Turkey Lasagna Casserole

I am trying to cook more homemade food this year and also have more variety and make it easy so that it doesn’t take me more than 2 hours to cook and prep and clean anything. I cook my pasta sauce in an enameled Dutch oven for easy cleaning. You will need a baking pan to finish the casserole, a 13” Pyrex works great. 

I was out of lasagna noodles and decided to try out a casserole since I have two toddlers and so far they have refused to eat my lasagna. Lasagna is too complicated for my kids. Finally it dawned on me, make it a casserole with the exact same ingredients! Lasagna casserole ended up being a hit, the kids actually have asked for seconds they’ve never asked for seconds before so I’m gonna keep making this.

Also think it used less pasta than my mom’s traditional lasagna, so this meal felt light. The flavor satiated our lasagna craving. The Fusilli added fun texture. 

It’s so easy we really enjoyed the spirally fusilli pasta but next time we can also try out a bowtie pasta, but I find that the spiral pasta is really easy for little ones to eat way easier than spaghetti and lasagna noodles.

Tips for deliciously cooked dry pasta:

1. Bring water to a boil before adding pasta;

2. Lightly season water with oregano, salt, or fresh herbs;

4. If needed, add cold water to pot to stop the cooking before draining pasta. 

Ingredients

16 oz cooked Fusilli pasta

1.5 lb ground turkey

3/4 tsp sea salt

1/2 tspblack pepper

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

1/2 tsp garlic salt

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbs avocado oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 Tbs Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes*

32 oz canned tomato sauce (2 15 oz cans)

15 oz chicken broth (measured in empty tomato can)

1 bay leaf

15 oz ricotta cheese

2 cups mozarella, shredded

1 cup parmesan cheese, shredded

Make It

Meat Sauce

1. Preheat oven to 375F
2. Heat oil in Dutch oven, medium high;
3. Add onions, sautéed 5 minutes
4. Mince and add garlic, Italian seasoning to the pot, saute for 1 minute;
5. Add turkey and sprinkle garlic salt, salt and pepper evenly, continue cooking until fully cooked and liquid evaporates, about 10 minutes;
6. Add tomato sauce, broth, bring to a simmer, add bay leaf, reduce heat to low and partially cover for 12 minutes. 
7. Turn off heat, drain water from pasta. Set aside.

Make the Casserole

1. Bring a 5-quart pot of salted water to a boil, add a few sprigs of parsley if you wish.
2. Boil Fusilli for 7 minutes, don't overcook pasta since it will cook further in the oven.
3. Add 3/4 cup of sauce to the bottom of baking pan. 
4. Add your pasta to the remaining sauce and mix together. 
5. Add 1 layer of cooked pasta over sauce, top with spoonfuls of ricotta. Sprinkle a generous amountbofbmozarelka on top.  
6. Add another layer of pasta, top with parmesan cheese and mozzarella over that. 
7. I store the remaining pasta in sauce (about 2 cups) separate look ey for my pickiest eater. 
8. Bake casserole for 45 minutes. 

Buen provecho! 

Layer 1 

Pasta, meat sauce, ricotta

Layer 2 

Pasta, sauce, mozarella

Layer 3

Pasta, sauce, parmesan, mozarella 

Bake at 375F for 1 hour. 

Buen provecho!

Laura