Baked Rigatoni with Spinach, Provolone and Turkey

By á-29897

Ingredients

• 2 yellow onions
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1 medium kabocha or butternut squash, peeled and cubed, about 4-5 cups
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• salt + pepper + dried oregano
• 1/2 cup cream or half and half
• 1 lb. ground turkey
• 2 cups packed fresh spinach
• 1 cup grated Provolone cheese
• 1 lb. whole wheat rigatoni

Preparation

Step 1

1.Mince the onions and garlic. Combine in a small bowl and set aside.
2.Bring the vegetable broth to a boil; add half of the onion/garlic mixture and the prepared squash. Cook for 10 minutes or until squash/onion/garlic are fork-tender. Transfer the cooked squash combo with ½ cup of the vegetable broth from the pot to a blender and puree until smooth, adding salt, pepper, and dried oregano to taste. Stir in cream and set aside.
3.Brown the turkey over medium high heat with the remaining onion/garlic mixture. Season generously with salt, pepper, and oregano. Drain out any excess liquid so that the meat will get a browned, almost crispy look.
4.Cook the rigatoni in a large pot. Undercook the pasta slightly to avoid mushy noodles - I boiled mine for about 6 minutes. Drain the water; add the sauce, sausage, and spinach to the pot with the noodles. Stir until combined. Transfer to a large baking dish (any shape), stopping half way to add a layer of cheese (about ½ cup of cheese). Pour remaining pasta mixture in and sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of cheese on top. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until the top is beginning to brown and everything is heated through.