Italian Turkey Spinach Pasta Skillet at Home

This Italian Turkey Spinach Pasta Skillet is unfussy and savory! Three cheeses blanket cooked ground turkey, spinach and pasta tossed in a tomato pesto sauce! Simple and reliable for any night of the week! This method will serve 6.

How can a simple pasta dish be WORTH THE POT??

My sister Christine emailed me this method forever and ever ago. I remember loving the combination of the fire roasted tomatoes with the pesto and the copious amounts of cheese. But I believe she got this method from someone, who got it from someone and it may have been in a magazine or something, not sure. Over the years I’ve adapted it by making my own pesto, used fire-roasted crushed tomatoes or regular tomato sauce. Instead of only asiago cheese, I’ve upgraded it to three cheeses. You get the point.

This dish is simple and short to prepare. It makes for a comforting weekday meal and would even be great for make ahead of time and then only pop in the oven when you’re ready to eat!

It’s satisfying.

For this Italian Pasta Bake Set out:

for the pesto:

• fresh basil
• toasted pinenuts
• parmesan cheese
• garlic
• lemon zest and juice
• kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• extra virgin olive oil

for the pasta skillet:

• mozzarella cheese
• asiago cheese
• parmesan cheese
• dried cavatappi pasta plus sea salt (for cooking pasta)
• olive oil
• ground turkey
• yellow onion
• garlic
• tomato sauce or fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
• spinach – baby or regular
• kitchen-made basil pesto

In a bowl, combine 1 cup shredded mozzarella with 1/2 cup shredded asiago and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.

In a small blender or food processor add; 1 cup fresh basil leaves, 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts, 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, 1 clove garlic, zest and juice from 1/2 a small-ish lemon, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and 1/4 cup olive oil.

Blend until smooth and set aside.

Now bring a pot of salted (about a palmful of sea salt) boiling water.

Once boiling, add then add 12 ounces (or 3/4 pound) of cavatappi pasta and cook following the package directions.

Meanwhile, drizzle 2 teaspoons of extra light olive oil to a large deep sided skillet (that has a lid) and add 1 pound lean ground turkey, 3/4 cup diced yellow onion and 2 cloves minced garlic with a pinch of kosher salt.

Break up the meat and cook until the onions are tender and turkey is no longer pink and fully cooked.

Reserve a cup of the pasta liquids BEFORE draining the pasta. Toss the pasta occasionally to keep them from sticking.

Next add in 1 (15 ounce) can of tomato sauce or fire-roasted crushed tomatoes. Either will work here. AND fill 1/2 a can with pasta water. Swirl the can to pick up any remaining tomato sauce stuck to the sides and add that in.

Stir to combine and then add 8 ounces spinach. I used baby spinach.

Reduce heat a to low or medium-low. Cover and allow the steam to wilt and cook the leaves for 6 minutes.

When time is up, uncover and stir the remaining spinach into the sauce.

Now the spinach should be bright green and not completely wilted yet.

Add the cooked pasta to the sauce.

Next, add the basil pesto. If using jarred pesto, gather 1 cup.

Stir to combine.

I could so entirely eat this right here and now but it gets so much better, only you wait!

Sprinkle with the three cheese blend.

Sprinkle with a little minced parsley right before serving.

So cheesy and incredibly savory! The kitchen-made pesto truly adds so much flavor to this dish. And the three cheeses is *chefs kiss* perfection.

Surely a satisfying and hearty pasta dish!

Serve this with a side salad, garlic knots or crusty bread and a bottle of wine. DEEPLY GOOD!

Enjoy! And if you give this Italian Pasta Bake recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!