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My Marry Me Tortellini is a creamy, tomato-rich baked pasta that tastes fancy but comes together with almost no effort. Think tender cheese tortellini, a silky, savory sauce with pops of sun-dried tomato, ready in under an hour, and completely vegetarian.

If you loved my viral marry me orzo casserole (that has millions of views on social), this has the same great flavor base!

Baked tortellini in tomato sauce topped with grated cheese and fresh basil served in a white dish, with bread and grated cheese on the side.
This creamy vegetarian pasta bake is one of those recipes I reach for when I want something that feels special without pulling out extra pots or hovering over the stove.
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During the testing for this dump-and-bake meal, the goal was simple: capture the cozy richness of the Marry Me–style sauces while keeping it truly dump-and-bake. Meaning it needs to be reliable, no matter what refrigerated tortellini you use!

The result is a sauce that thickens naturally in the oven (just as thick and creamy as my marry me chickpeas), coats the pasta evenly, and feels balanced.

Reader rating

★★★★★

“Made this the other day and it was a huge it! Super flavorful and easy to put together. Will definitely be making this again soon!” —Katherine

Add your review

a proposal-worthy tortellini

  • Creamy, flavorful sauce without any stovetop work
  • Minimal prep and almost no dishes
  • Reheats really well, making an ideal weekly comfort food
A plate of baked tortellini in tomato sauce topped with grated cheese and herbs, served with a slice of bread on a patterned blue and white table.
We tested this Marry Me pasta recipe SO many times to make sure there was no way the sauce would become watery or break. Restaurant quality with weeknight ease!

You’ll Need:

Jump down to the recipe card for exact measurements.

  • Fresh Cheese Tortellini: Refrigerated tortellini cooks evenly in the oven and releases just enough starch to help thicken the sauce naturally.
  • Crushed Tomatoes: Important to create a cohesive sauce.
  • Sun-Dried Tomatoes: It’s not a Marry Me sauce without the umami and acidity of sun-dried tomatoes. These make it taste like you simmered the sauce all day (we won’t tell!). They come packed in oil or just dried; use the oil-packed for this recipe.
  • Heavy Cream: The higher fat in this adds richness and doesn’t break, so the sauce stays silky after baking. Coconut milk and vegan heavy cream will work too.
  • Spinach: Wilts quickly into the hot pasta, adding color and freshness without watering down the sauce like other veggies. Tuscan kale leaves work well, too!
  • Parmesan: Freshly grated is always best for smoother melting. Be careful about picking up a true vegetarian parmesan (not all are). Whole Foods sells it!
Bowls and containers of labeled ingredients for a pasta dish, including tortellini, parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, cream, seasonings, garlic, crushed tomatoes, and spinach.

mix it up

This no-boil pasta bake is a great base (I mean, the sauce is to die for with about anything!!). So here are some other ways we’ve enjoyed it:

  • Added mushrooms: Who doesn’t love a little more umami and protein? Saute until browned then mix in with the pasta.
  • Swap the tortellini: While I tend to use plain cheese tortellini, almost any flavored one (or vegan one) works great too, like spinach, gluten-free, or sausage if not a strict vegetarian.
  • Add protein and fiber: This works well with an added can of white beans, too while keeping it a quick vegetarian pasta dinner! Or, go with vegan beef crumbles to emulate that sausage and pasta feel.

Make it dairy-free

Yup! Besides using coconut milk or vegan heavy cream, vegan parmesan is one of the few vegan cheeses that actually taste *good*, so they are awesome here. Then you just need dairy-free tortellini, and you’re set for a dairy-free dump-and-bake pasta!

A white baking dish filled with baked tortellini in tomato sauce, garnished with basil and grated cheese, sits on a blue patterned surface near a plate of pasta and slices of bread.
Dump and bake tortellini is so simple to make that it makes a great meal train option because you can quickly double or triple the recipe.

more dump and bake dinners

Enjoy it with air fryer veggies on the side, and finish your meal with vegan panna cotta!

Baked tortellini in tomato sauce topped with grated cheese and fresh basil in a white casserole dish, set on a blue patterned surface.
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Marry Me Tortellini (Dump & Bake)

5 from 8 ratings
By: Sarah Bond
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 50 minutes
Total: 1 hour
Servings: 5 servings
This creamy Marry Me Tortellini is a baked vegetarian pasta with rich sun-dried tomato sauce. Big flavor, ready in an hour, minimal effort.

Ingredients 

  • 1 15-oz can crushed tomatoes, 425 g
  • 1 cup heavy cream, 236 mL
  • ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil, roughly chopped, 30 g
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ tsp each salt, crushed red pepper flakes, oregano
  • ¼ tsp each ground black pepper, smoked paprika
  • 20 oz-package fresh cheese tortellini, refrigerated; not dried or frozen, 566 g
  • ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, 40 g
  • 2 handfuls fresh spinach, roughly chopped
  • 2 Tbsp fresh chopped basil
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Instructions 

  • Prep: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a large (9×13 inch or similar) casserole dish.
  • Dump: To the prepared dish, dump in 1 15-oz can crushed tomatoes, 1 cup heavy cream, ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes (roughly chopped), 4 cloves garlic (minced), ½ tsp each salt, crushed red pepper flakes, oregano, and ¼ tsp each ground black pepper, smoked paprika. Stir to combine, then gently stir in 20 oz-package fresh cheese tortellini.
    A white baking dish with uncooked tortellini on top of a creamy tomato sauce, placed on a blue mosaic tile surface. A wooden spoon rests in the dish.
  • Bake: Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes*, or until tortellini is al dente (mostly tender but still has a little firmness in the middle).
    A white baking dish filled with baked tortellini in a red tomato sauce, placed on a blue and white mosaic-patterned surface.
  • Stir Ins: Stir in ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, 2 handfuls fresh spinach (roughly chopped), and 2 Tbsp fresh chopped basil. Cover with foil and return to the oven for 5 to 10 minutes. Tortellini should be tender when finished.
    If there appears to be a lot of extra liquid, do not cover cover for the second bake. This can depend on the brand of tortellini.
    A white baking dish with cooked tortellini in tomato sauce, topped with fresh spinach, basil, and a mound of grated cheese, on a blue and white mosaic surface.
  • Serve warm, topped with more fresh basil and parmesan, with crusty bread on the side!
    A plate of tortellini pasta in tomato sauce with spinach, topped with grated cheese, served on a blue patterned table with sliced bread and cheese on the side.

Notes

*Cook time depends on the tortellini brand and thickness
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in the microwave or oven, adding a splash of cream if needed to loosen the sauce.
Not freezer-friendly, as the cream sauce can separate and the pasta texture can get funky after thawing.
Can I use frozen tortellini? You can, but you’ll need to increase the bake time by about 10 minutes.
Can I prep this pasta bake ahead of time? Totally! Just wait to add the pasta until just before cooking.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 620kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 820mg | Potassium: 580mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1480IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 340mg | Iron: 3.5mg

Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.

did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
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5 from 8 votes

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19 Comments

  1. AJ says:

    5 stars
    Wow this was good. Surprisingly filling for a vegetarian meal.

    Reply
    1. The Live Eat Learn Team says:

      Thanks for the sweet review AJ, happy eating!

  2. Katherine says:

    5 stars
    Made this the other day and it was a huge it! Super flavorful and easy to put together. Will definitely be making this again soon 😁

    Reply
    1. The Live Eat Learn Team says:

      Big smiles over here, thanks for trying it Katherine!

  3. Nana says:

    5 stars
    Very yummy and easy to put together

    Reply
    1. Sarah Bond says:

      I’m so thrilled to hear it was a hit, Nana! Happy eating!

  4. Donna Evans says:

    Hi Sarah,

    Do you know if any brands that make gluten free tortellini? I have Celiac Disease and can’t eat regular tortellini.

    Thank you,

    Donna Evans

    Reply
    1. Sarah Bond says:

      I don’t have a lot of experience with gluten-free pastas, so I can’t say for sure, but it looks like Taste Republic has one!

  5. Ellen Pfau says:

    5 stars
    I copied down Marry Me Butter Beans and the Tortellini one! I am excited because I needed something easy for dinner and I have butter beans and I’ll just use frozen peas instead of spinach (I just don’t have any).
    I love your recipes because I don’t need to chop up a bunch of vegetables!!

    Reply
    1. The Live Eat Learn Team says:

      Love hearing this Ellen, thanks for being here!

  6. Mina says:

    5 stars
    This worked exactly as written. I enjoyed it a lot. I added a little feta on top, too.

    Reply
    1. The Live Eat Learn Team says:

      Thanks for making it and sharing Mina!

  7. Debbie G says:

    Hi Sarah 👋
    I’m in the process of baking this and I have one quick question (I hope you don’t think I’m silly BUT recipe says 5 servings but what is serving size??? 1 cup, half cup?? Thank you for understanding and helping me. 🥰

    Reply
    1. Sarah Bond says:

      Hi Debbie! A serving is simply one-fifth of the entire recipe 🙂

  8. Debbie says:

    5 stars
    Just made this…one word: Outstanding!!! My husband (and I) both LOVED it! P.S. Bonus>>>made the house smell wonnnnderful!!! 🥰😋🤗
    (My bad….I made THIS and the gnocchi one too….so I posted this comment on other one too (same yummy experience) but the picture is of the Tortellini one. I guess I’ve been making too many back to back, LOL 😆

    Reply
  9. Debbie says:

    5 stars
    Just made this…one word: Outstanding!!! My husband (and I) both LOVED it! P.S.Just made this…one word: Outstanding!!! My husband (and I) both LOVED it! P.S. Bonus>>>made the house smell wonnnnderful!!! 🥰😋🤗 Bonus>>>made the house smell wonnnnderful!!! 🥰😋🤗
    (My bad….I made THIS and the gnocchi one too….so I posted this comment on other one too (same yummy experience) but the picture is of the Tortellini one. I guess I’ve been making too many back to back, LOL 😆

    Reply
    1. The Live Eat Learn Team says:

      Thrilled you both loved it Debbie, thanks for the review!

  10. Kiley says:

    5 stars
    This is fantastic!! My none vegetarian family also enjoyed it. Thank you!

    Reply
    1. The Live Eat Learn Team says:

      Big smiles over here, thanks again Kiley!