Easy Spicy Baked Tortellini is a great weeknight meal option for families on the go. You’ll love the spicy sausage in this easy Italian pasta recipe, but you can substitute mild sausage if you want less heat. This cheesy bubbly Italian casserole is a new family favorite.
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When we have a busy night going back and forth to lessons and practices, it’s important to have a quick and easy meal that comes together in about 30 minutes.
This spicy tortellini recipe really fits the bill.
This easy recipe is a great way to add spicy flavor to your weekly dinner rotation.
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🔑 Key to Success #1 – Cook the Pasta and Sauce at the Same Time
Oh man, you’re going to love this easy recipe.
We’re getting some help with some pre-made ingredients to speed up the process without sacrificing taste or quality.
Start by bringing a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.
At the same time, start browning your sausage in a large skillet.
If you have a 12-inch skillet, it would be perfect for this recipe because we’re going to be adding the sauce, spices, and cream cheese to the same skillet.
After the sausage is browned, drain it well.
Be sure to remove as much grease as you can then return the sausage to the skillet.
Add in your marinara sauce and spices and stir well.
Next, cube the cream cheese and add it in as well.
Heat the sauce mixture on medium-low while your pasta cooks.
You will cook your tortellini according to package directions, but normally you add the pasta to boiling water and boil it for 5-7 minutes.
Once the pasta is cooked, I like to remove the tortellini from the water using a large slotted spoon and add it directly to the skillet with the sauce.
You will have a step by adding the pasta directly from the boiling water to the sauce.
Stir well to coat the tortellini in the creamy sauce.
🔑 Key to Success #2 – Spice it Your Way
We’re making this tortellini spicy by using hot Italian sausage and adding in crushed red pepper flakes and black pepper for extra spice.
If you feel like this is too much spice for you, try using half of the recommended red pepper flakes or even eliminating the red pepper altogether.
You can also try substituting mild Italian sausage for the hot sausage.
I have tried it with the mild sausage and it is delicious.
My kids are not a big fan of spicy food so I often use the mild sausage and then add my own red pepper flakes to my plate only if I’m feeling spicy that day.
Don’t be afraid to adjust the spices to what you think your family would enjoy the most.
🔑 Key to Success #3 – Bake it and Make it Melty
After you’ve coated the tortellini with the sauce, pour it into your greased baking dish and spread it all the way to the edges.
Top it with one or two cups of shredded mozzarella cheese and a half cup of Parmesan cheese.
Pop the pan into the oven and bake it for 15-20 minutes at 375 degrees F.
The pasta and sauce are already warm so we’re just trying to melt the cheese and make the mixture all bubbly for serving.
If you want your cheese to be more browned on the top, you can turn your oven to broil for 1-2 minutes.
Be sure to watch the dish closely so that the cheese doesn’t get too browned.
When you’re using a broiler, it’s so easy for things to go from too light to too brown in the blink of an eye.
You can garnish your dish with fresh parsley if desired.
📌 Get the Printable Recipe for Easy Spicy Baked Tortellini
Save this Easy Spicy Baked Tortellini recipe to your favorite Easy Italian Recipes board or your Spicy Pasta Recipes board.
Easy Spicy Baked Tortellini
Ingredients
- 1 pkg 20 oz refrigerated or frozen cheese tortellini
- 1 jar 24 oz marinara sauce
- 1 lb spicy Italian sausage
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1-2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- 2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Cook the cheese tortellini according to package directions. Drain well. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, brown sausage over medium-high heat. Drain well.
- Add marinara sauce and spices to the skillet with the sausage. Heat over medium-low heat. Cube cream cheese and add to the skillet. Stir frequently until the cream cheese is melted.
- Add cooked pasta to the sauce. Stir to coat well. Pour into the baking dish.
- Top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted and tortellini is bubbly.
Notes
Equipment
Nutrition
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