Baked Tortellini Bolognese

Holy cheese pull! Look at this skillet of awesomeness! Cheese tortellini, slick from herb-infused olive oil, topped with hearty Bolognese and a ridiculous amount of cheese. Full-on flavor from the middle of the tortellini to the top of the sauce.

I love when my recipes are as easy to make as they are "easy on the eyes". This dish is particularly easy because we make efficient use of the ingredients. The herbs used in the Bolognese sauce are also used to coat the tortellini. That's why the ingredient list is so short. That's also why the flavors compliment each other so well!

And look at that cheese! That's uber-stretchy mozzarella my friends. The creaminess of the cheese is the perfect counterpart for the zest and heft of the sauce.

This dish is also perfect for make-ahead planning. You can assemble the whole thing up to 24 hours in advance - just cover with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate. Pull the pan from the fridge 30 minutes before baking as instructed below.

Baked Tortellini Bolognese

1 pound tortellini of choice (I prefer the refrigerated variety)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 teaspoons dried oregano, divided
2 teaspoons dried basil, divied
Salt and ground black pepper
1/2 cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1 1/2-2 cups tomato sauce, from a carton or can
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Crushed red pepper flakes for serving

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cook the tortellini according to the package directions. Drain and, while still warm, toss with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, 1 teaspoon each of the oregano and basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Transfer to a shallow baking dish or ovenproof skillet.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 3 minutes, until golden. Add the beef and cook until browned, breaking up the meat as it cooks. Add the remaining oregano and basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and stir to coat. Cook for 1 minute, until the herbs are fragrant. Add 1 1/2 cups of the tomato sauce and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, partially cover and simmer for 10 minutes. If you want a thinner sauce, add another 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce.
Pour the sauce over the tortellini in the baking dish. Top with the cheese.
Bake for 5 minutes, until the cheese melts. Top with crushed red pepper and serve.
Serves 4