Ingredients:

  • 1 lb mostaccioli pasta
  • 1 tbsp sea salt
  • 1 lb lean ground turkey
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 24 oz marinara sauce
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 15 oz part-skim ricotta cheese
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 2 cups low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 0.5 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
  • 0.25 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.
  2. Add the mostaccioli to the boiling water and cook for 2 minutes less than the package instructions for al dente. Drain the pasta but do not rinse.
  3. In a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, brown the lean ground turkey, breaking it into small crumbles. Add the diced onion and cook until translucent.
  4. Stir in the minced garlic, marinara sauce, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes. Simmer on low for 5 minutes.
  5. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, beaten egg, half of the mozzarella, and half of the parmesan. Stir in the fresh parsley.
  6. Combine the cooked pasta with the meat sauce. In a 9x13 inch baking dish, layer half of the pasta mixture, followed by dollops of the ricotta mixture, then the remaining pasta.
  7. Top with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
  8. Bake for 25 minutes until the cheese is molten and golden brown.