Creamy Dreamy Cheese Tortelloni Bake
with Zucchini, Crispy Panko & Scallions
- Eggs
- Milk
- Wheat
Think a big bowl of cheesy stuffed pasta can’t get any better? Think again! In this recipe, we toss tender, cheese-stuffed tortelloni with golden-brown sautéed zucchini in a velvety lemon-scallion cream sauce. Shower with panko breadcrumbs that crisp up to an enticing golden brown in the oven, and dig into a deliciously cozy vegetarian dinner idea that’s ready in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
9 ounce
Tortelloni
(Contains: Eggs, Milk, Wheat)
1 unit
Zucchini
2 tablespoon
Cream Cheese
(Contains: Milk)
1 unit
Lemon
1 clove
Garlic
3 tablespoon
Parmesan Cheese
(Contains: Milk)
¼ cup
Panko Breadcrumbs
(Contains: Wheat)
1 ounce
Cheese Roux Concentrate
(Contains: Milk)
2 unit
Scallions
1 teaspoon
Hot Sauce
Not included in your delivery
1 tablespoon (tbsp)
Butter
(Contains: Milk)
1 teaspoon (tsp)
Cooking Oil
teaspoon (tsp)
Salt
teaspoon (tsp)
Black Pepper
Nutrition Values
Utensils
Cooking Steps
• Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry produce. • Trim and halve zucchini lengthwise; cut crosswise into ½-inch-thick half-moons. Peel and mince or grate garlic. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Zest and quarter lemon.
• Heat a drizzle of oil in a large, preferably ovenproof, pan over medium-high heat. Add zucchini; cook, stirring, until softened and lightly browned, 5-7 minutes (7-10 minutes for 4 servings). • Add garlic and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1-2 minutes more. • Turn off heat; transfer zucchini to a plate. Wipe out pan. Let pan cool for 1 minute.
• Once water is boiling, add tortelloni to pot. Cook until tender and floating to the top, 3-4 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water (2 cups for 4 servings), then drain.
• While tortelloni cook, melt 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings) in pan used for zucchini over medium-high heat. Add scallion whites and cook, stirring occasionally, until just softened, 1 minute. • Stir in cheese roux and ½ cup reserved pasta cooking water (1 cup for 4). (TIP: If tortelloni aren’t finished cooking, ladle pasta cooking water straight from pot.) Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 2-4 minutes. Reduce heat to low. • Whisk in cream cheese, Parmesan, a squeeze of lemon juice (big squeeze for 4), and a pinch of lemon zest (save remaining lemon for another use!); season with pepper.
• Stir tortelloni and zucchini into pan with sauce. If needed, stir in more reserved pasta cooking water a splash at a time until everything is coated in a creamy sauce. • Evenly sprinkle panko over tortelloni mixture. TIP: If pan isn’t ovenproof, transfer mixture to a baking dish now. • Bake on top rack until panko is golden brown, 2-4 minutes.
• Garnish tortelloni bake with scallion greens and drizzle with as much hot sauce as you like. Divide between plates and serve.
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Feb 2026- Flavor: Many loved the creamy, cheesy taste, with some praising the lemon and hot sauce for adding brightness and kick 🌶️.
- Ease of prep: Several found it quick and easy to make, though a few mentioned more prep work than expected.
- Suggestions: Consider adding more vegetables, like peppers or spinach, for extra flavor and nutrition. Try broiling to crisp the panko topping.
- Portions: Some felt it needed more sauce to fully coat the pasta; others wished for larger servings or added protein.
- Texture: A few found the zucchini too soft; cook it less for a firmer bite. Some preferred skipping the baking step to keep it saucier.
Reviews from our home cooks
Maybe more lemon? I feel like the sauce was a little lacking flavor-wise. And there needed to be a better break-up of the creamy element, I think it was just a little too much with the cheese in the tortelloni and the creamy sauce. Loved the hot sauce on top though.
This was delicious! Only note is that the panko wouldn't brown in 2-4 minutes at 450, I had to use my broiler.
Really loved the zucchini mixed in and I never thought to put hot sauce in pasta but was so good.
This meal was delicious and very easy to prepare and quick. The produce was very fresh as always. We loved the panko on top!
This was good, but needed more vegetables. I would add peppers next time. Also, I would broil it to get the Panko crispy. I baked it much longer than I was supposed to and it never got crispy.
Add more vegetables into the recipe. I added spinach to my dish and it was delicious
It would be really nice if it made more/thicker sauce to more completely coat the tortelloni and chicken. But otherwise I loved the recipe and the flavor.
I think this is great! I hate zucchini but I can totally eat it with this dish
Love the hot sauce drizzle on this one and the panko crunch!
I loved the tastes and the idea of this meal, just wish the roux hadn't coagulated in the package. But I had some cheese in my fridge to add to save it somewhat. Love the hot sauce on top.
