Cheesy Beef Enchilada Tortellini Recipe
A comforting and flavorful casserole that combines cheesy cheese tortellini with a savory ground beef enchilada sauce. This dish is baked to bubbly perfection, topped with melted mozzarella, and garnished with fresh cilantro for a delicious Mexican-Italian fusion meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican-Italian Fusion
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Sauce
- 1 lb ground beef
- ½ medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- 1 (10 oz) can red enchilada sauce
- ½ cup cream cheese
Pasta and Cheese
- 1 (9 oz) package refrigerated cheese tortellini
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Garnish
- Fresh cilantro (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare Beef Filling: In a large skillet, brown the ground beef and diced onion over medium-high heat until the beef is fully cooked and the onions are translucent. Drain any excess fat. Stir in minced garlic, chili powder, ground cumin, salt, and pepper; cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the red enchilada sauce and cream cheese, stirring until the cream cheese has fully melted and the sauce is smooth. Let the mixture simmer gently for 5 minutes to blend the flavors.
- Cook Tortellini: While the beef filling simmers, cook the cheese tortellini according to the package directions until al dente. Once cooked, drain the tortellini well and do not rinse, to preserve the pasta texture and allow better sauce adherence.
- Combine and Assemble: Add the drained tortellini directly to the skillet with the beef and enchilada sauce mixture, gently folding to coat the pasta evenly. Transfer this combined mixture to a lightly greased 9×13-inch baking dish, spreading it out evenly.
- Bake: Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top of the assembled casserole. Place the baking dish into a preheated oven set at 375°F (190°C). Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbly and the cheese has melted completely and started to turn lightly golden.
- Serve: Once baked, remove the casserole from the oven and allow it to rest for 5 minutes to set. Garnish with fresh cilantro if desired before serving hot.
Notes
- For extra heat, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or chopped jalapeños to the beef mixture.
- You can substitute ground turkey or chicken for the ground beef for a lighter version.
- Use low-fat cream cheese and mozzarella to reduce fat content.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven or microwave.
- Fresh cilantro adds a nice freshness but can be omitted if preferred.
Keywords: cheesy beef enchilada tortellini, beef enchilada casserole, baked tortellini recipe, cheesy pasta bake, easy weeknight dinner
