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–+ servings
a skillet of pasta with cheese and ground turkey.
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5 from 2 votes

Ground Turkey Pasta Bake Recipe

This Ground Turkey Pasta dish is an easy, delicious meal that's super quick to make!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 4
Calories: 640kcal
Author: Paige
Cost: $15-$25.00

Equipment

  • 1 Skillet, non-stick, at least 10" x 3" deep with a fitted lid.
  • 1 Wooden Spoon
  • Measuring Cups
  • Measuring Spoons
  • grater for cheese
  • can opener

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons Olive oil
  • 1 small Shallot, diced
  • 1 pound Turkey, ground
  • ½ teaspoon Salt Diamond Crystal preferred
  • ½ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
  • ½ teaspoon Pepper, freshly ground
  • 2 cloves Garlic, crushed
  • 28 ounce Crushed Tomatoes
  • ½ teaspoon Dried Oregano
  • 1 cup Water or Chicken or Vegetable broth
  • 6 ounces No Bake Pasta (lasagne) Sheets, broken into thirds About 9 sheets
  • 1 cup Ricotta Cheese, part skim
  • 1 cup Mozzarella cheese, low moisture variety Not fresh mozzarella in brine.
  • ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese, ground
  • 2 tablespoons Basil, fresh, torn
  • 2 tablespoons Italian Parsley, minced
  • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil, to garnish

Instructions

  • Add the one tablespoon of the olive oil to a large non-stick skillet with the chopped shallot. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon for 3-4 minutes, until the shallots are very lightly brown on the edges.
    Add the ground turkey along with the salt, red pepper flakes, ground pepper, and garlic. Cook on medium-high heat, breaking up the turkey as it cooks with a wooden spoon until the meat is no longer pink.
  • Add the can of tomatoes to the turkey mixture, as well as the oregano. Add one cup of water (or broth, if using). Stir the mixture together to combine.
  • Break the pasta sheets into thirds, then add to the pot, making sure you've submerged them (as best you can) in the tomato sauce. Cover the skillet with a lid and cook on medium high heat for approximately 15 minutes until the pasta is cooked.
    If the pasta seems watery when you remove the lid, move the mixture around a bit with your spoon to make sure the sauce is evenly distributed throughout the skillet. If needed, let it continue to cook for a few minutes with the lid off to let some of the liquid to evaporate.
  • Drop a spoonful of the ricotta cheese to the four quadrants of the skillet, then sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the top, followed by the Parmesan cheese.
    Sprinkle on the fresh basil and parsley, cover with the lid and let it sit on medium heat until the cheese has melted, about 3-4 minutes. Garnish with the olive oil and serve.

Notes

  • You'll need a cup of water for the tomato sauce, but you could add even more flavor and use chicken or vegetable broth instead.
  • I used fire-roasted crushed tomatoes, which add a little bit of smoky flavor that was quite tasty.
  • If your sauce seems a little watery after the 15 minute cooking time, leave the lid off and continue to let it simmer for a few minutes to let that evaporate out. Then add the cheeses, put the cover back on, and let it sit, melt and heat through.

Nutrition

Calories: 640kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 51g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 124mg | Sodium: 1004mg | Potassium: 1192mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1218IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 507mg | Iron: 4mg