Description
Craving a cozy, cheesy pasta bake that still feels a little lighter? This Homemade Ground Turkey Pasta Bake is loaded with tender rigatoni, lean seasoned turkey, and a creamy ricotta tomato sauce, all baked under a blanket of melty mozzarella. It is an easy dinner dream that works for busy weeknights, meal prep, and those times you just need new dinner ideas and comforting food ideas in one pan. Even though it is made for dinner, the leftovers make a surprisingly good quick breakfast or healthy snack, so you can tuck it into your breakfast ideas list right next to your favorite easy recipe and everyday dinner ideas.
Ingredients
12 ounces rigatoni pasta uncooked
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground turkey
1 small yellow onion diced
3 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
0.5 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
0.5 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
2.5 cups marinara sauce
0.5 cup low sodium chicken broth or reserved pasta water
2 cups fresh spinach roughly chopped
1 cup ricotta cheese
0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese divided
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
Cooking spray or a little extra olive oil for the baking dish
Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the rigatoni until just shy of al dente, about 1 to 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain the pasta and set aside.
2. While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium high heat. Add the ground turkey and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until no longer pink.
3. Season the turkey with kosher salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes if using, and continue cooking until any excess moisture cooks off and the meat starts to brown lightly.
4. Stir in the diced onion and cook until softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
5. Pour in the marinara sauce and the chicken broth or reserved pasta water, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer the sauce for a few minutes until slightly thickened.
6. Fold the chopped spinach into the skillet and cook until it wilts into the sauce. Reduce the heat to low.
7. Stir in the ricotta cheese and half of the grated Parmesan until the cheeses melt into the sauce and it becomes creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
8. Add the cooked rigatoni to the skillet and gently toss until every piece of pasta is well coated in the creamy turkey sauce. If the mixture looks dry, add a spoonful more broth or pasta water.
9. Lightly grease a 9 by 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray or a little olive oil. Transfer the pasta and sauce mixture to the dish and spread it into an even layer.
10. Sprinkle 1.5 cups of the shredded mozzarella evenly over the top, followed by the remaining Parmesan. Reserve the last 0.5 cup mozzarella if you like an extra cheesy top and sprinkle it over as well.
11. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, lightly golden, and the edges of the pasta bake are bubbling.
12. Let the pasta bake rest for about 5 minutes after removing it from the oven, then garnish with chopped fresh parsley. Slice or scoop into portions and serve warm.
Notes
For the best texture, do not overcook the pasta before it goes into the oven; pulling the rigatoni 1 to 2 minutes early keeps it from turning mushy after baking.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 820
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Unsaturated Fat: 8
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 48
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 34
- Cholesterol: 95
Keywords: ground turkey pasta bake, easy dinner, quick pasta, weeknight dinner ideas, baked pasta, comfort food ideas