This Baked Tortellini Casserole is a delicious vegetarian dish that’s ready in just about 20 minutes! It’s a perfect weeknight dinner for when you need to get dinner on the table fast!

Cheesy tortellini casserole in a baking dish with a serving spoon.

One pot or one dish meals are my favorite, as they mean little clean up and are a great way to get a meal on the dinner table quickly if it’s a busy night! I love this one-pot tortellini recipe as an easy whole family dinner recipe, too.

What You’ll Love About This Recipe

  • Fast – This easy dinner recipe is perfect for busy weeknights as it’s ready in just about 20-25 minutes.
  • Easy –  Add all of the ingredients into a casserole dish and bake! It’s an easy dump and go!
  • Comforting –  This pasta casserole is so comforting, combining tortellini, gooey cheese, and marinara sauce! The ultimate comfort food!

Recipe Ingredients

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this Easy Baked Tortellini Casserole:

Baked Tortellini Casserole ingredients.

Ingredient Notes

  • Tempeh: You can replace the tempeh with chickpeas, white beans, or plant-based sausage if preferred.
  • Tortellini: I used spinach and cheese tortellini, but you can use any kind that you like, as long as it’s pre-cooked.
  • Marinara Sauce: Use your favorite sauce here. If you eat meat, you can use a meat sauce to bulk up the protein content of this recipe.

How to Make Baked Tortellini Casserole: STEP-BY-STEP

For the full recipe with the exact ingredients, scroll down to the printable recipe card below!

STEP 1:

In a large baking dish, add tortellini, mushrooms, zucchini, crumbled tempeh, and marinara sauce. Toss so that all of the ingredients are well-coated in sauce. Add a little more sauce, if needed.

STEP 2:

Top casserole with mozzarella cheese.

Casserole ingredients in a baking dish.
Ingredients covered with marinara sauce.

STEP 3:

Cover the casserole with aluminum foil and bake in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-20 minutes, until the tortellini is al dente and the veggies are cooked through. Baking time may vary depending on your oven. If desired, remove the aluminum foil and continue baking for a few minutes so that the cheese starts getting golden brown.

STEP 4:

Remove from the oven and allow it to cool slightly. Top with fresh basil or parsley and some Parmesan cheese and enjoy!

Tortellini casserole covered with mozzarella cheese, uncooked.
Cooked tortellini casserole.

Recipe Tips & Tricks

  • Serving to kids – I like to only put the veggies on one side of the tortellini casserole for the adults and keep the other half of the casserole plain (tortellini, marinara sauce, and cheese) for the kids. I will then serve a veggie (like quickly heated frozen broccoli!) on the side for my kids. If you really need to, you could reserve a little tortellini and cook it according to the package directions on the stove so that you have some completely plain tortellini for picky eaters. You could serve a little marinara on the side for them to dip their tortellini in if they want to try it.
  • Use fresh tortellini – You’ll want to make sure you use pre-cooked tortellini for this recipe so that it can bake quickly in the oven for a quick dinner. I grab mine from Trader Joe’s.
  • Use spaghetti sauce leftovers as the sauce: You can double your fav spaghetti sauce on one night, freeze it, and then you’ll have your family’s favorite sauce ready to go (be sure to account for thawing the frozen sauce!) for this tortellini casserole on another night!
  • Use ample sauce: Make sure you use enough marinara sauce to fully cover all of the ingredients and have excess on top of that. You want it to almost be almost like tortellini marinara soup so that there is enough sauce for the tortellini and veggies to cook all the way through and for it to be saucey enough once it’s done cooking.

Storage & Reheating

  • Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days. When reheating, you may want to add some olive oil or more sauce to keep the tortellini from being dry.
Side view of tortellini on a plate with the casserole dish in the background.

Additions & Substitutions

Additions:

  • Fresh spinach
  • Plant-based sausage
  • If you eat meat: You can add cooked meat such as Italian sausage, ground beef, or ground turkey.

Substitutions:

  • Mushrooms: I used Shiitake Mushrooms for this recipe, but you can use Cremini Mushrooms instead. You can also omit the mushrooms completely or replace them with another veggie such as spinach.
  • Mozzarella: You can replace the mozzarella with Parmesan Cheese (or add this in addition) or you can use a dairy-free mozzarella alternative if you need to keep things dairy-free!
  • Tortellini: If you need a dairy-free/vegan tortellini, Kite Hill is a brand I like for a vegan tortellini option.
  • Tempeh: You can replace the tempeh with chickpeas, white beans, or plant-based sausage to make sure you’re getting some protein in this dish!

What to Serve With This Easy Cheesy Tortellini Bake

  • Garlic bread
  • A side salad
  • Roasted chickpeas
Tortellini on two serving plates.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use dried / uncooked tortellini for this recipe?

No, use fresh tortellini (pre-cooked) found in the refridgerated section of the grocery store!

How can I make this cheesy tortellini casserole vegan or dairy-free?

Be sure to use vegan/dairy-free tortellini. Kite Hill carries dairy-free tortellini. You’ll also need to use a vegan/dairy-free mozzarella cheese.

Tools For This Recipe

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I hope you love this Baked Tortellini Casserole! If you make it, be sure to leave a rating below so I know how you liked it! Enjoy!

Cheesy tortellini casserole in a baking dish with a serving spoon.
5 stars (3 ratings)

Easy Vegetarian Baked Tortellini Casserole

Yield: 4 servings
This Vegetarian Baked Tortellini Casserole has added veggies, is customizable, and is ready in about 20 minutes! It's perfect for busy weeknights!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
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Ingredients
 

  • 20 ounces tortellini, (be sure to use refrigerated / pre-cooked tortellini)
  • 3-4 cups marinara sauce, use your favorite spaghetti sauce (use enough sauce so that tortellini is completely coated and covered in sauce)
  • 4 ounces tempeh, crumbled (I crumble the tempeh myself using my hands)
  • 1/2 cup zucchini, finely diced
  • 1 cup mushrooms, finely diced (I use Portobello mushrooms, but Cremini work, too!)
  • 1.5 – 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • In a large baking dish, add tortellini, mushrooms, zucchini, crumbled tempeh, and marinara sauce. Toss so that all of the ingredients are well-coated in sauce. Add a little more sauce, if needed.
  • Top casserole with mozzarella cheese.
  • Cover the casserole with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until the tortellini is al dente and the veggies are cooked through.
  • If desired, remove the aluminum foil and continue baking for a few minutes so that the cheese starts getting golden brown.
  • Remove from the oven and allow it to cool slightly. Top with fresh basil, parsley, or your favorite Italian seasoning, and some Parmesan cheese and enjoy! If needed, add a little bit of salt to taste.
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Vegetarian
Calories: 674kcal, Carbohydrates: 76g, Protein: 39g, Fat: 25g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 87mg, Sodium: 1754mg, Potassium: 811mg, Fiber: 9g, Sugar: 12g, Vitamin A: 1111IU, Vitamin C: 16mg, Calcium: 473mg, Iron: 7mg
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