Tortellini Casserole with Spinach and Cheese Recipe
Tortellini casserole with spinach and cheese is a clever way to serve “Italian dumplings the Polish way” – instead of a pan sauce, everything goes into one dish and straight into the oven. It’s perfect for a quick meal for several people, because you only need a pack of tortellini and some frozen spinach. The flavours are creamy and cheesy, with a gentle garlic aroma.
This casserole cleverly combines the convenience of ready‑made tortellini with a homemade, creamy spinach‑cheese sauce, without the fuss of cooking pasta and sauce separately. It’s practically made in one dish, and the flavour is reminiscent of pasta from an Italian restaurant, just in a “family tray” version straight from the oven. Gentle garlic and nutmeg lift the spinach so well that even people who usually avoid it are happy to eat it.
Chef's tips
Make sure the spinach cooks down well in the pan – if there’s too much water left, the sauce in the casserole will be too runny. Don’t pre‑cook fresh tortellini, otherwise they may fall apart and soak up too much sauce; dried tortellini only need a brief, slightly undercooked boil. Grate the cheese for the top finely so it melts faster and browns nicely instead of forming a hard crust.
How to serve
Serve the casserole with a simple salad of rocket and cherry tomatoes or with a white cabbage slaw to add some crunch to the plate. To drink, a glass of dry white wine works well, or just water with lemon if it’s a quick family dinner. It’s perfect for spontaneous get‑togethers – one big baking dish and a bowl of salad in the middle of the table are all you need.
Ingredients
- tortellini fresh, with cheese or ham - 500 g
- spinach frozen, chopped - 300 g
- 30% cream - 200 ml
- milk - 100 ml
- yellow cheese grated - 120 g
- garlic - 3 cloves
- butter for frying the garlic - 10 g
- salt for the sauce and spinach - 1 teaspoon
- black pepper freshly ground - 0.5 teaspoons
- nutmeg optional, for the spinach - 0.25 teaspoons
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (top and bottom heat). Prepare an ovenproof dish with a capacity of about 2 litres.
- Defrost the spinach in a pan over low heat, stirring from time to time, until all the water has evaporated and the mixture is thick.
- Peel and finely chop the garlic. In a small pan melt the butter over medium heat, add the garlic and fry for 30–40 seconds until very fragrant but not browned.
- Add the garlic with the butter to the spinach, season with 0.5 teaspoon salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir and heat for another 1–2 minutes.
- In a bowl mix the cream with the milk and the remaining 0.5 teaspoon salt. Add half of the grated cheese and stir.
- If using fresh, chilled tortellini, there is no need to pre‑cook them – just separate them if they are stuck together. If using dried tortellini, cook them 2 minutes less than indicated on the packet and drain.
- Put the tortellini into the ovenproof dish, add the spinach and pour over the cream sauce. Gently mix so the sauce gets between the dumplings.
- Sprinkle the top with the remaining grated cheese.
- Place the casserole in the preheated oven and bake for 20–25 minutes, until the cheese has melted and lightly browned and the sauce is gently bubbling around the edges.
- After removing from the oven, leave the casserole to stand for 5 minutes so it thickens slightly before serving.
Storage
Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in the oven, covered with foil, or in the microwave until the centre is hot; if the sauce has thickened too much, stir in a splash of milk or cream when reheating.
