Three Cheese Tomato and Spinach Tortellini Mac and Cheese Made Skinny

A guilt-free dream come true! This is not your kids mac and cheese. The very cheesy sauce includes three low fat cheeses. Once combined with the cooked cheese/spinach tortellini, it becomes a cheese lovers delight! Each generous serving has 289 calories, 14 grams of fat and 9 Blue WW Freestyle SmartPoints.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Bake Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 (10 oz) pkg. Buitoni Spinach & Ricotta Tortelloni, see shopping tips

2 tablespoons reduced-fat butter or Smart Balance Light

½ teaspoon dry mustard powder

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Small dash of cayenne pepper, if desired

⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon reduced-fat milk

1¼ cups part skim ricotta cheese or reduced-fat cottage cheese

1 cup light shredded cheese such as Mozzarella, cheddar or a blend of cheeses

1 cup tomatoes, chopped (drain any liquid)

Salt and Black pepper, to taste

¼ cup light shredded cheese such as Mozzarella, cheddar or a blend of cheeses

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 9 x 9 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.

2. Cook tortellini according to package instructions.  Drain. Set aside.

3. To make cheese sauce:  In a large nonstick pan, melt butter. Using a whisk, mix in dry mustard powder, garlic powder and cayenne pepper, if desired. Whisk in milk, ricotta cheese and 1 cup shredded cheese. Season to taste with a little salt and pepper.

4. Using a rubber spatula so the tortellini doesn’t tear, stir in cooked tortellini and tomatoes. Mix well. Add to baking dish and spread evenly. Sprinkle with ¼ cup shredded cheese and the Parmesan cheese all over top of casserole. Bake in oven for about 15 minutes, until the cheeses are melted.

5. Cool slightly and cut into 6 servings. This casserole freezes great.

Makes 6 main course servings.

Shopping Tips
I used Buitoni Spinach & Ricotta Tortelloni. It’s fresh pasta and found in the refrigerated pasta section of most supermarkets. It comes in a 10 oz and 20 oz pkg. If you buy the 20 oz, use half and freeze the rest for the next time you make it. Most supermarkets carry a few brands, such as Buitoni. You can also use three cheese tortellini to substitute. I buy it at Trader Joe’s.

WW Freestyle SmartPoints 9–Blue
WW SmartPoints 9–Green
WW POINTS PLUS 8