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Baked Cheesy Turkey Ziti Recipe

March 7, 2019 by DanicasDaily 15 Comments

#FlashbackFriday with this easy, low Smartpoint cheesy pasta casserole. This recipe is so easy to make and something that is perfect for to have during the week when you are short on time.  It has so much flavor that your “beef” lovers will not be able to tell that you “healthified” it by using Turkey and low-fat cheese.  Every time I eat this dish, I am pretty much convinced that all spaghetti dishes just need to have cheese melted all over them.

BAKED TURKEY ZITI (print it!)

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INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 lb Lean Ground Turkey
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 bell pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 red onion, chopped
  • 2 cups sliced mushrooms
  • 15 oz organic diced tomatoes, drained
  • 2 cups of your favorite marinara sauce ( Love TJ’s Low-Fat Marinara) or make your own)
  • 2 pinches crushed red pepper flakes
  • Garlic Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper to taste
  • 6 oz uncooked Whole Wheat Penne Pasta (I used Barilla Plus)
  • 3 oz low fat mozzarella cheese
  • 3 Tbsp shredded parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.  Cook your pasta according to the directions on the box.  While it is cooking, prepare your sauce and preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a 9×13 dish with nonstick spray.

2.  Brown your ground turkey through mushrooms until the turkey is cooked through and no longer pink.  Drain if there is excess water and return to pan.  Sprinkle with garlic salt, freshly ground pepper and crushed red pepper flakes.  Add your diced tomatoes and marinara.  Heat through ~ about 5 –10 minutes.

3.  Drain your pasta and add it to your turkey sauce.

4.  Stir pasta and sauce together and pour into a prepared 9×13 dish.  Top with cheeses and bake for about 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted and slightly browned.

Makes 6 big servings at 6 WWFreestyle Smartpoints / 9 points+ each or 8 regular sized servings at 4 WWFreestyle Smartpoints /7 points+ each

Nutritional information based on 8 servings for all ingredients:

image

STEP – BY – STEP

Whip up your favorite meaty pasta sauce.  You can make this vegetarian by using Veggie Crumbles or your favorite beans.

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Add your cooked whole wheat pasta.  I used Barilla Plus for an added Omega and Protein boost.

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Mix it all together and pour into a 9 x 13 dish sprayed with nonstick spray.

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Top with your cheeses.

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Bake for 20 minutes @ 400 degrees or until the cheese is melty and slightly browned.

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Like this!

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Allow to cool for 5 minutes before slicing and enjoying!

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To round out our meal, I made up quick salads:

  • Organic Romaine
  • Organic Red/Green Bell Pepper
  • Organic Cucumber slices
  • Mushroom slices
  • 1 Tbsp Chickpeas
  • Bruschetta + Balsamic & a sprinkle of shaved parmesan & black pepper

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Topped with Bruschetta & Balsamic “syrup” = No dressing needed at all!

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The best part of this week’s recipes from the archives is having leftovers the next day.  There is just something about red sauce dishes that tastes so much better the next day.

Happy Friday all!

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Filed Under: Body For Life, Daily Eats, Recipes Tagged With: Pasta, Turkey, Vegetarian

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Comments

  1. Pam says

    September 15, 2009 at 7:29 am

    Holy yum!

    Reply
  2. janetha says

    September 15, 2009 at 10:46 am

    um. my mouth is literally watering!

    Reply
  3. Kristin (Kristin's Nibbles) says

    September 15, 2009 at 3:12 pm

    YUM. Thats all I’ve gotta say.

    xo
    K

    Reply
  4. 24 carrot says

    September 15, 2009 at 7:29 pm

    I love the step by step instructions and the nutritional info. It makes it so approachable. Read through a little of your blog and couldn’t agree more on the Sunday prep. That’s what my post today was about too!

    Reply
  5. Lynn says

    October 13, 2009 at 3:49 pm

    Just found your website today and boy am I happy about that. This recipe became dinner tonight. It was wonderful. I already have plans to make your pumpkin butter. I bought the ingredients today. Yum! Thank you thank you!

    Reply
    • DanicasDaily says

      October 13, 2009 at 3:55 pm

      Lynn ~ thanks so much for the sweet comments on my blog and the great feedback. Glad the recipe worked out and I cannot wait to hear what you think of the pumpkin butter.

      Reply
  6. suzanne says

    September 28, 2010 at 7:28 pm

    I’m definitely going to try this one!!

    Reply
  7. Chris says

    June 8, 2012 at 6:50 am

    Have made this a few times. Everyone loves it!

    Reply
  8. Vesna says

    June 8, 2012 at 7:27 am

    Wow, I make something very similiar! I sometimes throw in some frozen green peas along with the sauce and canned tomatoes. My hubby LOVES it!

    Reply
  9. Roz@weightingfor50 says

    June 8, 2012 at 11:14 am

    Looks delicious Danica!!!!! Happy Friday to you too. Hope the day is a good one for you!

    Reply
  10. Life's a Bowl says

    June 8, 2012 at 11:33 am

    That’s a big casserole, a big lot of yum! Does it freeze well?

    Reply
    • DanicasDaily says

      July 7, 2012 at 8:29 pm

      Yes, this casserole freezes so well. I will often portion out half when I make it into single serving containers to make easy grab/go lunches or dinners when I do not feel like cooking.

      Danica

      Reply
  11. Josie says

    June 9, 2012 at 9:19 pm

    YUMMY!! I might have to make this ASAP!

    Reply
  12. Biz says

    June 10, 2012 at 10:00 am

    This looks amazing Danica – and I agree, a red sauce is better the next day!

    Reply
  13. anon says

    May 23, 2015 at 4:29 pm

    When do you add peppers and onions?

    Reply

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About Danica

Whether she’s enjoying a dish at a local restaurant or whipping up a crowd-pleasing, nutritious meal at home, Danica has a passion for all things food. She believes in and follows the Weight Watchers principle of “all things in moderation” and chronicles her culinary adventures here. Besides sharing her daily eats and tasty, nutritious recipes, Danica connects others seeking a healthier lifestyle on her site and shares her travel adventures around the world.

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