Trader Joe’s Casserole–a cheesy tortellini and meatball dish that is an easy dump and go slow cooker meal. Yummy Italian food without any fuss!
Trader Joe’s Casserole
This super fast and easy 5 ingredient dump and go slow cooker meal is perfect to put together in the afternoon and have dinner all ready to go by 5 or 6. It is hearty and will feed some hungry boys. I had Skyler’s friends over to take this down and they loved it. The Boursin adds that creamy, garlicky goodness that takes it up a notch. (The name of this recipe comes from Trader Joe’s Tortellini and Meatball Casserole on the Hungry Hooker. Her version uses Trader Joe’s products such as their frozen tortellini, chicken meatballs and tomato basil marinara sauce. Since I don’t have a Trader Joe’s near me I just used products I found at my grocery store. But if you do have a Trader Joes nearby try their stuff!)
Ingredients/Substitution Ideas
- Frozen cheese tortellini–or refrigerated will work too, just adjust cooking time as needed
- Frozen Italian style meatballs
- Tomato basil pasta sauce–or your favorite kind
- Salt and pepper
- Boursin Garlic and Herb Cheese
- Whole milk mozzarella cheese–I love the whole milk cheese it’s so yummy, but you can also use low fat
Steps
(Watch me demonstrate this recipe on YOUTUBE and please subscribe 🙂 Just layer the sauce, tortellini, and meatballs in the slow cooker, season with a little salt and pepper, then let it cook on high for a couple of hours. When it’s done, stir in the Boursin so it gets all creamy, sprinkle mozzarella on top, and let it melt into cheesy perfection. Serve it up and enjoy!
Notes/Tips
- Serve with a green salad.
- I used my 6 quart Ninja slow cooker. This would probably work in a smaller 3-5 quart slow cooker as well. Although in a 3 quart it may be a little hard to serve in the Boursin without it spilling over the sides.
- My cooker cooks pretty quickly so I probably could/should have only cooked for 90 minutes on high. Each slow cooker cooks differently so your cooking time might require less or more than the suggested time in the recipe.
- You don’t need to thaw the meatballs or tortellini first.
- Want to bake it instead? Layer it in a casserole dish, cover with foil, and bake at 375°F for 35–40 minutes.
- You can use frozen ravioli instead of tortellini if you prefer.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Other recipes you can make with Boursin cheese are Boursin Chicken and Boomshakalaka Casserole.
Did you know you can filter the recipes on my website to search by meat type, IP or Crockpot, low carb, gluten free, etc.? Use the filter to find exactly what you are looking for.
Trader Joe’s Casserole
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
A cheesy tortellini and meatball dish that is an easy dump and go slow cooker meal. Yummy Italian food without any fuss!
Ingredients
- 20 oz frozen cheese tortellini
- 18 oz Italian style meatballs
- 25 oz jar tomato basil pasta sauce (or your favorite kind)
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2 package Boursin Garlic and Herb Cheese (75 grams)
- 1/2 cup shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Spoon 1/3 cup of the pasta sauce on the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Layer half of the tortellini, half of the meatballs, half of the sauce and repeat. Then lightly sprinkle salt and pepper on top.
- Cover and cook on high for 2 hours.
- Gently stir in the Boursin cheese. Sprinkle mozzarella on top and let it melt.
- Serve and enjoy!
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Slow Cooker
More slow cooker pasta recipes to try…
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*This is a recipe update from Day 7 of my blog way back in February of 2009! It didn’t even have a picture. This is a great beginner slow cooker recipe! Enjoy the updated recipe and photos. This is a very easy version of a family-friendly lasagna. By using spaghetti sauce the need for extra
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A perfect warm soup for your meatless Monday. It’s chock full of goodness–carrots, spinach, orzo and Parmesan cheese. This recipe is a delicious blend of flavors that will warm you up on a cold day. I love the bright green spinach for the color and the nutrition. The carrots, onions, and celery are par cooked in
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
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