Welcome home! It’s been a busy day, and you could use a good, home cooked meal. Better yet, something hearty and warming and just comforting. Well, your wish is about to come true! Down-Home Pasta Bake is filled with savory ground turkey in a rich tomato sauce with notes of wine and beefy mushrooms, all coating tender rigatoni pasta! Then it’s all baked so the cheesy top can become melty and tantalizing! Yes, Down-Home Pasta Bake is how you unwind any day of the week!
Ingredients
- 1 pound rigatoni pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup onion, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 2 (13.5-ounce) cans tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons red or white wine, can substitute balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded, can substitute cheddar cheese
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Step 2 –In a large pot of salted, boiling water, cook the pasta to al dente, according to the package directions.
Step 3 –Drain the pasta well and rinse it with cold water.
Step 4 –In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil until it sizzles.
Step 5 –Add the ground turkey to the hot oil and cook, while crumbling, until evenly browned, about 8-10 minutes.
Step 6 –Add the mushrooms, the onion, and the garlic and cook, while stirring well, until tender, about 3-4 minutes.
Step 7 –Add the tomato sauce and the wine to the turkey mixture and stir to combine.
Step 8 –Bring the turkey mixture to a simmer.
Step 9 –Add the parsley, the Italian seasoning, the salt, and the black pepper to the turkey mixture and stir to combine.
Step 10 –Cover the pot with the lid and reduce the heat to low.
Step 11 –Simmer the turkey mixture, while stirring occasionally, until thickened and the flavors meld together, about 5-10 minutes.
Step 12 –Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and stir until well-coated.
Step 13 –Transfer the pasta mixture to a 9×13-inch casserole dish.
Step 14 –Top the pasta mixture with the cheese.
Step 15 –Bake until the melted cheese is golden-brown, about 25 minutes. Cover with aluminum foil if the cheese starts to brown too much during baking.
Step 16 –Let the casserole cool for 15 minutes.
Step 17 –Serve.
