Thyme-Braised Turkey and White Bean Bake

Savory ground turkey simmered with cannellini beans, garden vegetables, and aromatic thyme, finished with melted Gruyere cheese and served with warm baguette slices.

• Prep: 20 min
• Cook: 45 min
• Total: 1 hr 5 min
• Servings: 6
• Cuisine: French
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost: $5.01/serving

Dietary

• High-Protein
• High-Fiber
• Nut-Free
• Egg-Free
• Low-Sugar
• Low-Saturated-Fat

Tags

• bake
• savory
• rich
• comfort food

Ingredients

• 2 pound ground turkey (lean 93/7)
• 2 tablespoon avocado oil
• 1 yellow onion (medium, diced)
• 2 carrots (peeled, sliced)
• 2 celeries (sliced)
• 4 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 can tomato paste
• 2 can cannellini beans (rinsed, drained)
• 2 cup chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
• 5 ounce baby spinach
• 4 ounce Gruyere cheese (shredded)
• 1 French baguette (sliced)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons avocado oil in a large Dutch oven or oven-safe deep skillet over medium heat. Add 1 diced yellow onion, 2 sliced carrots, and 2 sliced celery stalks, cooking for 5 minutes until starting to soften.
3. Add 2 pounds lean ground turkey and 4 minced cloves of garlic to the pan. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper, breaking the meat apart with a spoon until thoroughly browned and reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, about 7 minutes.
4. Stir in 1 can tomato paste, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, coating the turkey and vegetables evenly for 1 minute.
5. Fold in 2 cans drained cannellini beans, 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, and 5 ounces baby spinach until the spinach wilts slightly into the liquid.
6. Spread the mixture evenly in the pan (or transfer to a 9x13-inch casserole dish) and scatter 4 ounces shredded Gruyere cheese across the top.
7. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes until the sauce is actively bubbling and the cheese is melted and lightly browned at the edges.
8. During the final 5 minutes of baking, warm 1 sliced French baguette in the oven until crusty. Rest the casserole for 5 minutes before serving alongside the warm bread.

Notes

Cool half of this bake completely, cover securely, and refrigerate for Wednesday evening.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 719
• Protein: 51 g
• Carbohydrates: 71.1 g
• Fat: 21.3 g
• Fiber: 14.5 g
• Sodium: 1712 mg
• Saturated Fat: 3.9 g
• Sugar: 7.8 g
• Cholesterol: 120 mg