Ground Turkey and Goat Cheese Pasta Bake

I created this recipe one night when trying to think of other ways to use up some goat cheese I had on hand, and didn't have any pasta sauce! It actually came out better than I expected. The goat cheese gives it a wonderful creamy texture and the tomato soup, rather than sauce, gives it a hint of sweetness.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 40 mins
• Total Time: 55 mins
• Calories: 652 Calories

Ingredients

• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 ⅓ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano
• 1 (16 ounce) package cavatappi (corkscrew macaroni)
• 1 ⅓ pounds lean ground turkey
• 1 pinch Italian seasoning, or to taste
• 1 (19 ounce) can tomato-basil soup (such as Progresso®)
• 6 ounces chevre (soft goat cheese), crumbled

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 2

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, 9 to 10 minutes. Drain; return to the pot and set aside.

Step 3

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir turkey with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain fat.

Step 4

Combine browned turkey, cooked pasta, 1 can of tomato soup, diced tomatoes, and chopped green pepper in a bowl.

Step 5

Place one layer of the pasta mixture in the bottom of a 9x13-inch pan. Spread 1/3 of the 2nd can of tomato soup over this layer; add 1/3 of the crumbled goat cheese, and 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese. Repeat with second and third layers of pasta, ensuring that the top layer is completely covered with mozzarella.

Step 6

Bake in the preheated oven until heated through and cheese is melted and browned on top, 20 to 30 minutes.