Cheesy Pasta Bake

By á-2233

Cheesy Pasta Bake is the perfect recipe to whip up any night of the week. Serve this for your extended family on Sundays with a crusty loaf of garlic bread and a zesty, lightly dressed side salad for a hearty and healthful meal that they are sure to love. This recipe is filled with the yummy flavors of lighter items like ground turkey breast, sweet Italian turkey sausage, and pre-packaged lower-sodium marinara sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 (14-ounce) box uncooked ziti or mostaccioli
• 1 (12-ounce) package ground turkey breast
• 1 (8-ounce) package sweet turkey Italian sausage, casings removed
• nonstick cooking spray
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 5 cups McCutcheon's lower-sodium marinara sauce
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1 (6-ounce) package whole-milk mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, packed, divided
• 2 tablespoons small basil leaves or torn basil

Details

Servings 8
Preparation time 20mins
Cooking time 90mins

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Cook pasta according to the package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain and set aside.

Place turkey and sausage in a medium bowl and mix well with hands to combine. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add turkey mixture to pan; cook 8 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Remove from pan.

Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion and pepper; sauté for 4 minutes. Add garlic; sauté for 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Add wine, scraping the pan to loosen browned bits that are stuck to the bottom, and cook for 4 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Stir in pasta, turkey mixture, marinara sauce, and 1/2 cup basil.

Spoon mixture into a 13x9-–inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano. Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes or until bubbly, and cheese melts and begins to brown. Remove from oven; sprinkle with basil leaves and the remaining 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Serve immediately.