Turkey Pasta Bake
Turkey Pasta Bake is a casserole recipe made healthy with ground turkey, whole wheat pasta, kale or spinach, and tomato sauce.
Turkey Pasta Bake is a casserole recipe made healthy with ground turkey, whole wheat pasta, kale or spinach, and tomato sauce.
- 1 tsp salt
- ground black pepper to taste
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 4 large garlic cloves minced
- 2 lbs ground turkey
- 1 tsp olive oil extra virgin
- 2 tbsp honey or maple syrup
- 1 cup pasta water
- 1 tbsp italian herb seasoning (oregano or basil) dried
- 3 cups (9 oz) whole wheat penne/fusilli pasta uncooked
- 28 oz tomato sauce low sodium
- 4 - 5 cups kale (1 bunch) stems removed & chopped*
- 2 cups (7 oz) mozzarella cheese, shredded & divided
- 1/3 cup italian parsley chopped
- Carbohydrate 10.6745594771571 g
- Cholesterol 73.708760125 mg
- Fat 3.60959738781849 g
- Fiber 1.93574507985999 g
- Protein 26.3916274804727 g
- Saturated Fat 1.13430940699983 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (239g)
- Sodium 601.883094102336 mg
- Sugar 8.73881439729714 g
- Trans Fat 0.605023904042814 g
- Calories 181 calories
Step-by-step
- Cook pasta al dente as per package instructions, undercooking by 4 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water, and set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Preheat large skillet on medium heat and add olive oil. Add onion and garlic, sauté for 2 - 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add ground turkey and cook for another 7 minutes, breaking meat into pieces and stirring occasionally.
- Add tomato sauce, honey, pasta water, herb seasoning, salt, pepper, kale and stir. Add previously cooked pasta and stir again.
- Transfer half of the mixture in 9" x 13" baking dish and sprinkle with 3/4 cup cheese. Top with remaining mixture and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/4 cups cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove foil and broil until cheese is golden brown. Serve hot garnished with parsley if desired.
Undercooking the whole wheat penne by four full minutes prevents the pasta from turning mushy during the subsequent twenty-five minutes in a 375 degree oven. Starch molecules inside whole wheat grains absorb liquid rapidly, meaning standard boiling times leave pasta structurally incapable of surviving a second round of thermal processing. Reserving one cup of starchy pasta water before draining provides the necessary emulsification agent to bind the tomato sauce and ground turkey together without diluting flavor. Ground turkey lacks the high fat content of beef or pork, resulting in a drier finished dish unless extra virgin olive oil is introduced early during the onion and garlic sauté. Swapping the ground turkey for an equal weight of cremini mushrooms requires sautéing them until all released moisture completely evaporates to avoid a watery casserole. Honey or maple syrup added to the low-sodium tomato sauce counters the natural acidity of canned tomatoes, balancing the flavor profile without masking the Italian herb seasoning. Kale or spinach added directly to the skillet wilts down rapidly, integrating iron and vibrant color into the meat mixture before it transfers to the nine-by-thirteen-inch baking dish. Shredded mozzarella cheese divided into portions ensures both internal binding and a caramelized exterior achieved through a final broiling step. Monitoring the broiler closely prevents burning the top layer of dairy. Portioning leftovers into airtight containers allows safe refrigeration for up to four days.
