Have you ever tried ordering a pizza the night before a holiday? Don’t. It’s typically one of the busiest times for fast food places. Especially the night before Thanksgiving. Think about it… people don’t want to cook the night before the biggest dinner of the year. So they’re going to do what’s easiest- order out. If you don’t want to get caught in all of the pre-holiday madness, just make something simple at home. Like this Italian Sausage & Tortellini Bake. You won’t believe how delicious and how simple it is to make.
Even if it’s not the night before a holiday, this recipe is a home run. This meal takes less than 30 minutes to make. Let me repeat that for you. LESS than 30 minutes. I guarantee you that it would take you longer to order and go pick up food. And this is waaaaaay yummier. Plus it’s only a few simple ingredients. You probably even have most of them on hand already. And look at how delicious it looks? I promise that it won’t disappoint.
Let me show you how I made this Italian Sausage & Tortellini Bake 👇🏻
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bring a pot of water to boil to cook the frozen cheese tortellini. Cook the tortellini according to package instructions while you prepare the rest of the meal.
In a large, oven-proof skillet, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup of diced sweet onion. Cook until the onion is soft, about 2-3 minutes.
Add 3 cloves of minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add 1 LB of ground Italian Sausage. You can use mild or hot, whatever your preference.
Break up the sausage as it cooks. Cook until the sausage is browned and fully cooked through, about 6-8 minutes.
Lower the heat to medium-low and add a 24 oz jar of marinara. Add about 1 cup of water to the jar, shake, and then add it to the skillet. Give it a good stir and cook until the marinara is hot.
Add the cooked tortellini.
Stir until all of the pasta is coated in the marinara. Remove from heat.
Top with 1 cup of shredded mozzarella. (I freshly shred my mozzarella because it melts much nicer than mozzarella that is pre-shredded) Then top with 1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese.
Bake in the oven for 5-10 minutes until the cheese is melted and the marinara is hot and bubbling. You can even turn the broiler on low and toast up some of the cheese on top. If you do, watch carefully so you don’t burn it.
Top with fresh parsley and voila!
I served mine with some fresh, crusty bread on the side. Totally delish!
Enjoy!!
These are the recommended products that I used to make this delicious recipe! These are not only products that I use, but products that I love.
Italian Sausage & Tortellini Bake
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Cup Sweet Onion, diced
- 3 Large Garlic Cloves, minced
- 1 Lb Ground Italian Sausage (Mild or Hot, whichever you prefer)
- 24 Oz Jar of Marinara
- 19 Oz Frozen Cheese Tortellini
- 1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
- 1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
- Fresh Parsley, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bring a pot of water to boil for the tortellini. Cook the tortellini according to package instructions while preparing the rest.
- Meanwhile, in a large, oven-proof skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the Italian Sausage and break it up as it cooks. Cook until the sausage is browned and fully cooked through. If there is too much oil in the skillet (from the sausage), drain off some. Leave about 1-2 tbsp for flavor.
- Lower the heat to medium-low and add the marinara. Add about 1 cup of water to the marinara jar, shake, and add to the skillet. Give everything a good stir.
- Cook until the marinara is heated through. Add the cooked tortellini and stir until the pasta is coated in the marinara. Remove from heat.
- Sprinkle the mozzarella over the top of the skillet. Then sprinkle the parmesan over the top.
- Bake for about 5-10 minutes until hot and bubbly. If desired, turn the broiler on low and broil for a few minutes to get a nice browning on the top (watch carefully to not burn).
- Top with fresh parsley and serve with some crusty bread. Enjoy!!
Welcome to Cupcakes and Sarcasm! My name is Maggie and I am the creator of C & S. I am a wife and mom of two beautiful kiddos. I grew up in Columbus, Ohio and now live in Northeast Ohio with my family. I have been cooking and baking since I was a kid. I decided in 2017 that I wanted to share my passion (and recipes) with all of you! On this site, you’ll find easy and delicious recipes- both savory and sweet. I’ll also sprinkle in some stories of parenting and our adventures along the way.