This Greek-style skillet meal of cheese tortellini with ground beef, olives, and feta is a perfect pasta dish for the family table. The incomparable Mediterranean flavors will have everyone begging for seconds!
This easy dinner is the perfect comfort food for a family, and it's easily customizable. For a taste of Greece, this homemade meal is sure to be a hit. Olives and feta cheese accent the authentic flavor.
What's to love about this Greek beef and cheese tortellini skillet?
When I'm looking for an easy, family-friendly dinner for busy weeknights, I know pasta will always be a crowd-pleaser. It's classic comfort food that can easily be doubled to serve a large group.
This Greek recipe for quick and easy skillet meal with ground beef and cheese tortellini fits the bill. Besides, it's done in 30 minutes, it's bursting with flavor and has all components of a casserole without turning on the oven. What's not to love?
Even my 4-yo granddaughter asks for seconds of this hearty meal! It makes a wonderful dinner option, so make sure to add it to your menu rotation.
Ingredients for cheese tortellini & beef dish
Ingredient options and substitutions
You can play around with fun alternatives for your Greek tortellini dinner:
- Try ground lamb, pork, or chicken (or a combination of those) in place of the ground beef.
- Use spinach or chopped kale leaves instead of zucchini.
- Any spaghetti sauce would be a nice alternative to the marinara sauce.
- Go meatless and add more vegetables if you'd like. Bell peppers and mushrooms would be an excellent addition.
- There's no rule for what kind of olives to use, except that they should be pitted. I used up leftover stuffed green olives but go for Greek kalamata olives if you can.
- If you are an alcohol-free household, use water instead of the wine.
- Not a fan of feta cheese? Sub with ricotta, queso fresco (or queso Blanco), or try goat or halloumi cheese. If you're a fan of pizza-pasta or lasagna-style dishes, top it generously with Mozzarella!
- Spice it up with crushed red pepper flakes to taste.
Do I have to use frozen tortellini?
Not at all! Tortellini from the pasta aisle or refrigerated kind works just as well. Boil the tortellini to al dente (per package directions) and proceed with the recipe.
This easy Greek-style skillet meal with cheese #tortellini and ground beef is sure to be a hit with your family! #comfortfood #dinner #recipe #mediterraneanCan I substitute ravioli for tortellini?
Definitely! Use ravioli, raviolo, tortellini, tortelloni, agnolotti, or any stuffed pasta. Heck, you can make it with regular pasta too!
How do I make this Greek skillet bake?
*Keep scrolling to get the full (printable) recipe, ingredient amounts, and more tips, or click on the “Skip to Recipe” button at the top of the page.
- First, cook tortellini according to package directions and drain.
- Second, while tortellini is cooking, brown the beef with onion and garlic until the meat is no longer pink; drain the excess fat.
- Add zucchini and tortellini to skillet. Stir in the marinara and wine, and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 5-10 minutes.
- Stir in the tomatoes, feta, olives, and herbs. Enjoy!
Can I freeze this pasta dish?
Absolutely! This meal is freezer-friendly and it can turn into a meal prep! Place leftovers in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and then reheat in the microwave.
More easy pasta recipes you'll love
I have not met a pasta dish I didn't like. In fact, I'm obsessed with it. You probably remember the Noodles Without Borders, a yummy project I ran with my friend Bobbi for over a year.
We shared so many fantastic noodle recipes from around the world, and these are some of my favorites:
- GREEK PASTITSIO PASTA CASSEROLE
- MEDITERRANEAN FETA MAC AND CHEESE
- SWISS SKILLET MAC AND CHEESE
- PASTA ALLA NORCINA
- TURKISH NOODLES WITH YOGURT
If you love skillet meals, also be sure to try these:
One-pan and skillet dishes are my absolute favorite! Easy to make, easy to clean up. Win-win! ๐
- Skillet Gipsy Schnitzel Dinner
- One-Pan Bobotie Casserole
- One-Pot Chicken and Rice Dinner
- 101 Delicious Cast-Iron Skillet Recipes
Greek Beef and Cheese Tortellini Skillet
EQUIPMENT
- Colander
Ingredients
- 1 package, 19 ounces frozen cheese tortellini
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 medium zucchini, sliced
- ยฝ red onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 3 cups marinara sauce
- ยฝ cup dry white wine
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
- ยฝ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ยฝ cup pitted Greek olives, halved
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil, divided
Instructions
- Meanwhile, in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat, cook 1 pound beef with 1 chopped onion and minced garlic clove until meat is no longer pink. Drain the excess fat if necessary.
- Add cooked tortellini and sliced zucchini to the skillet with the meat. Stir in 3 cups of marinara sauce, ยฝ cup white wine, 1 teaspoon each oregano and dill, and salt and pepper to taste; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in 2 chopped tomatoes, ½ cup crumbled feta, ยฝ cup halved Greek olives and 1 tablespoon of fresh basil.
- To serve, sprinkle with remaining basil and more feta cheese if desired.
Notes
- We love zucchini tender-crisp. If you like them softer, you can cook them with meat and onions.
- Try ground lamb, pork, or chicken (or a combination of those) in place of the ground beef.
- If you are an alcohol-free household, use water instead of the wine.
- Refrigerate or freeze leftovers.
- For the best results, read additional tips in the post above.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on products used.
Nutrition
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Sheridan says
Absolutely amazing!
I'm making it tonight!
Oh what a wonderful hit it shall be.
Thank u so very much.
Jas says
I hope you will like it as much as we do, Sheridan! Thanks for stopping in!
Ron says
Jas, you've just given me next Monday's dinner dish. What a yummy and comforting looking skillet recipe. I'd make it sooner but I'll need to add tortellini to my next weeks food delivery. Your Greek-style skillet meal of cheese tortellini I'll be making our Greek-style skillet meal with lamb as we have a bit of that in the freezer. Thanks for the inspiration...
Jas says
It's even better with lamb! Hope you enjoy it, Ron. Thanks for stopping in. ๐