Southwestern Turkey Pasta Bake
With a flavorful southwestern-inspired sauce, pasta, and turkey breast, this gluten free dinner is easy-to-make, budget friendly, and the whole family will love it!
- Prep Time: 25 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 45 mins
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 turkey breasts (about 1–1.5 lb)
- 12–16 ounces gluten free spaghetti*
- ½ cup butter, unsalted
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- ½ onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1–2 6-oz. can tomato paste
- ⅓–½ cup corn starch
- 4 cups milk
- 1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
- 2 cups cheddar or monterey jack cheese
- Chopped cilantro, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta per package package directions; drain.
- While the pasta water is heating up, lightly season the turkey breasts with salt and pepper. Add a small amount of olive oil to a dutch oven and saute the turkey breast until cooked through. (For faster cooking, cut them into slices first.) Remove from the stove and shred. Set aside.
- Melt the butter in that same pan over medium heat. Add the green pepper and onion; saute for about 5 minutes until tender. Mix in the garlic, cumin, chili powder, and salt. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly until well blended.
- Whisk in the corn starch until smooth. Gradually whisk in milk. (I add about ¾ cup of milk at a time, stirring well after each addition.) Cook, whisking, until thickened, about 3-5 minutes.
- Remove from heat; add diced tomatoes, 1 cup of cheese, spaghetti noodles and turkey breast.
- Scrape into a 9×13” baking dish. Bake until bubbly about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Let stand for about 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
*use 16 ounces if you want to make the meal last longer
Note: you can use chicken breast as a substitute for the turkey.
Find it online: https://livingwellmom.com/southwestern-turkey-pasta-bake/