Creamy Mediterranean Tortellini Bake

Tortellini bake is like a regular pasta bake, but better! This cheesy Mediterranean tortellini bake is packed with roasted veggies and a luxurious creamy tomato sauce.

I knew this tortellini bake would be good, but I don't think I realised just how good until I took my first bite. Not only does it contain my favourite creamy stuffed pasta, but also roasted vegetables, salty black olives, and oh-so-much gooey mozzarella cheese. Heaven on a plate!

Vegetarian tortellini bake

I make pasta bake fairly regularly, but tortellini bake takes a simple pasta bake to a whole new level.

Why use plain pasta, when you can instead use little pockets of fresh tortellini, stuffed with creamy spinach and ricotta (or any other favourite filling!)?

Ravioli would also work well, or any other shape of filled pasta.

Creamy tomato sauce

The tortellini in this bake is coated in a silky and luxurious tomato and mascarpone sauce - one of my all-time favourite pasta sauces. It's super quick and easy to make, and the flavour is top notch.

On this occasion, you can even mix the ingredients together straight in the baking dish, to save on washing up! And if there's anything that can make a meal taste even better, it's only using one pan - the knowledge that there aren't too many dishes to wash afterwards feels great.

Mediterranean vegetables

Of course, I'm a big fan of veggies, so this pasta bake also contains plenty of roasted vegetables - I used red onion, pepper, and mushrooms.

And, for an extra pop of Mediterranean flavour, I also added some sun-dried tomatoes and black olives. They really take this bake to the next level!

How to make creamy Mediterranean tortellini bake

Step 1: Roast the vegetables

You can choose to use any vegetables that roast up nicely. I like to stick with Mediterranean-style veg, such as:

• peppers (red, orange or yellow have more flavour than green)
• mushrooms
• onion or red onion
• courgette (zucchini)
• aubergine (eggplant)
• asparagus

Whatever you choose, mix all your vegetables together in a baking dish, and give them 20 minutes or so in the oven.

Step 2: Make the creamy tomato sauce

I'm the queen of lazy shortcuts, so I mix the sauce ingredients right in the dish with the vegetables. Just add a tin of tomatoes and a good dollop of mascarpone cheese, and mix it all together.

Not only does this mean you don't have to wash another separate pan, but the fact that the baking dish is already hot also helps to melt down the mascarpone, and creates that luscious sauce.

At this point I also add a good handful of black olives and sun-dried tomatoes to really amp up the flavour.

Step 3: Add the tortellini

Add some cooked tortellini to the dish, and mix it well to coat it in the sauce and distribute the veg as evenly as you can.

My favourite flavour of filled pasta is spinach and ricotta, but pretty much any flavour will work well in this tortellini bake. Fresh tortellini only takes about 3 or 4 minutes to cook in a pan of water, so it's much quicker than using regular pasta.

Step 4: Top with cheese and bake

What good is a pasta bake without a gooey, crispy cheese topping? Just sprinkle the whole thing with a generous handful of grated cheese, then pop it in the oven to get nice and crispy.

I love using a mozzarella-cheddar mix - the cheddar adds flavour, and the mozzarella helps it get all gooey and stringy. I often use the pre-grated stuff, as it's just so convenient - no shame.

The end result is truly irresistible. You just know this is going to be good, don't you?

How to serve tortellini bake

As with all pasta bakes, this tortellini bake is really hearty and filling, so it doesn't need much to go with it. I'd recommend a nice green salad, or perhaps some extra veg (I'm on an asparagus kick at the moment, which would make a nice side dish!).

To be honest, if you can just get it onto a plate, rather than munching it all straight from the pan, you've done a good job.

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