Creamy Broccoli Tortellini Pasta Bake
This Creamy Broccoli Tortellini Pasta Bake makes an tasty weeknight dinner any day of the week. My whole family loves this easy vegetarian meal!
Servings 4 servings
Calories 538kcal
Ingredients
- 9 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini
- 3 cups chopped broccoli florets
- 3 TBSP butter
- 3 TBSP all-purpose flour
- 1.5 cups warm milk (warmed via stovetop or microwave)
- ½ tsp dried basil
- 1/4-1/2 tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp black pepper plus extra, to taste
- ¼ tsp salt (season to taste)
- 1 cup freshly grated Gruyere cheese
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 4-8 Ritz crackers, crushed
- crushed red pepper flakes to taste, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Measure out all your ingredients and set aside.
- Bring a medium pot of water to a light boil. Reduce heat to medium and add your fresh tortellini. After 1 minute, add your broccoli to the pot. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until broccoli is bright green and al dente and pasta is tender. Drain and set aside.
- Using the same (now empty) pot, melt butter over medium heat. Once melted, add the flour in slowly, whisking with a metal whisk constantly for 2 minutes while it bubbles and darkens in color. This roux will thicken our sauce.
- Pour heated milk into the butter-flour mixture and whisk well. Bring to a light boil, whisking constantly for 1 minute or until the mixture has thickened.
- Remove from heat and add salt, pepper, basil, and garlic powder. Working in 2-3 batches, add half the gruyere cheese and all of the parmesan cheese, whisking in between each batch to gently melt the cheese. Add pasta and broccoli and mix to coat.
- Transfer mixture to a medium baking dish and sprinkle with remaining gruyere cheese. Top with foil and bake at 375°F on the center rack for 15 minutes.
- Uncover and top with crushed crackers. Bake an additonal 5 minutes to crisp the cracker coating and serve right away while hot and bubbly!
- Any additonal salt and pepper may be added to taste as well as an optional topping of crusehed red peper flakes for a kick!
Notes
No Gruyere cheese? No problem! You can use white cheddar cheese or Gouda cheese in it’s place. Fontina also makes a flavorful swap!
Nutrition Facts below are estimated using an online recipe nutrition calculator. Adjust as needed based on choice of optional toppings and swaps and enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 538kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 799mg | Potassium: 366mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1140IU | Vitamin C: 61mg | Calcium: 643mg | Iron: 3mg
