Here's another great casserole dish that's great for company. For just me and sweet pea, I half all of the ingredients. You can also make this dish ahead of time and stick it in the fridge until you're ready to bake it. Pairs nicely with a salad and dinner rolls!
Tortellini Spinach Bake With Creamy Lemon Sauce
2 - 12 oz bags of cheese & spinach tortellini
8 strips bacon, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
4 tbsp flour
4 cups milk
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tbsp lemon juice
4 cups loosely packed fresh spinach, roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese, divided
1 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese, divided
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cook the tortellini in a large pot of salted water according to package directions.
Meanwhile, cook the bacon on the stove-top at medium-high heat until crisp. (I like to freeze my bacon the night before and then dice it up before I fry it...it's so much easier!)
Remove from the pan and set on paper towels to drain. Reserve 4 tablespoons of bacon drippings in the pan and discard the rest.
Add garlic to the pan and cook about 1 minute. Add the flour and stir with a whisk for about 1 minute. Slowly add in the milk, a little at a time, and continue to stir with a whisk until smooth. Add in the salt, pepper, basil, and red pepper flakes, bringing the sauce to a simmer.
Add in the lemon juice and continue to stir until thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.
Drain the tortellini and place back in the large pot.
Reserve 2 tablespoons of the cooked bacon and add the rest to the pasta mixture. Add in the spinach, 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese and 1 cup of the parmesan cheese. Add in the sauce and gently stir to combine.
Place the pasta mixture in an 9 x 13 inch baking dish and top with the remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella and 1/2 cup parmesan. Top with the remaining bacon.
Cover the pan with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
Remove the foil and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until cheese on top is melted and the pasta is bubbly throughout.
Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes before serving. Delicious!
Makes about 12 servings
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Tortellini Spinach Bake With Creamy Lemon Sauce
2 - 12 oz bags of cheese & spinach tortellini
8 strips bacon, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
4 tbsp flour
4 cups milk
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tbsp lemon juice
4 cups loosely packed fresh spinach, roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese, divided
1 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese, divided
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cook the tortellini in a large pot of salted water according to package directions.
Meanwhile, cook the bacon on the stove-top at medium-high heat until crisp. (I like to freeze my bacon the night before and then dice it up before I fry it...it's so much easier!)
Remove from the pan and set on paper towels to drain. Reserve 4 tablespoons of bacon drippings in the pan and discard the rest.
Add garlic to the pan and cook about 1 minute. Add the flour and stir with a whisk for about 1 minute. Slowly add in the milk, a little at a time, and continue to stir with a whisk until smooth. Add in the salt, pepper, basil, and red pepper flakes, bringing the sauce to a simmer.
Add in the lemon juice and continue to stir until thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.
Drain the tortellini and place back in the large pot.
Reserve 2 tablespoons of the cooked bacon and add the rest to the pasta mixture. Add in the spinach, 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese and 1 cup of the parmesan cheese. Add in the sauce and gently stir to combine.
Place the pasta mixture in an 9 x 13 inch baking dish and top with the remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella and 1/2 cup parmesan. Top with the remaining bacon.
Cover the pan with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
Remove the foil and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until cheese on top is melted and the pasta is bubbly throughout.
Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes before serving. Delicious!
Makes about 12 servings
Subscribe to Love Cook Eat and never miss a delicious recipe!
- Love Cook Eat
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