When pesto is part of a recipe, you know it's gonna be good. This delectable cheesy pesto tortellini bake will make your tastebuds dance, sing, rejoice, and crave some more. I mean, what's not to love: pasta, cheese, and pesto! This is a winning dish for sure. Plus, you only technically need 3 ingredients.
Pasta recipes are perfect for any time of day, any season of the year!
What I love about making pesto recipes is that I can use it in other ways like my pesto orzo with chicken (link recipe), or even turn it into a sandwich (Link recipe). Pesto goes with everything!
Jump to:
What are the ingredients for this recipe?
The ingredient list depends on if you plan to make your own pesto, or if you want to use store-bought pesto. I tend to like to make my own pesto, but there's nothing wrong with jarred! Let's break it down:
- Pesto - if you're going for a homemade version, my nut free pesto is absolutely amazing. If you're opting for jarred, I like Barilla, Delallo, or Trader Joe's!
- Pasta - of course, this recipe calls for tortellini, and I recommend buying fresh tortellini for this one.
- Cheese - mozzarella cheese is what we're going for.
See the recipe card below for more details about quantities.
How do I make this pesto tortellini recipe?
This recipe comes together in such a short amount of time, especially if you're not making your own pesto in the beginning.
Start by bringing a pot of water to a boil and cook the tortellini as the package says, or at least one minute less to prevent overcooking while it bakes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375º and grab an oven-safe dish. Once the tortellini is done cooking, drain the pasta and set aside.
If you are using pre-made pesto: Take two (maybe three) spoonfuls of the jarred pesto and layer into the bottom of an oven-safe baking dish.
If you are making the pesto: take 1 cup basil leaves, ⅓ cup parmesan, 3 minced garlic cloves, and ¼ cup olive oil and add to a food processor. Blend until completely smooth. You may need to add more parmesan and/or oil depending upon the consistency.
Assembly: Pour the drained tortellini into a baking dish. Spread around the pesto and coat the pasta. Layer the mozzarella cheese to cover the pasta. Bake for 15 minutes, then turn the oven to broil for an additional 3 minutes or until the cheese begins to brown.
HINT: Use way more pesto that you would initially think. The pesto helps to keep the pasta moist rather than drying out as it bakes. The more pesto, the better!
Pasta Swaps and Substitutions
I would be remiss if I didn't offer you some substitution and swap options for this recipe, so that you can fully enjoy it, regardless of any dietary needs.
- Pasta - instead of using durum or regular flour penne, you can easily use gluten free penne.
- Cheese - swap the regular parmesan for dairy-free.
- Milk - feel free to use almond milk, soy milk, or oat milk for this dish.
- Stock - want to keep it vegetarian? Use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.
Recipe Variations
Here are some ways you can make this dish with a little variation here and there. No matter what, this is going to be your go-to meal, just like it is mine.
- Pasta Shape - free free to use shells, ravioli, tortelloni, or even manicotti
- Spice - add some red pepper flakes to the pesto for a little added heat to the dish.
- Kid friendly - use dino-shaped pasta instead of a filled version and bake it as the directions say. You can also get more veggies into this dish by using tri-color tortellini if you're trying to get more veggies in their diets.
Kitchen Equipment and Tools
For this recipe, we'll need pretty standard tools and kitchen equipment when it comes to making the pasta and baking it. One of the tools I highly recommend using is a spider skimmer or spatula. This spatula is circular, and has tiny holes in it. I find it's a lot easier to make pasta recipes when it calls for straining and baking pasta to just use the spider spatula and move the pasta from the water and pot directly to the dish. Less mess and less things to dirty.
Otherwise, here's other common tools you'll need:
- Strainer - if you're not using the spider skimmer/spatula
- Medium Frying Pan - to saute the vegetables.
- Large pot
What can I store this recipe in?
All leftovers can be placed in a tightly sealed tupperware and placed directly in the fridge. This recipe is also freeze friendly, so if you want to make this dish for another day, simply prep the veggies and pasta, place into a tupperware and into the freezer it goes. When ready, you can defrost the pasta, top with the cheese and bake according to instructions.
This recipe will keep in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
PRO TIP:
Before baking, sprinkle some breadcrumbs on top, along with the cheese for added texture and flavor.
Hungry for more?
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Cheesy Pesto Tortellini Bake
Equipment
- 1 large pot
- 1 oven safe baking dish
- 1 spider skimmer/spatula
- 1 food processor only if you are making fresh pesto.
Ingredients
- 1 jar pesto unless you are making your own, see instructions below
- 1 pkg fresh or frozen tortellini cook time may vary
- 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Start by bringing a pot of water to a boil and cook the tortellini as the package says, or at least one minute less to prevent overcooking while it bakes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375º and grab an oven-safe dish. Once the tortellini is done cooking, drain the pasta and set aside.
- If you are using pre-made pesto: Take two (maybe three) spoonfuls of the jarred pesto and layer into the bottom of an oven-safe baking dish.
- If you are making the pesto: take 1 cup basil leaves, ⅓ cup parmesan, 3 minced garlic cloves, and ¼ cup olive oil and add to a food processor. Blend until completely smooth. You may need to add more parmesan and/or oil depending upon the consistency.
- Pour the drained tortellini into a baking dish. Spread around the pesto and coat the pasta.
- Layer the mozzarella cheese to cover the pasta. Bake for 15 minutes, then turn the oven to broil for an additional 3 minutes or until the cheese begins to brown.
Leave a Reply