If you’re looking for a way to bulk up shop bought tortelloni, this is the recipe for you! This tortelloni pasta bake adds plenty of vegetables and flavour to really add some zing to ordinary tortellini.
This is an incredibly versatile pasta recipe. You can use any flavour tortelloni – I used spinach and ricotta – you can use pretty much any vegetables that are languishing in the fridge. You could even add some sausage or chicken – or throw in another pasta shape too – to really bulk it up.
I used fresh tortelloni here. It’s widely available in supermarkets in the U.K. and easy to get hold of. However, you could use fresh ravioli or tortellini instead – any fresh, stuffed pasta will work well.
Ingredients, Substitutions and Variations
- Tortelloni – as mentioned above, any fresh pasta will work (including tortellini).
- Tomatoes, sweet bell peppers and black olives– I used these vegetables because they were leftover in my fridge (from my Greek Style Flatbread Pizzas in fact). You could use any vegetables- mushrooms and courgettes would work well.
- Passata – passata makes for a nice, smooth sauce but you could easily use chopped tomatoes instead.
- Mixed herbs and garlic powder – these make an easy, flavourful mix for the dish.
- Grated mozzarella and feta – I love these two cheeses together – they are such a textural treat. However, you could switch for grated cheddar and it would still be a lovely dish.
How to Cook Tortelloni Pasta Bake
- Put cherry tomatoes, bell peppers and black olives into a saucepan. Cook for a few minutes until they soften.
- 2. Add passata, mixed herbs, garlic powder and salt. Bring to a simmer.
- 3. Stir in your tortelloni and cook for a few minutes until it starts to soften (this won’t take long).
- 4. Pour into an ovenproof dish (if it’s not already in one) and top with grated mozzarella and crumbled feta. Pop in the oven for 30 minutes until it’s golden and bubbling.
Top Tips
- Make ahead If you’re making ahead, cook the sauce and leave it to cool before mixing with the tortelloni. Top with the cheese and leave in the fridge until ready to cook (no longer than 12 hours).
- Cooking the tortelloni bake The tortelloni barely needs any cooking time, which is why it doesn’t need to be precooked. Don’t precook the tortelloni – if you do, it will be overcooked and watery.
- Mix well Make sure you mix the sauce and the tortelloni well. You want each piece to have a nice coating of sauce to cook in.
Vegetable and Tortelloni Bake
A simple pasta bake made with fresh tortelloni and packed full of vegetables, topped with mozzarella and feta.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 250 grams tomatoes
- 3 bell peppers any colour
- 100 grams black olives
- 400 grams passata
- 1 teaspoon mixed herbs
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 250 grams fresh tortelloni
- 100 grams grated mozzarella
- 100 grams feta crumbled
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
- Roughly chop the tomatoes. Slice the bell peppers. If preferred, half the olives (you can leave them whole if you like).
- Put the olive oil in a large saucepan. Put on a medium heat and add the vegetables. Cook, stirring often, for 5-10 minutes until softened.
- Add the passata, mixed herbs and garlic powder. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer then remove from the heat.
- Add the tortelloni and stir well. Tip this into a large ovenproof dish. Top with the grated mozzarella and crumbled feta.
- Put in the oven for 30 minutes or until golden and bubbling.
Video
Notes
- Substitute tortelloni for fresh tortellini or ravioli. Any flavour can be used.
Quick, easy and delicious pasta for a weeknight