Cheese Tortellini and Spinach Bake

Cheese Tortellini and Spinach Bake

Cheese Tortellini and Spinach Bake — prep 10 min, cook 30 min, serves 3. View the full ingredients and method on SmartBites.

Prep time
10 min
Cook time
30 min
Total time
40 minutes
Servings
3

Recipe tags

  • Vegetarian
  • Family Favourite
  • One Pot
  • Dinner
  • Italian

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 items Onion
  • 1 tsp Fresh Thyme
  • 250 g Mozzarella
  • 250 g Fresh Tortellini
  • 500 g Passata
  • 0.5 items Lemon
  • 100 g Fresh Spinach
  • 50 g Grated Parmesan
  • 3 tsp Chopped Garlic
  • 1 tsp Dried Italian Herbs
  • 100 ml Double Cream
  • 0.25 tsp Ground Cinnamon

Method

  1. Preparation: Preheat the oven to 180°C / 160°C fan. Peel and finely chop the onion. Juice half the lemon. Wash the spinach and roughly chop any large leaves.
  2. Heat the olive oil in an ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, thyme and Italian herbs and cook for another minute.
  3. Stir in the passata, double cream, lemon juice and cinnamon. Simmer gently for 2–3 minutes.
  4. Stir in the spinach until wilted. Add the fresh tortellini and half the Parmesan, stirring to coat the pasta thoroughly in the sauce.
  5. Transfer to a baking dish if the frying pan is not ovenproof. Scatter over the mozzarella and remaining Parmesan.
  6. Bake for approximately 20 minutes, until the tortellini is tender, the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is golden. Check the pasta before serving and allow additional cooking time if needed.

Notes

  • An easy, comforting pasta bake with tender tortellini, spinach and a creamy tomato sauce, finished with golden melted cheese. A straightforward dinner with very little washing-up.

Tips

  • Use fresh chilled tortellini for the stated cooking time. Check that it is tender before serving; dried varieties may need more liquid and longer cooking.
  • If the cheese browns before the pasta is tender, cover loosely with foil and continue baking.

Swaps and substitutes

  • Fresh Tortellini: You can use dried tortellini but you may need to add a little more liquid and bake for a little longer. You can also use different fillings if you prefer.
  • Mozzarella: Replace some with cheddar for a stronger flavour.
  • Spinach: You can use kale instead. Remove any tough stalks and allow a few extra minutes for it to soften.

Equipment and cleaning

  • An ovenproof frying pan lets you make the sauce and bake everything in the same vessel.

No-waste tips

  • Use remaining spinach in an omelette, curry or soup or check out other recipes containing spinach.