Layered Italian Turkey and Zucchini Bake

A hearty, high-fiber Italian-inspired casserole with layers of lean ground turkey, tender zucchini, savory tomato sauce, whole wheat lasagna noodles, and creamy ricotta and mozzarella cheeses.

• Prep: 25 min
• Cook: 45 min
• Total: 1 hr 10 min
• Servings: 4
• Cuisine: Italian
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost: $4.98/serving

Dietary

• High-Fiber
• Nut-Free
• Soy-Free
• High-Protein

Tags

• bake
• comfort food
• one-pot
• savory

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion (medium, chopped)
• 2 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 pound ground turkey (lean)
• 2 zucchinis (large, thinly sliced)
• 28 ounce crushed tomatoes (canned)
• 2 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 0.5 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper (to taste, freshly ground)
• 6 whole wheat lasagna noodles (no-boil type)
• 1.5 cup ricotta cheese (part-skim)
• 1 egg (large)
• 1.5 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (divided)
• 0.25 cup fresh basil (chopped, for garnish)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped yellow onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Add minced garlic and ground turkey. Cook, breaking up the turkey with a spoon, until no longer pink, about 7-10 minutes. Drain any excess fat.
4. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, dried oregano, dried basil, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and black pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and let gently cook for 10 minutes.
5. While the sauce simmers, in a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, 1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese, salt, and black pepper. Mix well.
6. To assemble, spread a thin layer of the turkey-tomato sauce on the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Place 2 whole wheat lasagna noodles over the sauce. Spread half of the ricotta mixture over the noodles. Arrange half of the thinly sliced zucchini over the ricotta. Top with another layer of turkey-tomato sauce.
7. Repeat the layers: 2 more noodles, the remaining ricotta mixture, remaining zucchini, and another layer of turkey-tomato sauce.
8. Top with the final 2 noodles and remaining turkey-tomato sauce. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese.
9. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the noodles are tender.
10. Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil.

Notes

This bake tastes even better the next day as flavors meld. It also freezes well in individual portions for future quick meals.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 590
• Protein: 45.1 g
• Carbohydrates: 48.7 g
• Fat: 28.5 g
• Fiber: 10.2 g
• Sodium: 880 mg
• Saturated Fat: 11.2 g
• Sugar: 12 g
• Cholesterol: 125 mg