• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
My Sequined Life logo
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Main Dishes

    Baked Tortellini with Spinach

    Published: Jul 25, 2014 · Modified: Aug 27, 2022 by Alyssa · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe Share via Email
    A wooden spoon scooping out a serving of baked tortellini from the dish.

    This baked tortellini with spinach features just a handful of basic ingredients -- and you barely even need to measure! It's comfort food for a crowd yet easy enough for weeknights.

    A wooden spoon scooping out a serving of baked tortellini from the dish.

    I can't say I've ever eaten or made a true casserole (pasta dishes filled that easy, use-up-what-you've-got space in my childhood), but this baked tortellini might be the closest I've come.

    Ingredients I always have on hand, in quantities you barely even need to measure? Sign me up!

    Reasons to Love This Recipe

    • While classic baked pasta dishes like lasagna and baked ziti with meatballs are all-time favorites, they often have more going on in a lengthier ingredients list, additional steps, longer cooking time, etc. to bump them out of weeknight dinner contention. Baked tortellini, on the other hand, can be on the table in roughly 40 minutes.
    • The ingredient quantities are so basic you hardly need to measure (and that means less dishes to wash). One large bag frozen tortellini, one large jar marinara sauce, one bag fresh spinach, an eyeballed amount of cheese, etc.
    • The flavors. Tortellini, good marinara, a blend of Italian cheeses...pure Italian-American comfort food.

    Recipe Ingredients

    Labeled baked tortellini ingredients on a marble board.
    • Tortellini: I like to use frozen cheese tortellini for convenience, but other flavors and fresh tortellini work, too. For this quantity of ingredients, aim to end up with around two-and-a-half pounds of tortellini in total.
    • Marinara: Homemade sauce is great, but using jarred marinara really leans into the ease and simplicity of this kind of recipe. Make sure you like how it tastes, as jarred sauces really run the gamut of excellent to blah.
    • Spinach: There's no need to pre-cook fresh spinach as it wilts entirely as the tortellini bake cooks.

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    1. Cook the tortellini to the lowest listed time on the package, then drain and add back to the pot. Pour in the marinara sauce and add the fresh spinach, stirring to combine everything. Continue to stir for a minute or two as the spinach starts to wilt.
    Cooked tortellini, marinara, and spinach in a large pan.
    1. Pour out the tortellini mixture into a large baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Level off the top and cover evenly with Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses.
    Tortellini, sauce, and spinach added to a baking dish topped with shredded cheeses.
    1. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes, or until the cheese melts fully. You can then switch the oven to broil (so long as your baking dish is broiler-friendly) for a minute or two to brown the cheese if you like.
    Baked tortellini in a large rectangular baking dish.
    1. Baked tortellini will be hot hot right when it comes out of the oven, so let it sit for a short time so it's safe to eat. I recommend using this time to prep fresh basil for garnish. See how fast it is to slice thin strips of basil in this my how to chiffonade basil post!

    Recipe Tips and Tricks

    • To avoid mushy pasta, boil the tortellini to the lowest list time on the package directions. Even for frozen tortellini, that will likely only be a couple of minutes.
    • Use your favorite marinara sauce. Since there are so few ingredients in this baked tortellini, a bummer marinara can put a damper on the whole experience. My favorite is Rao's and I fill my cart Supermarket Sweep-style when I see the two-pack at Costco. If you find the marinara you have on hand to be lacking in flavor, doctor it up by adding additional seasonings as you see fit: salt, pepper, dried basil/oregano/parsley, crushed red pepper, and more.
    • Shred your own cheese versus buying pre-shredded if you have ever had to deal with cheese not melting fully in a pasta bake. Pre-shredded has anti-caking agents added so the cheese doesn't all meld into a big clump while bagged, but they can inhibit meltiness.
    • Be creative. There's a ton of wiggle room in this simple, five-ingredient recipe. Get fancy with the tortellini flavor (the refrigerated section has more fun ones than the freezer case), zhush up the sauce, add leftover cooked sausage or meatballs, etc.
    • Cooking for two? Baked tortellini is easy to halve as they sell 19-ounce packages of frozen tortellini and 14-ounce jars of marinara sauce. If doing so, use an 8-inch by 8-inch square baking dish.
    A wooden spoon scooping out a serving of baked tortellini from the dish.

    More Pasta Favorites

    • Lobster Ravioli Sauce
    • Tortellini alla Panna
    • Vodka Sauce Pasta Bake with Crispy Panko
    • Cavatelli and Broccoli

    If you’ve enjoyed this recipe, I’d love for you to leave a star rating in the recipe card and/or a comment review below!

    A wooden spoon scooping out a serving of baked tortellini from the dish.

    Baked Tortellini with Spinach

    This baked tortellini with spinach features just a handful of basic ingredients -- and you barely even need to measure! It's comfort food for a crowd yet easy enough for weeknights.
    No ratings yet
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Dish
    Cuisine: Italian/American
    Prep Time: 18 minutes
    Cook Time: 22 minutes
    Total Time: 40 minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 437kcal
    Author: Alyssa

    Ingredients

    • 38 ounces (1077g) fresh or frozen tortellini (just under 2 ½ pounds)
    • 28 ounces (790g) marinara sauce (about 3 cups)
    • 9 ounces (255g) fresh spinach leaves
    • ½ cup grated Parmesan
    • 1 ¼ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
    • Fresh basil chiffonade for serving
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Heat oven to 350°F (177°C). Spray a large and deep-sided rectangular baking dish with cooking spray and set aside for now. The dish pictured is 13" x 9" x 3".
    • Bring a large pot of water to boil on the stove. Once boiling, salt the water and stir in tortellini. Cook the tortellini according to package directions to the shortest time listed in the cook time range. For my frozen tortellini, this was only 2 minutes. Drain and add the tortellini back to the pot.
    • Pour marinara sauce and fresh spinach into the pot and stir to evenly combine with the tortellini. Stir for 1-2 minutes as the spinach leaves begin to wilt, then pour out the mixture into the prepared pan. Press the surface into an even height throughout.
    • Scatter Parmesan and mozzarella evenly over the surface, then place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. If you'd like the melted cheese to be a bit more toasty in places, at the end of the bake time switch the oven to broil for a very brief time until it has browned to your liking (provided your baking dish is broiler-safe).
    • Serve with plenty of fresh basil to garnish.

    Notes

    Halving the Recipe: This can easily be done as tortellini and marinara sauce are sold in exactly half-sized packages. Use an 8-inch by 8-inch baking dish.
    Ingredient Notes
    • Tortellini: You'll often find frozen cheese tortellini, with the refrigerated section having a bigger variety of flavors. Anything works, just cook to the lowest listed time according to the package to avoid the tortellini becoming mushy.
    • Marinara sauce: Use a jarred kind that you like, as it makes a difference in a simple dish like this. Some can really be lacking in flavor. If you're not thrilled with the flavor of yours, add additional dried spices and seasonings to it before adding to the recipe.
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 437kcal | Carbohydrates: 53.9g | Protein: 17.8g | Fat: 16.8g | Saturated Fat: 5.9g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 1090mg | Potassium: 178mg | Fiber: 3.7g | Sugar: 3.5g | Calcium: 239mg | Iron: 4mg
    Tried this Recipe?Tag @mysequinedlife - I love to see what you're making!

    Nutritional information is provided as an estimate. As it can vary due to many factors (brands used, quantities, etc.), we cannot guarantee its accuracy.

    Food Safety and Nutrition Disclaimer
    « Curry Chicken Salad with Cashews
    One-Hour Braided Honey Whole Wheat Bread »
    • Facebook
    • Email

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Leslie says

      April 14, 2022 at 4:06 am

      This was Supper Yummy!! Serve this with a salad!

      Reply
    2. Catherine says

      December 21, 2015 at 5:54 am

      Dear Alyssa, your tortellini bake looks marvelous. This is a dish that is perfect to enjoy all read round. Sounds delicious dear! Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas! xo, Catherine

      Reply
    3. Roxy | Roxy's Kitchen says

      August 09, 2014 at 10:09 pm

      I usually choose baking over cooking when I have an option :). But I love quick and delicious meals and this recipe is the perfect example, so flavorful and easy to make!

      Reply
    4. Francesca @ Love.Bake.Read says

      August 03, 2014 at 2:38 pm

      What an amazing dinner! Love everything about this...and it's easy!

      Reply
    5. Sarah@RunningOnBrie says

      August 01, 2014 at 8:11 pm

      I'm a sucker for Italian food too...you just can't go wrong with it in my opinion. This pasta bake looks fabulous and definitely very versatile! Love the roasted red peppers...

      Reply
    6. Anna Johnston says

      July 30, 2014 at 10:45 pm

      Pasta bake rocks, this is popular in my house, but I substitute the spinach with Kale. Sooo good! I just had lunch, but now I’m craving pasta, any leftovers? 🙂

      Reply
    « Older Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    A picture of a woman smiling with a text overlay reading well, hey there.

    Hi! I’m Alyssa and welcome to my food blog. Here you can find a variety of food and drink recipes, running the gamut from better-for-you main dishes to holiday fare, and from lighter bites to some serious desserts. All with the occasional cocktail recipe thrown in for good measure, too. ♥ Learn more →

    As Featured In...

    A collage of publication logos.

    Simple, Tested Basics

    • The Best Homemade Taco Seasoning
    • Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes
    • Oven Roasted Frozen Broccoli
    • How to Caramelize Onions
    • How to Make Croutons
    • Easy Homemade Pizza Dough
    • Air Fryer Baked Potato
    • How to Roast Garlic

    Popular Recipes

    • Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken
    • Healthy Peanut Butter Cookies
    • Italian Baked Turkey Meatballs
    • Southern Instant Pot Collard Greens
    • Italian Anise Cookies
    • Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Me
    • Contact

    Policies

    • Privacy Policy & Disclosure
    • Accessibility Statement

    More

    • Recipe Index
    • Dinner Hall of Fame
    • Instant Pot Recipes
    • Air Fryer Favorites

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2013 - 2023 My Sequined Life