Sausage Pesto Tortellini Casserole
Sausage Pesto Tortellini Casserole made with 6 Ingredients only, is full of flavor, hearty and perfect for delicious and quick weeknight dinners.
The casserole is a favorite at our place. Like Cheesy Crack Chicken Casserole and Chicken Spaghetti Casserole, this is the ultimate comfort food to make at home.
Sausage Pesto Tortellini Casserole
Sausage Pesto Tortellini Casserole is such an incredible, delicious and easy meal to make. Made with bright and wholesome ingredients, this dish comes together super quickly and lets you enjoy more time with your family. We are a busy family, but we still love to cook lots of homemade dinners to show our son how fun homemade dinners can be.
This Sausage Pesto Tortellini Casserole is loaded with fresh spinach, sweet Italian chicken sausage, grape tomatoes, pesto, and cheese. This will become your go-to meal during crazy weeknights, and it looks so good that you can even make it for date nights and friends!
Tips and Tricks for the perfect Sausage Pesto Tortellini Casserole:
- Start with fresh and quality pasta. I love using three-cheese tortellini as they are cheesy and delicious.
- This recipe is really versatile, so you can totally use your favorite type of sausage. Since I was going for an Italian theme, I added Sweet Chicken Sausage.
- To add some heat to the dish, use some spicy sausage and some red pepper flakes.
- Use fresh ingredients. Adding fresh grape tomatoes and spinach, will brighten up your dish and add some juiciness and sweetness that will balance the cheese.
- Use quality cheese, to save time I buy shredded cheese, but make sure it’s creamy and fresh.
- Don’t overcook the tortellini! Cook it 1 or 2 minutes less than the recommended time as you will also have to bake it.
- If you want to add more flavor you can add some minced garlic, fresh black pepper and top your casserole with fresh basil.
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How to make Pesto Sauce at home?
Pesto Sauce can be easily made at home with only a few ingredients:
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- 2-3 cloves garlic, peeled
- 3 tablespoons pine nuts
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/2 jalapeno – optional*
Directions:
- To make the pesto, combine basil, garlic, pine nuts and Parmesan in the bowl of a food processor. With the motor running on low, add olive oil, salt, and pepper until emulsified and ready.
- To add heat to it, you can add fresh jalapeno to the mix or red pepper flakes.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
How to freeze this Tortellini Casserole:
To freeze, cover pan tightly with plastic wrap and foil. Freeze for up to 6 months. When ready to cook, thaw in refrigerator overnight. Remove cover and bake at 350 degrees for about 30-45 min.
Love Casseroles? Check these out:
- Hasbrown Chicken Jalapeño Casserole – creamy and delicious, like a giant jalapeño popper.
- Mushroom Cheeseburger Casserole – gluten-free and so hearty.
- Chocolate French Toast Casserole – who said that casseroles are for dinner only? Check this one out to be blown away with deliciousness!
Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Total time: 30 mins
Ingredients
- 1 package three cheese tortellini (1lb)
- 7 oz pesto
- 3 sweet chicken sausages
- 3 cups fresh spinach
- 1 cup grape tomatoes
- 20 oz mozzarella cheese (shredded)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Add water to a large pot over medium-high heat, once the water starts to boil, cook the tortellini by following the recommended time on the package, usually 5-7 minutes. Cook 1-2 minutes less the recommended time. Drain and return the tortellini to the pot. Add the pesto and stir gently until combined.
- In the meantime, place a large skillet over medium heat, and add two tablespoons of olive oil.
- Slice the sausages and add it to the hot skillet, cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until the sausages start to brown. Remove skillet from heat and set aside.
- Add the browned sausages, tomatoes, spinach and cheese to the pot with tortellini, stir well, but gently not to crush the tomatoes or the tortellini. Save a little cheese, about 1 cup to top the casserole.
- Add a little olive oil to a 9 inch casserole dish, about 1 tablespoon, and add the tortellini mixture to the casserole, top with the remaining cheese and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the top layer starts to look golden - light brown.
- Serve immediately.
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