Spinach Ricotta Tortellini Bake

Casserole dish with baked cheesy tortellini with serving spoon scooping into it.

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Spinach Ricotta Tortellini Bake

These super simple spinach ricotta tortellini bake is the easiest dinner to whip up any night of the week! It's a dump and bake, no boil pasta dinner that is super simple to customize and make it your family favorite dinner for the busiest of weeknights as well as the the slower, cozy nights in together!

Prep Time10

Cook Time35

Total Time45

Course: Dinner, pasta

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Lorie Yarro

Ingredients

15 oz. whole milk ricotta
5 oz. frozen chopped spinach thawed and excess liquid wrung out
⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ cup chicken broth
3-4 garlic cloves minced
½ Tbsp Italian seasoning
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
2 cups cubed cooked chicken I used rotisserie
20 oz. refrigerated cheese tortellini I like the Buitoni brand best for this recipe
24 oz. jar of marinara more as needed
1- 1 ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
chopped basil for garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F.
In a large bowl, mix together the ricotta, spinach, parmesan, broth, garlic and seasonings until smooth. Add the uncooked tortellini and cubed chicken and stir to combine. (this can all technically be done in the baking pan if preferred for less mess!)
Spray a 9x13 inch baking pan with oil and add the tortellini mixture into the pan, spreading it evenly.
Pour the marinara over top and spread it so that all of the tortellini are covered—you can use a bit more marinara as needed/desired. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella over top of the marinara layer.
Cover very tightly with foil and bake for about 30-35 minutes or until the mixture is bubbling, pasta is cooked al dente and mozzarella is melted. Remove the foil and broil on high for about 2-3 minutes to get the cheese extra melty and browned on top.
Remove from oven and cool for about 5-10 minutes before serving. Top with freshly chopped basil before serving.

Notes

Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container for about 3-4 days in the refrigerator. To reheat, bake at 350°F for about 15-20 minutes or microwave in about one and a half to two minutes. While you can freeze this baked pasta after it is cooked, just know that the texture of the pasta will be compromised after thawed and reheated. If you want to bake it specifically to freeze, cook until the pasta is not quite al dente, allow to cool completely and then freeze.

Different brands of tortellini can cook slightly different as far as time. The cook time can be closer to 40 minutes if the pasta itself is a bit larger or thicker.

The pasta will still cook a bit while it cools as it is still very hot so make sure not to cook longer than al dente to keep the pasta from becoming mushy.

Make sure all of the tortellini is covered with marinara before baking. Uncovered pasta will dry out and become hardened. If you like a bit of crispiness around the edges, it's ok, but if not, add some extra marinara to ensure it's all cooked appropriately

I hate to waste food—I tried to make this one with an entire pack of frozen spinach, but just not a fan. Save the other half and add it to smoothies, dips, egg bakes/bites, etc.

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