Florentine Baked Cavatelli made with extra lean ground turkey, spinach, fire roasted tomatoes is a deliciously hearty and healthy casserole dish that's perfect for busy weeknights.
During cheerleading season I barely have time to cook, let alone sit down to eat as a family; which brings me to today's recipe for Florentine Baked Cavatelli with Ground Turkey.
I just love a hearty, stick-to-your-ribs kind of pasta recipe that doesn't weigh you down and this one does just that.
What is Cavatelli?
Cavatelli is a type of pasta that resembles miniature hot dog buns and though I know it's probably easy to make, I opted for the frozen variety to save on much needed preparation time.
What I liked most about this meal is that it's loaded with some of my favorite flavors: garlic, spinach and tomatoes and by adding extra lean ground turkey, it was a complete meal that we could heat and eat when we had the opportunity to do so.
How do you make Florentine Baked Cavatelli with Ground Turkey?
To make this recipe, start by cooking the cavatelli according to package directions, leaving them on the al dente side.
While the pasta is cooking, heat a little extra virgin olive oil in a large sauté pan or Dutch oven and brown the ground turkey until it's no longer pink.
Next, add chopped garlic and onion and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the onions start to soften.
Add your spinach, fire roasted tomatoes, some tomato paste, water and a little grated Pecorino Romano and shredded Mozzarella cheese. 
Finally, add your cooked cavatelli to the spinach mixture; then place in an oven safe 8"x8" baking dish and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until the sides are hot and bubbly.
Not only is this Florentine Baked Cavatelli with Ground Turkey delicious, it's also healthy. This recipe serves 8 people and can be prepared the night before; then heated when you're ready to eat. ~Enjoy!
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Florentine Baked Cavatelli with Ground Turkey
Ingredients
- 1 pound cavatelli
- 1 pound extra lean ground turkey
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- ¼ cup chopped red onion
- 8 ounces frozen chopped spinach (defrosted and drained)
- 1- (14-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 8 ounces water
- ¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese (part skim or regular)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cook pasta according to package directions, leaving them on the al dente side; drain.
- Meanwhile, add turkey to a Dutch oven or large non-stick saute pan and brown; making sure there is no pink left.
- Next, add the garlic and onion and saute for another 2-3 minutes; then add the spinach, tomatoes, tomato paste, water, and cheeses. Mix well then stir in the cavatelli.
- Place in an 8"x8" oven safe dish and bake for 30 minutes or until the sides are bubbling.
kirsten says
I'll have to keep an eye open for cavatelli--I've never eaten it before.
Thanks for a delicious-looking recipe!
Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says
You can usually find it in the freezer section by the frozen ravioli or tortellini. And also in the refrigerated section by fresh pastas. Thanks for stopping by Kirsten!