This delicious Turkey Pasta Bake is one of my all-time favorite weeknight Recipes. It's packed with veggies, protein, and has a little kick to it. The best part? It can be made with pretty much whatever you have in the fridge (as long as you have turkey, pasta, and marinara sauce). I've made a number of variations of this recipe, and each one turns out a little bit different, and absolutely delicious. Plus, this recipe makes a ton of food, so it should feed your family, or a really hungry boyfriend, like me.
Recipe
Ingredients
1lb ground turkey
1 box of pasta (I use Red Lentil for added protein)
1 can of marinara sauce (15oz works)
1/2 onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 zucchini, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 hot pepper of choice, diced (optional - I use Serrano)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried parsley
Salt and pepper, to taste
Fresh Mozzarella and Parmesan (optional, can exclude if dairy free)
Fresh Basil to top (optional but highly suggested)
How I made it
(optional step) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a cast-iron skillet or large oven-safe pan, sauté the onion, green pepper, hot pepper, and zucchini in a small amount of oil until the onions start to look translucent.
Meanwhile, make your pasta in a separate pot.
Add the minced garlic and continue to cook for a few minutes.
Move the vegetables to one side of the pan and place ground turkey on other side to cook. While cooking, continue to break turkey into smaller chunks and flip.
When turkey is fully browned, mix the turkey and vegetables together in the pan. You may need to drain the excess water/oil from the turkey with a paper towel.
Add in the spices, salt, and pepper.
When turkey is finished cooking, add in the can of marinara sauce to the skillet.
Drain pasta and add pasta to the skillet. Stir so ingredients are mixed together.
(optional step) Top with a generous layer of mozzarella cheese.
(optional step) Place pan in oven for 5 minutes or until cheese looks melty and bubbly.
Top with fresh basil, and enjoy!
Variation suggestions below!
Feel free to leave out the dairy, and if so, no need to bake the pasta after mixing together.
Here, I used yellow squash, zucchini, and green pepper. I did not have hot peppers. I added chili flakes and a delicious tomato from the farmers market. I would suggest adding the tomato after the turkey cooks, so it doesn't cook down too much.
Here, I left out the zucchini, and I added a parmesan rind with the marinara sauce for additional flavor.
Here, I used Banza pasta, and I accidentally overcooked it, so the pasta fell apart a little bit. Still, this version was absolutely to die for.
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