This TikTok Tortellini Bake recipe went viral all over social media. It’s a quick and easy cheesy pasta with cream cheese and meat sauce. Only 5 ingredients and 30 minutes to the perfect weeknight dinner.
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Viral Tortellini Bake
Why did this recipe go viral? Pasta recipes are so popular on TikTok, Instagram, and Youtube, and this one is indulgent. Quick cooking cheese stuffed tortellini, creamy meaty pasta sauce, and topped with stretchy mozzarella cheese.
What’s not to love? So filling the whole family will be asking for it every week.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Ground Beef - Any ground meat would be delicious, beef, turkey, chicken, and Italian sausage. Also, season your ground meat to your preference.
I used 85/15 ground beef and did have excess fat to remove, you can choose 90/10 if you prefer leaner.
Pasta Sauce - Add your favorite brand and flavor, I like a classic marinara. Garlic, vegetable, or mushroom would be delicious.
Cream Cheese - This recipe uses a whole block, but if you prefer substitute with heavy cream 1:1 ratio.
Tortellini - You can find tortellini shelf stable, in refrigerated and freezer sections of the grocery store. Cook to the package directions.
Mozzarella Cheese - To save time I used pre-shredded cheese but shredding it from the block is better. Substitute your favorite blend of cheese, American, cheddar, or smoked variety. Yum.
Tips and Suggestions
Start boiling your pasta water early, while cooking the ground meat, to get dinner on the table quicker. Also, get that hot oven going as well to melt that cheesy topping.
Don’t skimp on the mozzarella cheese topping, you’ll want to see that cheese stretch.
Don’t overcook your tortellini noodles. Stick to the package directions.
This one-pan dinner starts on the stovetop and can be put straight into the oven if you use a 10.5-inch or 12-inch cast iron skillet.
How To Serve Cheesy Tortellini Bake
This cheesy pasta bake can be taken from the oven straight to the dinner table.
Since the oven is going, add roasted vegetables and dinner rolls as sides or a cool and crispy salad.
Leftovers and Storage
If there are any leftovers, they can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and easily reheated in the microwave.
Step By Step Photos and Directions
- Grab all the ingredients. Ground meat, tortellini, pasta sauce, cream cheese, and shredded mozzarella cheese.
2. In a cast iron skillet brown and crumble your ground meat. Remove any excess fat. Add spices, seasoning, and black pepper to your preference. (See Blog Post or Notes.)
3. Start boiling a pot of water to cook the tortellini pasta. Cook to package directions. Strain and set aside. Also, Preheat your oven to broil or very high heat.
4. When the meat is fully cooked and stir in the jar of pasta sauce. Reduce heat to medium. Cover and let simmer for 5-7 minutes. Mixing a few times to prevent hot spots.
5. Add the block of cream cheese to the pasta sauce mixture. Cover for about 1-2 minutes to let it warm up.
6. Uncover and mix well. Remove the pan from the heat.
7. Stir in the cooked tortellini.
8. With a spoon even out the pasta in one layer.
9. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese. Place into a very hot oven or broiler.
10. It's ready when the cheese is melted with golden brown spots and bubbly. Garnish with fresh or dried parsley. Allow to cool and Enjoy.
TikTok Tortellini Bake (Viral Recipe)
Equipment
- Cast Iron Skillet 10.5 inch or 12 inch
- Cooking Spoon
- Pasta Pot
- Strainer or Colander
Ingredients
- 1 pound Ground Beef or Italian Sausage
- 1 Block Cream Cheese 8oz
- 1 Bag Frozen Tortellini 19oz
- 1 Jar Pasta Sauce 24oz
- 1 Package Shredded Mozzarella 8oz (Whole Milk)
- Spices/Black Pepper Optional
Instructions
- In a cast iron skillet brown and crumble your ground beef or Italian sausage. Remove any excess fat and add spices, seasoning, and black pepper to your preference. (See Blog Post or Notes.)
- Stir in the jar of pasta sauce and reduce heat to medium. Cover and let simmer for 5-7 minutes. Mixing a few times to prevent hot spots.
- Preheat your oven to broil or very high heat.
- Start boiling a pot of water to cook the tortellini pasta. Cook to package directions. Strain and set aside.
- Add the block of cream cheese to the pasta sauce mixture. Cover for about 1-2 minutes to let it warm up. Uncover and mix well.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the cooked tortellini.
- With a spoon even out the pasta in one layer. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Place the skillet in the oven to melt the cheese until it has nice brown spots and is bubbly.
- Garnish with fresh or dried parsley. Allow to cool and Enjoy.
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