Creamy Ground Turkey and Noodle Casserole

I’ve been making a lot of slow cooker and one-dish meals recently. These are great because they’re so convenient. However, we’re huge fans of casseroles, so I recently decided to try a few new casserole recipes. Here’s one we all really enjoyed.

Ingredients

(Loosely based on this recipe.)

• 3 cups dry pasta (penne, rotini, etc.)
• 1 lb. lean ground turkey (you could also use ground beef)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 can (15 oz.) of tomato sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Several dashes salt and pepper
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese, divided
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 13 x 9-inch baking pan and set aside.

In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the pasta. While the pasta boils, cook the ground meat and onion together in a skillet for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until the meat is no longer pink and the onion pieces are soft. Drain the grease. Stir in the tomato sauce, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Once the pasta is al dente, drain and rinse with cold water. Return it to the pot and add the sour cream, cottage cheese, and ½ cup of the parmesan cheese mixture. Combine the pasta and the meat mixture, then place in the baking dish. Sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese and the remaining parmesan cheese.

Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes or until the casserole is thoroughly heated and the cheese is melted. Yield: 6 servings.

Notes

I love that this casserole is easy to prepare and uses simple ingredients. It has a pretty mild flavor, which is nice because it means my whole family will eat it! My husband hates cottage cheese, but he didn’t seem to notice there was some in here. It doesn’t stand out at all; the sour cream and cheeses combine to give the casserole a creamy texture and cheesy flavor without any one of them taking over the dish.

If you’d prefer, you could add additional seasonings, mix in some veggies, or use other types of cheese in order to jazz up the flavor of the casserole. However, it is great as it is, especially if you have picky eaters.

Does your family like casseroles? Which will you be eating this autumn?

Shared at the following:

Encouraging Hearts and Home, Busy Monday, Over the Moon, Farm Fresh Tuesdays, Tuesdays with a Twist, and Weekend Potluck.