READY IN 1 hr

Turkey Ragu with Fontina and Parmesan

Read Reviews (41)

"I love hearty, cheesy pasta dishes like meat sauce and lasagna, but it's impossible to keep to a diet when eating such meals! I put this together one night to attempt a healthy version of a traditional ragu. It is surprisingly tasty and lends itself to modifications for personalization of taste." — Jessica

Directions

Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the macaroni, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain well in a colander set in the sink.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir onions until translucent and slightly brown, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir in garlic. Cook for 1 minute, then add the ground turkey. Cook and stir until the turkey is no longer pink. Mix in the diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, parsley, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Combine pasta with the tomato sauce in the skillet. Toss pasta with the fontina cheese and 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese until the cheese is melted. Serve pasta in a large bowl with 3 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.

Kitchen-Friendly View

PREP 10 mins
COOK 50 mins
READY IN 1 hr

Reviews More Reviews

Most Helpful Positive Review

Sep 03, 2010

A great way to use ground turkey! I made just a few modifications: I swapped rigatoni for the elbow mac because that's what I had in the cupboard. I added about half a tablespoon of red pepper flakes to help kick up the flavor a bit and I used a tablespoon of Italian Seasoning instead of the dried parsley, oregano, and basil because I didn't have those ingredients. I used a 28oz can of crushed tomatoes along with a 14.5oz can of the diced tomatoes and was really glad I did, I think the pasta might have been too dry otherwise. After mixing the sauce, pasta, and cheese pour the whole thing into a large baking dish, cover with foil, and bake in the oven at 350 for 20 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling around the edges. Uncover and top with parmesan and bake for another 5 minutes until the cheese bubbles and browns. SO TASTY! My husband (who is usually not a fan of ground turkey) said he didn't even know it was turkey until he was about halfway through his meal and I told him!

—Candace

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Jul 19, 2011

I did not care for this.

—chele

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63 Ratings

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Sep 16, 2012

I made only one adjustment in this sauce--instead of using three cloves plain garlic, I used a whole bulb roasted garlic. I did go easy on the salt but that's really up to taste, not a recipe issue. The kids know this as "goulash" as I make a version of it once a month. This recipe was quite good, the fontina was a nice touch. Honestly there were no leftovers, the boys ate every bite.

—Sarah Jo

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Aug 18, 2009

GREAT-This is a wonderful cheesey casserole. I cut it in half and put it in an 8X8 baking dish and baked it a few minutes.I did add some add some red pepper flakes to give it a little bit of kick - it would be fairly bland otherwise. P.S. I used the full cup of Fontina for my half recipe. Soooooo good and cheesey.

—Chris From Kent, WA

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Aug 30, 2010

DELICIOUS! I couldn't find fontina so I used guyere and added some sliced portobello mushrooms. This is a new favorite in my house, have already made three times!

—mrs.elizabethanderson

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Nov 05, 2009

Ground turkey was buy 1 get 1 free this week and so I needed to find a recipe that I could use it. I made this and was really glad. I used parmigano instead as that was all I had and it worked fine! I love this recipe because it was easy and very healthy.

—love 2 cook

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Jun 10, 2010

Wonderful...I used whole wheat penne pasta...(2) cups of the Fontina Cheese (love the flavor). Easily doubled for hearty eaters...

—sissymom56

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Jan 07, 2010

This actually turned out really good!!! I was pleasantly surprised. I added crushed red peppers to give it more spice for my husband and I but served it without them for the kiddos! Everyone ate it really well. FYI- this recipe makes 8 really big servings! I had enough for a family of 4 plus lunch for my husband and I for 2 days!

—camph27

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Nutrition

Calories
421 kcal
21%

Carbohydrates
49.8 g
16%

Cholesterol
64 mg
21%

Fat
13.2 g
20%

Fiber
3.6 g
14%

Protein
26 g
52%

Sodium
687 mg
27%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Turkey Ragu with Fontina and Parmesan

Serving Size: 1/8 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 8
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 421
Calories from Fat: 119

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 13.2g 20 %
** Saturated Fat 5.3g 27 %
Cholesterol 64mg 21 %
Sodium 687mg 27 %
Potassium 515mg 14 %
Total Carbohydrates 49.8g 16 %
Dietary Fiber 3.6g 14 %
Protein 26g 52 %
** Sugars 5.4g
Vitamin A 7 %
Vitamin C 21 %
Calcium 28 %
Iron 44 %
** Thiamin 65 %
Niacin 93 %
** Vitamin B6 26 %
** Magnesium 21 %
** Folate 84 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.