Description
This ground turkey baked rigatoni is the ultimate comfort food dinner! This casserole is loaded with meat and mushrooms, topped with a melty layer of cheese and ready in less than 45 minutes. Serve with a side of garlic bread or cheddar biscuits for a hearty meal everyone will love.
Ingredients
- 1 pound rigatoni
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 pound ground turkey (can substitute ground beef or Italian sausage)
- ½ cup onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 4-ounce canned mushrooms (or fresh sliced)
- 1 (24-ounce) jar spaghetti sauce (or homemade)
- 2 tablespoons sweet or Italian basil, chopped
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided
- Fresh parsley, optional for garnish
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente, drain, toss with butter, and set aside.
3. While pasta cooks, heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add ground turkey, season with salt and pepper, and cook until no longer pink.
4. Add onion and garlic, cook for 3 minutes.
5. Add mushrooms and cook for another 3 minutes.
6. Reduce heat to low, add spaghetti sauce and basil, stir and cover. Simmer for 3-4 minutes.
7. In a greased 9×13 baking dish, layer half the pasta, all of the sauce mixture, and the remaining pasta. Stir to combine.
8. Top with shredded mozzarella, cover with foil, and bake for 15 minutes.
9. Uncover and broil for 5 minutes until cheese is browned.
10. Remove from oven, garnish with parsley if desired, and serve.
Notes
– To freeze: Cover the unbaked dish with foil and plastic wrap and freeze. Bake from frozen with an additional 30 minutes or thaw first.
– Shred your own cheese for the best melt and texture.
– Add veggies like spinach, kale, artichokes, or zucchini to boost nutrition.
– Add red pepper flakes for a bit of heat.
– Can be assembled ahead and refrigerated until ready to bake.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 535
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 956mg
- Fat: 13g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 66g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 76mg