Italian wedding pasta bake with turkey meatballs
45 min · 50 g protein · 490 cals / serving
Italian wedding soup turned into a bubbling bake: little garlicky turkey and parmesan meatballs, small pasta shells, carrots, celery and a whole bag of spinach in a creamy parmesan sauce, under melted mozzarella, browned under the grill. Six portions in 45 minutes, and it freezes well.
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 1/2 lb ground turkey breast (99% lean)
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
- 3 tbsp water
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, minced, divided
Meatballs
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt, divided
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 8 oz pasta, small shells or ditalini
Sauce
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 2 medium carrots, finely diced
- 2 stalks celery, finely diced
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup skim milk
- 10 oz baby spinach
- 1 1/2 cups cottage cheese (1%), 1% (low-fat), blended smooth
Topping
- 2/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Steps
- Put a large pot of salted water on to boil and heat the oven to 425°F with a parchment-lined tray ready. Soak the breadcrumbs in the water for 2 minutes, then mix in the turkey, egg, 1/4 cup of the parmesan, half the garlic, the oregano, parsley, half the salt and the pepper, and roll into about 20 meatballs (1 1/2 tablespoons each). Bake 14 minutes, until browned and cooked through (165°F), then switch the oven to the grill (broiler).
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta 2 minutes less than the packet says, then drain.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the oil in a large ovenproof pan or pot over medium heat and cook the onion, carrot and celery 5 minutes. Stir in the rest of the garlic and the flour for 1 minute, then whisk in the broth and milk a little at a time and simmer 3 minutes, until it coats a spoon.
- Stir the spinach into the sauce until it wilts, then let it bubble 2 minutes more so its water cooks off. Blend the cottage cheese smooth (a stick blender in its tub is quickest) and stir it in off the heat with the rest of the parmesan and salt. Fold in the pasta and meatballs and tip it into a 23 × 33 cm (9 × 13-inch) baking dish if your pan cannot go under the grill.
- Scatter over the mozzarella and slide it under the hot grill (broiler) for 3–4 minutes, until bubbling and golden in spots. It keeps 3 days in the fridge and freezes for 3 months in portions; add a splash of milk or broth when you reheat, as the pasta drinks the sauce.
Good to know
Can I use ready-made meatballs?
Yes, a 1 1/2 lb bag of frozen turkey meatballs saves 10 minutes: heat them in the sauce for 5 minutes before you fold in the pasta. Bought meatballs vary, so check the label.
Can I use whole-wheat pasta?
Yes, small whole-wheat shells hold the sauce well and add fibre, for about the same score. Cook them the same way, 2 minutes short of the packet time.
Per
- Calories
- 105
- Protein
- (42%)
- 11 g
- Fat
- (21%)
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- (37%)
- 10 g
- of which sugar
- 2 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 251 mg
More meals
Computed from the ingredients with our published formula, not yet kitchen-tested. General guidance, not medical advice. Talk to your prescriber. How
As written, 2940 kcal goes into the pot and 2842 g of ingredients comes out as about 2795 g of food: 105 kcal per 100 g. Cooking moves water and energy density is the score's biggest lever, so the dish is scored as cooked, not as an average of its parts. Every ingredient links to its food page, with the same data and score. The label's percentages are each macronutrient's share of the calories. The full formula.