When our schedules get busy, and our to-do lists feel overwhelming, home cooked dinners are often the first thing to “outsouce” on our list of “things I must get done”. Whether you solve this challenge with takeout, the drive-thru, or a restaurant meal, it most likely is not the way you wanted dinner to happen. And it often results in eating foods we know are not the greatest for our health, we overspend in the process, and we just feel blah afterwards (“why did we eat that?!?!)
The saying “the simplest solution is almost always the best” especially rings true here. Dinner can be hard when you are busy. We completely get that. But you don’t need to resort to overpriced meal kits or spend an entire day of prepping and cooking in advance on your weekends. Having a hearty meal you can make in advance and have ready to go right at dinner time can save you from being stuck in the drive-thru line every time.
This healthy Turkey, Cheese, and Tomato Casserole is one of those meals. This was one of my go-to make ahead dinners when we seemed to live at the hockey rink when my boys were younger. You only need about 15 minutes to prep and you can either cook it in advance, or have it ready to go in the oven at dinner time. Pair it with some fruit or a simple veggie or salad and you are done! The easy recipe is below.
Turkey, Cheese, and Tomato Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
- 1/2 cup feta cheese
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 cups penne pasta
- 1 1/2 lbs ground turkey
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 cup tomato pasta sauce
- 14.5 oz diced tomatoes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Mix 1 cup of mozzarella, the feta, & garlic in bowl. Season with salt & pepper, set aside.
- Cook pasta according to package. Drain & place in large bowl.
- Spray large skillet with cooking spray, add turkey & onion and cook on med heat until meat is browned.
- Place turkey mixture in bowl with pasta & mix in sauce & tomatoes.
- Spray 13 x 9 baking dish with cooking spray. Place half of turkey mix in baking dish & sprinkle with cheese mix.
- Top with remaining pasta/turkey mix & top with mozzarella.
- Cover with foil & bake for 20 mins.
Need some more ideas on how to make dinner easier? Check out these other articles below:
https://thedinnerdaily.com/meal-planners-guide/
My daughter, told me about this recipe. Its awesome!
So glad you like it Brenda! And its economical too!