Looking for a delicious vegetarian dinner the whole family will love? This easy Mediterranean Tortellini Bake is packed with veggies and flavor and comes together quickly. The vegetables can be customized based on what you and your family enjoy or have on hand. Serve with a side salad and bread.
Happy New Year! I hope you all had a relaxing and healthy holiday season. I planned to post new recipes on the first of the month, but sickness hit our house. I caught the worst of it and have been largely out of commission since New Year’s Eve. I’m finally starting to feel better and am excited about all the new recipes I plan to share with you all in 2025! First up, this Mediterranean Tortellini Bake, which comes together easily and has 27 grams of protein per serving.
Why You’ll Love This Mediterranean-Inspired Tortellini Bake
- It’s cozy – I’m always a sucker for cheesy pasta bakes, and using tortellini in this recipe makes it even higher up on the comfort food scale. Every bite is cheesy and delicious and goes great with crusty bread or salad.
- It’s packed with flavor – I love Mediterranean food because it always has so much flavor. Those bold flavors inspire this tortellini bake, and it really packs a punch. The capers, pepperoncini, kalamata olives, and artichoke hearts really bring the zing!
- It’s a balanced dinner – This cozy meal is packed with protein and vegetables and can be served on its own or with a side salad/bread. I love adding cheese tortellini to recipes because they cook quickly and add so much heartiness to the meal.
Why Your Body Will Love This Veggie-Packed Dinner
- Protein – Chickpeas are a great source of plant-based protein, and mozzarella and goat cheese provide the body with essential proteins. Goat cheese, however, has a different fatty acid profile than cow milk cheeses. Its fatty acids provide a higher proportion of medium-chain fatty acids, which metabolize easily and are a great energy source.
- Antioxidants – I tried to use a variety of colorful vegetables in this recipe because bright-colored veggies are packed with antioxidants. Antioxidants protect our bodies from damage caused by free radicals and unstable molecules that can increase disease risk. Tomatoes, capers, bell peppers, and olives are all particularly high in antioxidants.
- Digestion – A high-fiber diet is imperative for good digestive health, and chickpeas contain 35 grams of fiber per cup of cooked beans. Beans have a mixture of soluble and insoluble fiber, which greatly benefit the digestive process. Soluble fiber absorbs water in the digestive tract, helping regulate the absorption of nutrients. It also binds to the bile in the digestive tract, carrying out toxins that would otherwise recirculate throughout the body. A diet high in beans is excellent for detoxifying the liver, among many other benefits. Insoluble fiber helps bulk up our stool, ensuring that things run smoothly.
Mediterranean Tortellini Bake Recipe Ingredients
- Tortellini – I like to use cheese tortellini from the refrigerated section at the grocery store. It cooks in about 5 minutes and always tastes nice and fresh. You can use whatever brand and flavor of tortellini you prefer. If you can’t find tortellini, you can substitute it with gnocchi or a bigger bite-sized pasta, like rigatoni pasta.
- Chickpeas – I used one can of chickpeas to add some extra protein to this recipe. White beans also work well.
- Marinara Sauce – You can use marinara sauce, pasta sauce, or homemade tomato sauce if you like. When using store-bought, I love the flavor of Rao’s, but any kind will work.
- Veggies – The Mediterranean-inspired vegetables included in this recipe are artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, red onion, red pepper, capers, and sliced pepperoncini. I also add fresh garlic, dried oregano, and fresh parsley.
- Cheese – I like to use a mixture of crumbled goat cheese and mozzarella. Goat cheese adds a nice tanginess, while mozzarella is creamy and melts well.
How To Make This Easy Vegetarian Baked Tortellini
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Heat a large pot of water until boiling. Add in the tortellini and cook according to package directions. Once finished cooking, drain the tortellini and set aside until ready to use.
- Heat a large, oven-safe skillet over medium heat and add the chopped onion and a pinch of salt. Cook the onion until softened, 1-2 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Next, add the artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, roasted red pepper, pepperoncini, capers, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, and another pinch of salt. Cook everything together until the mixture comes to a light simmer, 2-3 minutes.
- Turn the heat off, then add the cooked tortellini, chickpeas, marinara sauce, and parsley. Give everything a good mix until it is completely combined. Add the shredded mozzarella cheese to the top and evenly sprinkle on the crumbled goat cheese. Place the skillet in the oven, and bake until the cheese is melted and the tortellini is heated for 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool and enjoy.
Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
- Make this recipe gluten-free by using gluten-free tortellini.
- Make this recipe vegan using vegan tortellini and a vegan mozzarella cheese substitute. You can most likely find those products at Whole Foods or somewhere similar.
- Can I freeze this meal? Yes, this recipe is freezer-friendly. I recommend assembling just until you put the tortellini into the oven. Instead, transfer to a freezer-friendly container and freeze for up to three months.
- How long do leftovers last? If stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator, leftovers should last for 4-5 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave for best results.
- Should I bake this recipe in a skillet or baking dish? You can use either. There will be less cleanup if you have an oven-safe skillet that you can cook on the stove and then put right into the oven.
Have a question I didn’t answer? Ask me in the comment section below, and I will get back to you ASAP!
Have a question I didn’t answer? Ask me in the comment section below and I will get back to you ASAP!
Looking For More Easy Vegetarian Pasta Dinner Recipes?
Kale and White Bean Pasta with Parmesan
Spicy Baked Pasta with Vegetarian Meatballs
Vegetarian Cheesy Tortellini Casserole
Print
Mediterranean Tortellini Bake
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Looking for a delicious vegetarian dinner that the whole family will love? This Mediterranean Tortellini Bake is packed with veggies and tons of flavor. It’s easy to make and comes together quickly. The vegetables can be customized based on what you and your family enjoy and. Serve with a side salad and bread.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 (18 oz) package cheese tortellini
- 1 (24 oz) jar marinara sauce, or pasta sauce
- 1 (16 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/2 small red onion, diced
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers
- 1 cup chopped artichoke hearts (I used a 12 oz jar of marinated artichoke hearts)
- 1/3 cup sliced pepperoccini
- 1/3 cup sliced kalamata olives
- 2 tablespoons chopped capers
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more if desired
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 oz crumbled goat cheese
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees F. Heat a large pot of water until boiling. Add in the tortellini and cook according to package directions. Once finished cooking, drain tortellini and set aside until ready to use.
- Heat a large, oven safe, skillet over medium heat and add in the chopped onion, and a pinch of salt. Cook onion until softened, 1-2 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook for another minute, until fragrant.
- Next, add in the artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, roasted red pepper, pepperoncini, capers, dried oregano, red pepper flakes and another pinch of salt. Cook everything together until mixture comes to a light simmer, 2-3 minutes.
- Turn the heat off and then add in the cooked tortellini, chickpeas, marinara sauce and parsley. Give everything a good mix, until it is completely combined. Add the shredded mozzarella cheese to the top and then evenly sprinkle on the crumbled goat cheese.
- Place skillet in oven, and bake until cheese is melted and tortellini is heated through, 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool and enjoy.
Notes
If you don’t have an oven safe pan, you can cook the mixture in a pan and then transfer it to an oven safe baking dish before placing in the oven, like I did.
- Prep Time: 25 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Category: Dinner, Vegetarian
- Method: Stovetop, Oven
- Cuisine: Greek Inspired
Leave a Reply