Looking for a great weeknight dinner? This Ground Turkey Casserole has everything you can possibly want. Featuring pasta, mushrooms, bacon, and other goodness, it’s comforting, filling, and super delicious!
No offense to vegetarians and vegans but I can’t live without meat. Not even a day. My dinner has to have some in it. From time to time I enjoy meatless dishes but I kinda feel only half full after eating them. That’s how it is. However, I’m really picky when it comes to choosing meat. Chicken, turkey, and beef are the only ones making it into my fridge. In other words, I prefer lean meat.
Lately, ground turkey is my top choice with ground chicken being a close second. Not the one labeled “ground turkey” which can be found at stores but homemade ground meat aka buying a turkey breast and grinding it myself. It takes some time to make it (including cleaning a food processor which I hate a lot) but the difference is so obvious that it’s worth every single minute invested. That store-bought ground turkey usually has skin and other fat things in the mix while ground turkey breast is lean and packed with protein.
Ground turkey is great for meatballs, as a stuffing for cannelloni, in cabbage rolls, casseroles… Plenty of options for using it. Today I want to show you a Ground Turkey Casserole I mastered not such a long time ago. It features pasta, mushrooms, bacon (yes yes, I told that I prefer lean meat but there is an exception for bacon, ha ha), cheese, and other goodness!
My hubby is not a fan of casseroles. He can’t explain a reason properly, though. Something with all the ingredients getting mixed together… I don’t know. What I wanted to say here is that he somehow loved this turkey casserole! Great news for me because it means cooking more of this awesomeness (in other case, I would have to forget the dish or cook it separately for myself which isn’t the most attractive option).
What’s more to say about this ground turkey casserole? It’s comforting, it’s filling, it’s everything you want a casserole to be. Moreover, it’s really easy to make and is ready in a little over than half an hour! A perfect weeknight dinner. Be sure to try and let me know your opinion in the comments section below!
Ground Turkey Casserole with Pasta & Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 8 oz. (225g) fusilli , penne, or any other short pasta you like
- 3 slices bacon , diced
- 1 lb (450g) ground turkey
- 1 lb (450g) mushrooms , sliced
- 1 medium onion , chopped
- salt and pepper , to taste
- 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- chopped fresh parsley , for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare a 3-quart casserole dish by spraying it with cooking spray.
- Prepare the pasta according to package directions. Drain and transfer to the casserole dish.
- Cook the bacon in a large skillet until crisp. Remove from pan and set aside. Add the ground turkey and cook until done. Push the meat to the side and add the mushrooms and onion. Cook for 3-4 minutes over medium-high heat.
- Now mix everything in the skillet together and season with salt, pepper, and the poultry seasoning. Cook for another 3-4 minutes and transfer to the casserole together with the cooked bacon. Mix everything together.
- In the same skillet, add the wine, broth, and heavy cream. Bring to boil and stir until the sauce is reduced to about 1 cup. Add the ground nutmeg.
- Pour the sauce over the contents of the casserole and mix one more time. Top with the cheese and breadcrumbs. Bake, uncovered, for about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with some chopped parsley and serve. Enjoy!
14 Comments
Alyssa
March 2, 2017 at 12:49 pmI love mushrooms but my husband hates them so when he goes out of town for work, I always put mushroom dishes on the menu to enjoy! This one’s going in the archive to pull out when he travels again!
Jovita
March 26, 2017 at 12:29 pmHa ha, nice plan!
Julia @ HappyFoods Tube
March 2, 2017 at 12:59 pmThis looks like a great comfort food! I also use ground turkey a lot but I don’t grind it myself 🙂
Jovita
March 26, 2017 at 12:30 pmIt’s not necessary so don’t worry, Julia 😉
Annie @ Annie's Noms
March 2, 2017 at 1:14 pmI am all about casseroles right now; it’s still pretty cold here and I am craving comfort food!! This one is being added to my list, it looks delicious!
Jovita
March 26, 2017 at 12:33 pmI am glad you liked it, Annie! This one is really worth trying 😉
jane @ littlesugarsnaps
March 2, 2017 at 1:30 pmI does look super comforting. Love the mushrooms in there with the bacon, cheese and cream elements.
Jovita
March 26, 2017 at 12:35 pmThis casserole is really comfort food at its best 😉
Erren
March 2, 2017 at 2:41 pmThis looks and sounds delicious! Thank you for sharing this with me!
Jovita
March 26, 2017 at 12:35 pmYou are welcome, Erren!
Bintu - Recipes From A Pantry
March 19, 2017 at 10:24 amThis looks a right crowd pleaser. So family friendly too, bookmarking this
Jovita
March 26, 2017 at 12:36 pmLet me know how you liked it if you ever make it, Bintu!
chuck
December 19, 2020 at 4:50 amI made this tonight – the wine gave it a great flavor. I used parmesan and sour cream instead of gruyere and cream. Thanks for the recipe – I’m so tired of making all the same stuff.
Jovita
December 31, 2020 at 9:36 amI totally understand you, I always try to include at least one or two new recipes every holiday season 🙂