Healthy Baked Cavatelli

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Looking for healthy casseroles? Look no further! Tastier than some healthy casserole recipes, this baked cavatelli is packed with veggies and protein -- but still has a little gooey cheese sprinkled on top.

Healthy Baked Cavatelli
Photo: Blaine Moats
Prep Time:
30 mins
Cook Time:
15 mins
Bake Time:
40 mins
Total Time:
1 hrs 25 mins
Servings:
8

Ingredients

  • 8 ounce dried cavatelli or dried multigrain penne pasta

  • 12 ounce uncooked ground Italian turkey sausage*

  • 1 cup chopped eggplant or zucchini

  • 1 cup chopped fresh cremini or button mushrooms

  • ¾ cup chopped red sweet pepper

  • ½ cup chopped onion

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 14.5 ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained

  • 1 8 ounce can no-salt-added tomato sauce

  • ¼ cup snipped fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried basil, crushed

  • 1 tablespoon snipped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed

  • ¼ teaspoon salt

  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

  • 1 cup shredded reduced-fat Italian blend cheese (4 ounces)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting any salt or oil. Drain; set aside.

  2. Meanwhile, in a very large skillet cook sausage, eggplant, mushrooms, sweet pepper, onion, and garlic over medium heat until sausage is browned and vegetables are just tender, stirring to break up sausage as it cooks. Drain off any fat. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, dried basil (if using), dried oregano (if using), salt, and black pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in fresh basil (if using) and fresh oregano (if using).

  3. In a very large bowl stir together the pasta and sausage mixture. Spoon mixture into a 3-quart baking dish.

  4. Bake, covered with foil, for 35 to 40 minutes or until heated through. Uncover; sprinkle with cheese. Bake about 5 minutes more or until cheese is melted.

*Test Kitchen Tip:

For a less spicy pasta dish, use half regular ground turkey and half Italian turkey sausage.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

254 Calories
7g Fat
30g Carbs
17g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 8
Calories 254
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 7g 9%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 34mg 11%
Sodium 492mg 21%
Total Carbohydrate 30g 11%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 17g
Vitamin C 28.3mg 142%
Calcium 131.3mg 10%
Iron 1.6mg 9%
Potassium 291mg 6%
Folate, total 84.7mcg
Vitamin B-6 0.2mg

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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