Homemade Ground Turkey Pasta Bake (Printable)

Hearty turkey and pasta casserole with cheesy tomato sauce, ready in 55 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz penne or rigatoni pasta

→ Meat

02 - 1 lb ground turkey

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
06 - 1 cup baby spinach, chopped

→ Sauce

07 - 1 (24 oz) jar marinara sauce
08 - 1 tbsp tomato paste
09 - 1 tsp Italian seasoning
10 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
11 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Cheese

12 - 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
13 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Garnish

14 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil or parsley

# How To Cook:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
03 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook ground turkey until browned and cooked through, about 6-7 minutes. Break up meat with a spoon.
04 - Add diced onion, garlic, and red bell pepper to the turkey; sauté for 4-5 minutes until softened.
05 - Stir in chopped spinach and cook for 1 minute until wilted.
06 - Add marinara sauce, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 3-4 minutes.
07 - Combine cooked pasta with turkey sauce in the skillet or a large bowl. Mix in half of the mozzarella and Parmesan.
08 - Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella and Parmesan over the top.
09 - Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.
10 - Let rest for 5 minutes before garnishing with fresh basil or parsley and serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Its the kind of dinner that lets you clean up the kitchen while it bakes, giving you back 20 minutes of your evening
  • Leftovers somehow taste even better the next day, making lunch prep completely effortless
02 -
  • I once skipped the step of undercooking the pasta and ended up with a mushy, disappointing bake, so now I always stop it 2 minutes early
  • Adding a tiny splash of pasta water to the sauce before mixing it with the pasta creates a silkier texture that clings better
03 -
  • Grating your own cheese might feel like extra work, but pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting smoothly
  • If the top is browning too quickly, tent it loosely with foil for the last 5 minutes of baking

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