In a cooking rut? Try one of these taste-tested, family-approved recipes using ground beef.
Baked Rigatoni And Meatballs
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- #32349
Baked rigatoni and meatballs is a classic Italian dish. This version is made with ground turkey meatballs instead of beef.
serves/makes:
ready in:
1-2 hrs
1-2 hrs
3 reviews
ingredients
Meatballs
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
Sauce & Pasta
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups sliced mushrooms
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
28 ounces diced canned tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 1/2 cups rigatoni pasta
1 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Combine the turkey, egg, onion, bread crumbs, garlic, Parmesan, oregano, salt and pepper in a bowl. Mix well but do not overwork the meat. Shape tablespoonfuls of the meat mixture into meatballs.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the meatballs, in batches if needed, for 8-10 minutes, turning them frequently to brown on all sides. Remove the meatballs to a plate and set aside.
Add the onion, garlic, mushrooms, green pepper, basil, sugar, oregano, salt, pepper, and water to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. Stir in the diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Bring the sauce to a boil. Add the meatballs and stir gently. Reduce the heat to a simmer and let cook for 30 minutes or until the sauce has thickened slightly.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni for 8 minutes or until al dente. Drain well and return to the pot.
Stir the meatballs and sauce into the rigatoni. Stir to coat the pasta in the sauce. Transfer the meat and pasta to a 11x7 baking dish. Top with the mozzarella and parmesan cheeses.
Place the rigatoni in the oven and bake at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly.
nutrition data
Nutritional data has not been calculated yet.
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reviews & comments
October 3, 2019
I almost didn't make this recipe because it looked like it would be a lot of work. Honestly, it was incredibly easy - just lots of ingredients. And tons of flavor. I think this would freeze well too so I may try making it in advance and freezing it to have on hand for unexpected guests.
December 21, 2007
My grandson and I throughly enjoyed this.....I used too much rigatoni so had to add some ready made sauce and some sweet n low but it is delicious......Oh, and I used ground sirloin in place of turkey.
October 28, 2007
Not a bad recipe, but not great. A bit watery and to our 'Italian' taste not all that. I would consider it a good meal for during the week with some slight adjustments.