We all need to have easy to make, hearty, mouthwatering delicious, one dish wonders in our repertoire. Especially the kind worth turning the oven on for even when the warm weather returns. There may be no better crowd pleasing dishes than ones made with pasta. And this Baked Tortellini and Sausage Casserole will have everyone hoping there is enough left for seconds.
Whether you are looking for a great weeknight meal, an impressive weekend entertaining dish, or the perfect Sunday supper, this Baked Tortellini and Sausage Casserole is one of those worth their weight in gold recipes you can make for any of them!
I am having one of those cooking moments where simple, semi-homemade(ish) dishes are the only things I want to make. No, I am not giving up my favorite, multi-step, semi-labor intensive recipes. I have just decided to give myself permission to see the beauty in simplicity. Yes, I have taken the proverbial fork in the road. Because if I have learned anything over the (many) years, it's this. With great ingredients, flavor is never sacrificed in simple recipes.
And great ingredients doesn't always mean made from scratch. It means using fresh herbs over dried herbs; whole milk fresh mozzarella over low-moisture mozzarella; and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano over packaged generic grated parmesan cheese. And believe it or not, there are even some great jarred marinara and pesto sauces out there (see notes). But if nothing compares to your made from scratch, homemade marinara sauce or pesto, then by all means make this Baked Tortellini and Sausage Casserole using them. When looking for the pasta, look for smaller sized cheese tortellini, not the large sized cheese tortelloni.
When buying Italian sausage I tend to by the 'mild' sausage in the casings (versus in bulk). I shy away from the spicier Italian sausage mostly because I don't want some dishes overpowered by it's 'heat'. After removing the sausage casings, I break off bite sized pieces before browning them in a large skillet. Even though the casserole bakes in the oven, you want to make certain you cook the sausage pieces through. You don't want to them to have pink centers.
You can mix everything together in a large bowl or in the casserole dish. Just mix in the shredded mozzarella cheese in last and remember to reserve 1/4 of the sauce.
Once the mixture is transferred to the baking dish, it's topped with the reserved sauce and the bocconcini (cut in half). Instead of the bocconcini you can top it with freshly grated fresh mozzarella. The choice is yours.
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One of the best things about this Baked Tortellini and Sausage Casserole is that you can make it early in the day. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to bake it. Total baking time ranges from 45-55 minutes. For the majority of the baking time, you will keep it covered with aluminum foil. This will help to keep everything from drying out.
A generous sprinkle of freshly minced Italian parsley and dollops of basil pesto are the finishing touches to the Baked Tortellini and Sausage Casserole after it's removed from the oven. You can top it with some freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or serve it on the side in a bowl. I opted for the on the side option here.
This is one of those saucy casseroles enticing you to clean your dish with a thick piece of Italian bread. I would be surprised if everyone also dipped their bread in the casserole dish where rivers of sauce were left behind.
One bite of this cheesy dish might leave you temporarily speechless as it's so incredibly flavorful. Sure you might feel dangerously full after you eat it, but you will never feel more satisfied. And isn't having your family and/or friends leave your table felling happy and full what it's all about? I seriously doubt you could find anything coming close to this 'great' in a restaurant.
Recipe
Baked Tortellini and Sausage Casserole
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
1 to 1 1/4 pounds of mild Italian sausage, broken up into small bite sized pieces
24 ounces frozen small sized cheese tortellini, cooked al dente, drained and cooled very slightly
2 - 24 ounce jars of Tomato Basil Marinara, divided (see notes)
8 ounces of fresh (whole milk) mozzarella grated
8 ounces of fresh bocconcini mozzarella, cut in half (or use 4 ounces of fresh (whole milk) shredded mozzarella
7-9 basil leaves, julienned
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, minced
3-4 Tablespoons basil pesto (fresh or good quality jarred)
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for serving
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F)
2. In large skillet, cook Italian sausage until browned and no longer pink. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the cooked tortellini, 3/4 of the marinara sauce, julienned basil, and cooked sausage. Then mix in the shredded mozzarella. Transfer mixture to a large (heatproof) baking dish or pan (recommend a 10"x13" or similar sized pan)
4. Top the casserole with the remaining 1/4 (or half of one 24 ounce jar) of the marinara sauce and the bocconcini halves or shredded mozzarella. Cover with aluminum foil (keep the foil slightly doomed).
5. Bake the casserole for 35-40 minutes.
6. Remove the aluminum foil and bake for additional 10-15 minutes or cheese has melted.
7. Remove from the oven. Top with minced fresh parsley and evenly dollop fresh pesto over the top.
8. Serve with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and thick slices of Italian bread.
Notes: (1) The inspiration for this hearty, scrumptious recipe came from Instagram food blogger Diane Morrissey. (2) I used Rao's Tomato Basil Marinara. (3) I generally buy my cheese tortellini from a local Italian store. Cooking times is about 3 minutes for the smaller sized frozen tortellini. (4) You can make this casserole early in the day. Cover and store in the refrigerator. Remove from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before placing in the preheated oven. Baking time might need to increase slightly.
