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This Alfredo tortellini bake is easy to make and incredibly comforting with the most amazing homemade Alfredo sauce and melty baked mozzarella.
Love Alfredo? Try my Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo Bake, this Chicken Alfredo Gnocchi Bake, or this Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo.
Why you’ll love it
It’s a simple pasta bake that’s a fuss-free way to get hot food on the table in just over half an hour with no fancy ingredients. This baked tortellini casserole recipe makes a perfect meatless main course, but it would also be delicious as a side dish.
While it’s designed to be a quick meal that even the kids will enjoy, this cheesy baked tortellini is so good that it’s definitely a dish you could make for company. I mean, cheese, garlic, cream, more cheese… say no more. It’s heaven!
What you’ll need
- Tortellini – I used cheese tortellini from the refrigerated aisle. You may use the frozen kind too. They thaw pretty fast.
- Butter – for frying the garlic
- Garlic – the aromatic base for the sauce. It’s simple to mince with this garlic press.
- Cream cheese – it’s key to this sauce. Philly is my go-to brand.
- Heavy cream – I wouldn’t use anything with less fat content because the sauce won’t be as rich and could curdle
- Parmesan – for both the sauce and topping
- Mozzarella – for the golden, melty finish
How to make baked tortellini Alfredo
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Preheat your oven and boil some water for the pasta. Cook the tortellini for a minute or so less than package directions suggest. Make the Alfredo sauce by melting some butter in a skillet, then adding the garlic and quickly cooking it. Stir in the cream and cream cheese until it’s melted in. Don’t let the sauce get too thick since it’ll reduce more in the oven. Stir in half the parmesan once the sauce is done.
Drain the tortellini and add it to a 9×13 casserole dish. Toss it with the Alfredo sauce, and top with the remaining parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. Bake until the cheese has melted and it’s hot and bubbly. Broil if desired!
Helpful tips
- Add in some leftover Cooked Chicken or rotisserie chicken if you want some additional protein in here.
- You could use a good quality store-bought Alfredo sauce, but I really recommend trying my homemade version at least once! It’s a game changer and isn’t difficult to make at all.
- I always recommend grating your own parmesan cheese. I always keep a wedge in the fridge. The taste and the way it melts is superior to any pre-grated variety. I used my Microplane to grate the parm for this recipe.
How to make it ahead
- Assemble as instructed, cover tightly with foil, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Add a few minutes to the baking time since it’ll be cold straight from the fridge.
- We don’t recommend freezing this one. The creamy sauce just won’t turn out right after thawing.
What to serve with it
- Try a side salad since this pasta bake is quite rich. Spring mix with this Creamy Balsamic Dressing would be wonderful.
- Or go all out with some Garlic Bread… yum!
- It would also be a great side dish for plenty of main courses such as my Parmesan Crusted Chicken.
Leftovers and storage
- Leftovers of this pasta bake will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Alfredo sauce tends to separate over time, so I would reheat it slowly on a low heat in a covered saucepan or in the oven covered by foil. Adding a small splash of cream while reheating can help bring the sauce back to its former glory.
- I don’t recommend freezing this recipe because of the dairy content.
Questions about this Alfredo bake? Let me know in the comments below, and be sure to leave me a review! You can also find me on Instagram.
Alfredo Tortellini Bake
Ingredients
- 2 (9 ounce) packages refrigerated cheese tortellini
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- 4 ounces cream cheese (1/2 block of Philly) softened
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese divided
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Take the cream cheese out of the fridge at least 30 minutes prior to starting the recipe, or microwave it for 20-30 seconds. It needs to be very soft. Preheat your oven to 375F and move the rack to the top third of the oven.
- Boil water for the tortellini, and cook it one minute less than package directions indicate. Drain and add it to a 9×13 casserole dish.
- Meanwhile, add the butter to a skillet over medium heat. Once it's melted, add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add in the cream cheese and heavy cream. Stir/whisk constantly until the cheese has melted in and it's thickened up a bit (this shouldn't take more than 4-5 minutes). Don't let the sauce get too thick because it'll continue to thicken up/reduce in the oven. If it becomes a bit too thick, add in a splash more cream.
- Stir half the parmesan cheese into the sauce and then take the skillet off the heat. I add a bit of salt & pepper to the sauce.
- Pour the sauce over the tortellini and then toss it and spread it out in an even layer.
- Top the tortellini with the rest of the parmesan and the mozzarella.
- Bake, uncovered, for 12-15 minutes until the cheese has melted, and then broil it for a few minutes to brown the cheese a bit (watch it carefully).
Notes
- Serves 6 (or a very generous 4) depending on portion size and what else it’s served with.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This is AMAZING and amazingly easy to prepare! My girls (7 and 3) are picky eaters and they love this dish!!!
Wonderful! Thanks, Monica!
Delicious. My whole family loved it. I would add less mozzarella to the top but that is personal preference. Will definitely make again.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Marissa! Thanks for your review!
Can I make this and freeze it? If so would you boil yhe noodle still!?
Hi Connie! See “how to make it ahead” and “leftovers & storage” in the blog post.
This was not that great at all. Not impressed, I’m sorry. Don’t waste your time or money. Did exactly what the recipe said and it was way to strong of flavor in regard with the cheeses. My family loves alfredo sauce, but this is not a good recipe.
Strange! Well… it was rated 5 stars from 11 reviews until your 1-star review came in, so I would say that you’re the only one so far who wasted their time and money. There aren’t any “strong” cheeses in here, so I am not sure what you mean exactly? In any case, sorry you didn’t like it.
I am not a pasta person, however this recipe could make me a believer. Wow. Absolutely amazing and so easy! This might even become my new favourite recipe for potlucks!!
That makes me so happy!! Thank you!!
Instead of adding more cream to thin the sauce, I added about a half a cup of whole milk. It turned out perfect.
Thanks for this recipe!
You’re welcome, Kristie! Glad it worked out.
Can this be made with thawed tortellini? Do you need to cook the tortellini beforehand
Hi Laurie! Thawed as in your bought the refrigerated kind, froze it, and it’s sitting in your fridge right now? I don’t see why that wouldn’t work. The only tortellini you’d need to cook beforehand would be the dry version that’s sold in the dry pasta aisle. Hope you enjoy this recipe! 🙂
Amazing delicious and approved by the entire family!
That’s great!! 😀 Thank you so much!
Awesome, just enough sauce!!
I think I might try cooked shrimp,
I’m so glad you liked it!!
Absolutely delicious 👌
Thank you, Kate!