Easy comfort food for a large family with kids! This pasta casserole consists of cheese tortellini, pasta sauce, ground beef, mozzarella, and cream cheese baked in a casserole dish until hot and gooey.
Insanely easy & delicious weeknight dinner!
Want to know how to take pasta to the next level? Simply mix cream cheese into the meat sauce to make a hearty and filling dinner your family will basically inhale. If you like CHEESE, you’re going to go bonkers over this amazing dinner casserole.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 20 ounces cheese tortellini (fresh or frozen)
- 1 24 ounce jar pasta sauce
- 4+ ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- ¼ cup grated parmesan
- Italian seasoning and garlic powder to taste
To get started, cook the tortellini according to the package instructions and set aside. Brown the ground beef in a large skillet, drain the grease, and mix with the pasta sauce, seasoning, and cubed cream cheese. Simmer for about 5 minutes or until the cream cheese is fully incorporated. You can use up to an entire block of cream cheese depending on how cheesy you like things!
Once the meat sauce is nice and creamy, toss in the cooked tortellini and mix well. Place the pasta mixture into a 9×13 greased baking dish.
Evenly top with shredded mozzarella and grated or shredded parmesan. Is it possibly to have too much cheese? I don’t think so. Just sprinkle it on there to your heart’s desire.
Bake in the center rack of a 350° F oven for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese starts to brown. You can also turn the broiler on for the last few minutes of baking if you like things extra toasty.
Cheesy Tortellini Casserole With Meat Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 20 ounces cheese tortellini (fresh or frozen)
- 1 (24oz) jar pasta sauce
- 4+ ounces cream cheese (cubed)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- ¼ cup grated parmesan
- seasoning to taste (Italian seasoning, salt, garlic powder, etc.)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F and grease a 9x13 baking dish.
- Cook the tortellini according to the package instructions, drain, and set aside.
- While the pasta is cooking, brown the ground beef in a large skillet and remove any excess grease. Add the jar of pasta sauce, seasoning of choice, and up to 8 ounces of cream cheese to the pan. Simmer for about 5 minutes or until the cheese is fully incorporated into the sauce.
- Place the cooked tortellini into the pan with the sauce and mix well.
- Dump the pasta mixture into your prepared casserole dish and evenly top with shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
- Bake, uncovered, in the center rack of your oven for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese starts to brown.
Notes
- The amount of cream cheese you use for this recipe is a personal preference. 4-8 ounces seems like a good amount depending on how cheesy you like things. I use the full block! Hehe.
- Because this meal is so hearty, a fresh crisp salad pairs really well with it. A side of garlic bread is also a popular choice with hungry kids.
- If you like this tasty dinner idea, check out this list of 20 Crazy Easy Dinner Casseroles Your Family Will Love. Fun recipes for picky eaters of all ages!
Don’t forget to pin and save this yummy family dinner for later! 🙂
