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    Home » Recipes » Pasta with meat or seafood

    Italian Cheesy Baked Tortellini Souffle Recipe

    Published: May 16, 2020 · Modified: Jun 15, 2023. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

    Recipe Jump to Video
    Baked tortellini souffle is the ultimate fancy dish you can serve for a special occasion. Crunchy, creamy, and exquisite, everyone will ask for more. Raise your culinary skills to a higher level and give it a try, it is not that difficult to make.
    Baked tortellini souffle pin
    Baked tortellini souffle pin
    Baked tortellini souffle is the ultimate fancy dish you can serve for a special occasion. Crunchy, creamy, and exquisite, everyone will ask for more. Raise your culinary skills to a higher level and give it a try, it is not that difficult to make.

    This cheesy baked tortellini recipe is the ultimate fancy dish you can serve for a special occasion. This Suffle di tortellini al forno is a crunchy, creamy, and delicious meal, everyone will ask for more. It is not an easy dinner idea for a busy night. It is a sophisticated souffle made with meat or cheese tortellini flavored with plenty of Parmesan cheese. Raise your culinary skills to a higher level and try; it is much easier to make than you think.

    Tortellini souffle served on a plate
    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • How to serve them
    • Top tips for making a souffle
    • Equipment
    • More baked recipes
    • 📋Italian Cheesy Baked Tortellini Souffle Recipe

    This is not an easy one-pot cheesy baked tortellini casserole, it is a sophisticated tortellini cheese souffle you can bring to a fancy dinner table, an ultimate comfort food.

    The tortellini are mixed with butter, heavy cream, bechamel and plenty of Parmesan cheese, a sauce similar to Alfredo sauce.

    However, the tortellini are baked in a souffle batter of egg whites bitten to soft peaks to create a frothy consistency around them.

    There are no other vegetables, fresh herbs, tomato sauce or hearty meat sauce added to it as this dish is best with only the simple flavors of cheese and eggs.

    For similar pasta bake recipes, you can try: Lasagna di Carnevale, baked spaghetti muffins,

    Baked tortellini souffle with a spoon serving it

    Ingredients

    Choosing the tortellini

    The type of tortellini you use is essential. They cannot be too big as they will be too heavy for the egg whites to sustain while cooking. Their regular cooking time should be at least 8 to 10 minutes.

    Since the tortellini needs to bake again in the oven, they will overcook and break if the tortellini pasta dough is too thin.

    I usually buy the dried Tortellini pasta from Barilla (amazon affiliate link), my boys like the one with prosciutto and Parmigiano, but you can also find Cheese-filled Tortellini.

    If you prefer, you can buy fresh tortellini or ravioli at your grocery store; just make sure they are small in size, the pasta dough is thick enough and the cooking time is adequate for baking.

    Do not use frozen tortellini or canned.

    Package of Tortellini Barilla

    Other ingredients

    • Parmesan cheese
    • Heavy cream
    • Fresh eggs
    • Butter
    • Salt for cooking the water to boil the tortellini

    For the bechamel:

    • Butter
    • Flour
    • Milk
    • Salt
    • Nutmeg

    For more information you can read the article: How to make a white roux and its related mother sauces

    ingredients for the bechamel

    Instructions

    Preparing the tortellini

    1. In a large pot of salted water, boil the tortellini for 3 minutes less than what is in the package directions (if their required cooking time is 10 minutes, boil for 7 minutes only)
    2. Drain them and immediately mix them with 1 tablespoon of butter to keep them from sticking.
    3. Stir for a couple of minutes until the butter is melted.
    showing steps on how to pre cook the tortellini

    Making Béchamel: White Roux

    1. Stir 1 or 2 minutes the flour and the butter in a pan over low heat with a wooden spoon to create a white roux.
    2. Remove from the heat and gradually add the warm milk making sure no lumps are formed.
    3. Put back on the heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
    4. Lower the heat and keep stirring till it reaches the right consistency.
    5. Add salt and nutmeg at the end.
    6. Let the bechamel cool down at room temperature
    Step by step bechamel white roux

    Preparing the souffle batter

    1. Once the bechamel is at room temperature, add the egg yolks one at a time and stir until they are thoroughly combined
    2. Add the heavy cream
    3. Add the parmesan
    4. Stir until the batter is homogeneous
    5. Add the cooked tortellini
    6. and mix thoroughly
    Step by step preparing the souffle batter

    Making and mixing the whipped egg whites

    1. Pour the 4 egg whites into a bowl, making sure they are at room temperature
    2. Whip the egg whites to stiff peaks
    3. Pour the egg whites into the souffle batter with the tortellini
    4. Mix very gently to keep the frosting stable
    5. Pour the mix into a souffle baking pan
    6. Bake in a preheated oven for 50 minutes at 355 F - 180 C until the top turns golden brown
    7. To ensure the souffle is fully cooked in the center, pierce it with a metal stick, and it should come out clean.
    8. Serve hot.
    step by step adding the whipped egg whites into the batter and baking it

    How to serve them

    This souffle is a filling and satisfying dish; it will be your masterpiece for dinner with guests. You don't need anything fancy or rich to serve with it, just some light vegetables cooked simply and without complicated sauce.

    Like fresh spinach, zucchini, carrots, or broccoli, a mix of steamed vegetables will do. Simply steam your vegetables in a steamer, pressure pan or microwave. You can check how I prepare the steamed zucchini in the recipe: baked salmon with steamed zucchini.

    You can also serve a mix of grilled vegetables or a simple side salad with the tortellini souffle.

    I discourage serving garlic bread or Italian sausage with it as the dish is already very rich and does not need any other rich food.

    Garlic bread is not typical Italian.

    For dessert, serve something fruity like a Pear crumble or a Tarte Tatin to contrast the richness of the main dish.

    To finish a homemade liqueur to digest and cleanse: Limoncello, orange Curacao, Nocino, Chocolate liqueur, so many to choose from.

    Baked tortellini souffle with a spoon serving it

    Top tips for making a souffle

    Top tips for a perfect souffle

    Making a souffle may sound challenging, but following some simple rules will make it easy to make and ensure success.

    • The secret of a good souffle is to whip the egg white very firmly and mix it with the other ingredients at the end, very gently, to ensure the foam of the egg whites remains firm.
    • Make sure your egg whites are at room temperature before you whip them.
    • Once the mixture is composed, it has to bake immediately
    • Don't open the oven while the souffle is cooking.
    • To ensure the souffle is fully cooked in the center, pierce it with a metal stick, and it should come out clean.
    • This dish is not suitable for a large group as a large quantity will not cook properly in the center
    • It is not a great freezer meal

    Equipment

    To bake the souffle, use a ceramic pan (affiliate link) with a high border: 9 inches -22 cm in diameter.

    An electric mixer to whip the egg whites is highly recommended.

    More baked recipes

    For more baked recipes, you may enjoy:

    • Southern Italian Lasagna Recipe
      Southern Italian Lasagna Recipe (Lasagne di Carnevale)
    • Italian Mashed Potato Pie Gateau
      Italian Mashed Potato Pie Gateau
    • Gnocchi alla Romana semolina gnocchi
      Semolina Gnocchi (Gnocchi Alla Romana)
    • Gnocchi Parisienne (Parisian Gnocchi)

    If you are making this baked tortellini souffle, leave your comment below I would like to hear from you. You can find more delicious ideas if you FOLLOW ME on Facebook, YouTube, or sign up to my newsletter.

    Baked tortellini souffle in the baking dish with a spoon to serve

    📋Italian Cheesy Baked Tortellini Souffle Recipe

    5 from 5 votes
    Laura Tobin
    Servings 8 people
    Prep Time 30 minutes mins
    Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
    resting time 1 hour hr
    Total Time 3 hours hrs
    Print Recipe Save Saved! Pin Recipe
    Baked tortellini souffle is the ultimate fancy dish you can serve for a special occasion. Crunchy, creamy, and exquisite, everyone will ask for more. Raise your culinary skills to a higher level and give it a try, it is not that difficult to make.
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • Mini Measuring Set
    • Measuring mugs
    • Wooden Turner Set
    • KitchenAid Mixer
    • Pasta pan 8-Quart 3-Piece
    • All-Clad Sauce Pan 3-Quart
    • Souffle dish 9 inch 2.5 quarts

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 lb tortellini
    • 1 tablespoon salt for cooking the tortellini
    • ½ cup freshly grated parmesan
    • ⅓ cup heavy cream
    • 4 fresh eggs separate yolks and whites
    • 1 tablespoon butter

    For the bechamel

    • 2 tablespoon butter
    • 2 tablespoon flour
    • 2 cups milk
    • 1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
    • 1 pinch salt

    Instructions
     

    Pre cook the tortellini

    • In a pot of salted boiling water, precook the tortellini for 3 minutes less than what instructed in the package (if their required cooking time is 10 minutes, boil for 7 minutes only)
      1 lb tortellini, 1 tablespoon salt
    • Drain them and immediately mix them with 1 tablespoon of butter to keep them from sticking to each other.
    • Stir until the butter is melted.
      1 tablespoon butter

    Making Béchamel: White Roux

    • Stir for 1 or 2 minutes the flour and the butter in a pan over low heat with a wooden spoon to create a white roux.
      2 tablespoon butter, 2 tablespoon flour
    • Remove from the heat and gradually add the warm milk making sure no lumps are formed.
      2 cups milk
    • Put back on the heat and bring to boil stirring constantly.
    • Lower the heat and keep stirring, till it reaches the right consistency.
    • Add salt and nutmeg at the end.
      1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg, 1 pinch salt
    • Let the bechamel cool down at room temperature

    Preparing the souffle batter

    • Once the bechamel is at room temperature add the egg yolks one at a time and stir until they are completely combined
      4 fresh eggs
    • Add the heavy cream
      ⅓ cup heavy cream
    • Add the parmesan
      ½ cup freshly grated parmesan
    • Stir until the batter is homogeneous
    • Add the tortellini and mix thoroughly

    Making and mixing the whipped egg whites

    • Pour the 4 egg whites into a bowl, make sure they are at room temperature
      4 fresh eggs
    • Whip the egg whites until they form a thick and frosty foam
    • Pour the egg whites into the souffle batter with the tortellini
    • Mix very gently to keep the frosting stable
    • Pour the mix into a souffle baking pan
    • Bake in a hot oven at 355 F - 180 C for 50 minutes
    • To make sure the souffle is fully cooked in the center, pierce it with a metal stick and it should come out clean.
    • Serve hot.

    Video

    Notes

    • Make sure the bechamel is at room temperature before you add the egg yolks otherwise the egg will cook
    • Whip the egg white very firmly and mix it to the other ingredients at the end, very gently to make sure the foam of the egg whites remains firm.
    • Make sure your egg whites are at room temperature before you whip them. If you have your own farm free-range eggs, they don't need to be stored in the fridge.
    • Don't open the oven while the souffle is cooking.
    • To make sure the souffle is fully cooked in the center, pierce it with a metal stick and it should come out clean.
    • The type of tortellini you use is very important. They cannot be too big as they will be too heavy for the egg whites to sustain them while cooking. Their regular cooking time should be at least 8 to 10 minutes.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 349kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 16gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 139mgSodium: 445mgPotassium: 124mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 545IUCalcium: 242mgIron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Please consider Leaving a Review!
    important notes on ingredients

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Dannii

      May 17, 2020 at 8:39 am

      5 stars
      What an awesome way to use tortelinni. I can't wait to try.

      Reply
      • Laura

        May 17, 2020 at 11:45 am

        Thank you, I am sure you will love it

        Reply
    2. Adrianne

      May 17, 2020 at 12:22 pm

      5 stars
      I enjoyed reading about the chickens. All of those fresh eggs! Yum, this tortellini sounds delicious and the perfect comfort food ever!

      Reply
      • Laura

        May 17, 2020 at 2:15 pm

        Thank you, I love my chickens.

        Reply
    3. kim

      May 17, 2020 at 2:08 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe was fabulous! So easy and tasty! I'll definitely be making again!

      Reply
      • Laura

        May 17, 2020 at 2:15 pm

        I am delighted to know

        Reply
    4. Lisa Huff

      May 17, 2020 at 3:33 pm

      5 stars
      Ohhh this tortellini is my kind of comfort food! Love all those eggs in there!

      Reply
      • Laura

        May 17, 2020 at 5:19 pm

        Thanks, it is a great one

        Reply
    5. Caitlyn Erhardt

      May 17, 2020 at 4:40 pm

      5 stars
      This was wonderful! My husband loved it and he is already asking me to make it again.

      Reply
      • Laura

        May 17, 2020 at 5:19 pm

        So glad to hear, thank you for letting me know

        Reply
    5 from 5 votes

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    Laura Giunta Tobin

    Hi, I’m Laura. Welcome to my blog! While many talk about Italian food, I’ve lived it firsthand. Here, I share real Italian home cooking, just as it’s made in Italy. Won’t you join me?

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