Baked Tortellini Alfredo Casserole | The Ultimate Comfort Meal

heavy cream

🥗Healthier: Greek yogurt

💰Cheaper: milk + cornstarch

Greek yogurt reduces calories while maintaining creaminess

Parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: Pecorino Romano

Nutritional yeast is dairy-free and adds a cheesy flavor

bacon

🥗Healthier: turkey bacon

💰Cheaper: pancetta

Turkey bacon has less fat and calories

butter

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Olive oil is heart-healthy and adds flavor

Cut off the casing of 4-5 links of sweet Italian sausage with a sharp pairing knife and peel off the casing to get the ground sausage.

Heat a Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, allowing it to warm up.

Add 1/2 cup of diced yellow onions and a pinch of salt to the skillet, stirring for a couple of minutes until softened.

Add the ground Italian sausage to the skillet, breaking it up with a wooden spoon and cooking until no longer pink.

Stir in some minced garlic and then add 2 oz of spinach, covering the skillet for a couple of minutes to wilt the spinach.

Uncover and stir to combine all ingredients, then turn off the heat and push the mixture to the back of the stove.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Boil water in a pot for the tortellini, cooking it for 2-3 minutes and stirring halfway through, then strain and set aside.

In a separate skillet or pot, melt 4 tablespoons of salted butter over medium-low heat until it starts to sizzle but not brown.

Add 1 cup of heavy cream to the melted butter and cook for 5-7 minutes on medium-low heat without boiling.

Once heated, reduce the heat to low and stir in 1 cup of grated parmesan cheese until melted and the sauce thickens slightly.

In a casserole dish, layer the cooked tortellini on the bottom, followed by the sausage and spinach mixture.

Pour the alfredo sauce over the tortellini and sausage, stirring to combine.

Top with 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese and a sprinkle of additional parmesan cheese if desired.

Garnish with about 1/2 teaspoon of parsley.

Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then broil for an additional 5 minutes to achieve a crispy top.

Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens