Baked Ziti with Ground Turkey

Baked ziti in a white casserole dish on a wooden table with a wooden spoon slotted into the side.

This Healthy Baked Ziti is a twist on the classic Italian dish! This recipe is made using ground turkey and is super easy to make and a meal the whole family will love. It only consists of a few simple ingredients and makes a ton of leftovers!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 15

Servings people

Calories 441kcal

Author Jillian Schneider

Equipment

casserole dish
non-stick frying pan
large mixing bowl
large pot

Ingredients

3 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
1 lb whole wheat ziti or penne
8 ounces fresh mozzarella
1 lb ground turkey cooked
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Italian seasoning

Instructions

Step 1 - Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside. Heat a large pot of 5 cups of water to a boil and add a dash of salt.
Step 2 - Add your pasta to the boiling water and boil for 8 minutes. This amount of time will turn your pasta into an al dente pasta. Al dente is firm to the touch. Once cooked drain in a colander over the sink.
Step 3 - Meanwhile, in a large non-stick skillet add your ground turkey and cook until no longer pink turning throughout using a wooden spatula. Once all meat has turned brown drain in a colander over the sink then return to the pan. Add in onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix in your seasonings to coat the ground turkey.
Step 4 - In a large bowl, toss together cooked pasta, ground turkey, and your choice of marinara. Spread half the mixture in the prepared casserole dish and top with half the mozzarella and 1 tbsp. parmesan. Pour ½ cup water into the casserole dish, add the remaining pasta mixture, and top with remaining mozzarella and 1 tbsp. parmesan. Pour 1 cup water over casserole, cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake 1 hour.
Step 5 - Remove the foil and turn on the broiler. Sprinkle the last tablespoon of parmesan over the casserole and broil 2 - 3 minutes, or until the cheese is brown and bubbling.

Notes

How do you keep baked ziti from drying out?

This is why I add water to my dish before baking it. This helps to keep in extra moisture. Also, be sure to tightly wrap foil around before baking.

How to store this dish.

You can store your baked ziti in a freezer-sealed dish for up to 3 months or store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Be sure to let your dish cool completely before storing.

How do I reheat frozen baked ziti?

If you decide to freeze your ziti and you are now ready to heat it here is what to do. Place aluminum foil over the dish and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until cheese is bubbly and a knife can easily be inserted.

How can the kids help?

Have them add all the ingredients to the ground turkey mixture.

Help them pour the pasta into the ground turkey and mix it away!

They can layer the ingredients in the casserole dish.

Nutrition