sporadic punch of crisp fatty saltiness that wakes each bite. Throw in olives or mushrooms if you want, it’s your playground. Watch the bubbling cheese like a hawk over the last 5 minutes; that’s how you know it’s ready. Resting time lets everything stop sliding off your plate. This bake brings nostalgia and efficiency; you’ll see why it’s a staple on busy nights.
Ingredients
- 1 pound refrigerated cheese tortellini uncooked
- 1 cup pizza sauce
- 1 cup condensed cheddar cheese soup substitute with creamy mushroom soup for twist
- 1 pound Italian sausage ground
- 1/2 large onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- 3/4 cup sliced pepperoni
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Optional toppings olives mushrooms green peppers Canadian bacon
- Nonstick cooking spray
About the ingredients
Cheddar cheese soup might sound odd but it’s your condensed umami bomb, giving creamy mouthfeel and sharp cheese flavor without needing a separate roux or heavy cream. Mushroom soup swaps well, adding earthiness and richness—great if you want more savory than cheesy punch. Frozen tortellini works too, but adjust bake time slightly; fresh or refrigerated tends to bake faster. Italian sausage is king—opt sweet or spicy depending on mood. If no pork, turkey sausage or ground chicken works but brown gently to avoid drying out. Pepperoni is flexible—use turkey pepperoni for lighter touch or omit for less fat. Onions should be diced small so they mingle with sausage instead of standing out raw. Garlic timing matters—too early and it burns, ruining flavor. Nonstick spray crucial to avoid cheese glueing dish. Toss optional veggies just before baking so they roast rather than steam.
Method
- Preheat oven 340 degrees. Spray 13x9 inch dish lightly so cheese doesn’t stick.
- Brown 1 lb sausage in skillet medium heat with diced onion until sausage firm no pink shows. Stir frequently break clumps avoid burnt onion edges. Add garlic and let soft and fragrant 1 1/2 minute only. Drain excess grease carefully with spoon or tilt pan.
- In big bowl toss uncooked tortellini with pizza sauce, cheddar cheese soup (or mushroom for earthier flavor), sausage-onion-garlic mix, 3/4 of pepperoni slices, salt, and half mozzarella cheese. Stir until well-coated pasta shoulders sauce and sausage bits. Mixture thick and chunky.
- Transfer to baking dish and level out. Scatter remaining mozzarella cheese over top evenly like a blanket. Drop leftover pepperoni as dots on surface. Add any optional toppings now so they roast and char lightly with cheese.
- Bake 22 to 28 minutes. Watch for bubbling sauce edges and cheese turning golden. Tortellini should feel tender yet springy when poked with fork. Smell a savory mix of sausage, garlic, melted cheese, toasted pepperoni aroma filling kitchen.
- Remove allow rest 5 minutes for casserole to firm up. Helps with cleaner slices and melded textures.
Cooking tips
Don’t rush browning the sausage—rendering out fat and achieving a slight crust boosts flavor and texture; stirring constantly ensures even cooking without burning onions. Garlic late in process saturates the whole mix with fragrance without bitterness. When mixing tortellini with liquids and sausage, aim for a chunky, thick coating rather than soupy mess—excess liquid leads to soggy bake. Spreading mixture evenly in the dish prevents hot spots or undercooked edges. Cheese on top forms golden seal to lock moisture; watch it closely last 5 minutes for perfect doneness cues—bubbling and browning signals flavor development and melted goodness. Insert fork into tortellini clusters to check slight firmness inside, preventing overcooked mush. Letting casserole rest after baking is often skipped but crucial; helps flavors settle and prevents collapse when serving. If you get too much grease in pan, spoon it out patiently or it will weigh the dish down and make it greasy. Using sharp cheddar or mozzarella with good meltability is nonnegotiable for texture.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Brown sausage slow on medium heat. Avoid burning diced onion edges. Stir often but don’t break too much into paste. Garlic goes in late - one and a half minutes tops or turns bitter. Drain grease fully or it pools under pasta later. You want rich flavor without slick.
- 💡 Mix uncooked tortellini gently with sauce, cheese soup, sausage mix. Aim for thick coating. Too wet = soggy bake. Toss so pasta not swimming but stands covered. Chunky mix helps edges brown and gets bite contrast.
- 💡 Use nonstick spray well. Cheese sticks fast. Spray pan thoroughly or edges crust hard, hard to clean. Cheese melting spreads but if too dry it clings and burns. Watch last 5 minutes for bubbling sauce and golden edges gives cue when done.
- 💡 Optional toppings add texture but toss just before baking. Like olives, mushrooms, green peppers. Roasting not steaming keeps them firm on top, not soggy. If veggies go in too early, moisture seeps, cheese soggy patches form.
- 💡 Rest casserole five minutes post bake. It firms slices and flavors meld better. Hot straight out makes slices slide or collapse. Slice with serrated knife, cut gently, holds shape for serving. Letting cool slightly is kitchen secret many miss.
Common questions
Can I use frozen tortellini?
Yes but adjust bake time. Fresh or refrigerated cooks quicker. Frozen may need extra 5 minutes or check fork doneness. Texture changes slightly - maybe less springy. Still works fine, just watch bubbling closely.
What if no Italian sausage?
Ground turkey or chicken works but cook gently to avoid dryness. Might need slightly less cook time. Can skip sausage for vegetarian but add more veggies or mushrooms for body. Pepperoni optional if cutting fat or flavor.
How to prevent soggy bake?
Drain grease thoroughly. Don’t overload sauce liquid. Toss tortellini for thick coating not swimming. Spread evenly in pan avoiding clumps. Baking in shallow dish helps edges brown. Cheese top seals moisture, watch last minutes closely.
Can I store leftovers?
Refrigerate in air-tight container 3-4 days. Reheat covered in oven or microwave but cheese top softens. Freeze raw mix before baking also possible, thaw overnight then bake slightly longer. Reheating sometimes dries sausage, add splash sauce if needed.
