Macaroni combined with extra lean ground turkey, ricotta and mozzarella cheeses, spices and your favorite marinara sauce; then baked until golden brown.
We love baked ziti; especially during the holidays when your entertaining a crowd. It's so filling that a little goes a long way.
So I decided to make a new, lightened up version using extra lean ground turkey and part skim ricotta and mozzarella cheese.
Let me just say that this baked pasta dish was just as creamy, comforting and delicious!
This recipe can be ready in about 45 minutes and yields 5 servings so it also would make a delicious, easy weeknight meal. ~Enjoy!
Suggested Equipment
Ingredients Needed
To make this recipe you're going to need the following ingredients:
Macaroni Pasta: You can use any small pasta in this recipe like shells, ditalini, gemelli or farfalle.
Extra Lean Ground Turkey: Ground chicken can also be used in this recipe.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Marinara Sauce: Any sauce you like is fine whether you prefer jarred sauce or homemade. You'll need about 2 cups.
Part Skim Ricotta Cheese
Part Skim Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Egg
Parsley
Garlic Powder
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper
Substitutions
If you're not looking to cut back on the calories, by all means use regular ricotta and mozzarella cheese.
How do you make Ground Turkey Baked Macaroni?
Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F; then gather all of your ingredients.
Add water to a medium pot and add a little salt. Bring to a boil; then add the macaroni and cook for 4-5 minutes until the pasta is al dente.
You don't want to over cook the macaroni as it will continue cooking in the casserole. When the macaroni is done, drain the pasta in a colander.
While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil up in a 6-quart nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; then add the ground turkey. Brown the turkey 4-5 minutes until it is no longer pink. I like to break it up using a wooden spoon or meat chopper.
Next, add the marinara sauce to the turkey and cook 1-2 minutes until the sauce is warmed up. Remove from heat and set aside.
Combine the ricotta, egg, half of the mozzarella, parsley, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a bowl. Mix well; then add the mixture to the ground turkey along with the cooked macaroni.
Mix well; then transfer the mixture to a 2-quart baking dish and top with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
Place the dish in the oven and bake 25-30 minutes until it's hot and bubbly and the cheese is melted and golden brown.
Make Ahead
You can prepare this recipe; then refrigerate overnight before baking. When ready to eat, remove from the refrigerator to bring to room temperature; then bake 30-40 minutes until hot all the way through.
Storage
Once this Ground Turkey Macaroni Bake has been fully cooked, you can store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer wrapped tightly for up to 3 months. Allow the casserole to fully defrost before reheating.
VISIT THE RECIPE INDEX TO SEARCH FOR MORE RECIPES BY CATEGORY.
More Ground Turkey Recipes
- Florentine Baked Cavatelli with Ground Turkey
- Zucchini and Ricotta Turkey Meatloaf (Gluten Free)
- Baked Spinach Turkey Meatballs
- Turkey Bolognese Spaghetti Squash
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Ground Turkey Baked Macaroni
Ingredients
- 4 ounces macaroni pasta
- 1 pound extra lean ground turkey
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups prepared marinara sauce
- 1 cup part skim ricotta cheese
- 1 ½ cups part skim shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (or 2 teaspoons dried)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F; then gather all of your ingredients.
- Add water to a medium pot and add a little salt. Bring to a boil; then add the macaroni and cook for 4-5 minutes until the pasta is al dente. Drain the pasta in a colander.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil up in a 6-quart nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; then add the ground turkey. Brown the turkey 4-5 minutes until it is no longer pink.
- Next, add the marinara sauce to the turkey and cook 1-2 minutes until the sauce is warmed up. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Combine the ricotta, egg, half of the mozzarella, parsley, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a bowl. Mix well; then add the mixture to the ground turkey along with the cooked macaroni.
- Mix well; then transfer the mixture to a 2-quart baking dish and top with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
- Place the dish in the oven and bake 25-30 minutes until it's hot and bubbly and the cheese is melted and golden brown.
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