Description
A comforting baked ziti with flavorful marinara sauce, creamy cottage cheese, and melted mozzarella.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 ounces ziti pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound lean ground turkey
- 24 ounces marinara sauce
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups cottage cheese
- 2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the ziti until just shy of al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the lean ground turkey and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks.
- Season the meat with Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper.
- Pour in the marinara sauce and let it simmer for 3 to 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, mix the cottage cheese with 1 cup of the mozzarella and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan.
- Add the cooked ziti to the meat sauce and stir until evenly coated.
- Fold the cottage cheese mixture into the pasta mixture gently so it distributes well.
- Transfer everything to the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer.
- Top with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until hot and bubbly and the cheese is melted and lightly golden.
- Let the baked ziti rest for 10 minutes, then sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve.
Notes
- For a heartier dish, you can add vegetables such as spinach or bell peppers.
- Feel free to substitute the ground turkey with ground beef or a meat alternative.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 70mg