Ingredients
Pasta
- 1 1/2 cups Elbow noodles (the smallest you can find)
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
Meat and Vegetables
- 1 lb Ground turkey
- 2 cups Cooked cauliflower rice
- 1 large Red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup Chopped yellow onion
- 1 cup Chopped carrots
- 4 cloves Garlic, minced
Sauce and Seasoning
- 1 15oz Can of tomato sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp Brown sugar
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp Dry mustard
- Salt and pepper to taste
Topping
- 1 cup Shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat and cook pasta: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Cook the elbow noodles according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
- Brown the turkey: Heat olive oil in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add the ground turkey and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is lightly browned, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Sauté vegetables: Add the cooked cauliflower rice, chopped red bell pepper, chopped yellow onion, chopped carrots, and minced garlic to the skillet. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add sauce ingredients: Pour in the tomato sauce, then add the brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes to meld flavors.
- Combine pasta and cheese: Stir the cooked elbow pasta into the turkey and vegetable mixture evenly. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top of the casserole in the skillet.
- Bake to finish: Place the skillet in the preheated oven and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve hot.
Notes
- You can substitute ground chicken or lean ground beef for the turkey if preferred.
- To make this dish gluten-free, use gluten-free noodles and gluten-free Worcestershire sauce.
- For added spice, consider adding a pinch of cayenne pepper or hot sauce to the tomato mixture.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- If you don’t have a cast-iron skillet, a baking dish can be used instead for the final bake step.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Casserole
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Fat
