Poppy Seed Casserole
Submitted by parveen
Poppy seed pasta casserole with ground turkey in tomato sauce layered over creamy fettuccine tossed with Neufchatel, cottage cheese, and sour cream.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
1 hrsThis casserole is built in two contrasting layers. On the bottom: fettuccine tossed with a creamy poppy seed mixture of Neufchatel cheese, cottage cheese, and sour cream. Down the center: seasoned ground turkey in tomato sauce with Italian seasoning, onions, and green pepper. Each forkful gets a bit of both.
The poppy seed and cheese pasta layer is what makes this recipe different from a standard baked pasta. The Neufchatel melts into the warm noodles and creates a creamy coating, while the cottage cheese adds small curds of texture and the poppy seeds give a subtle crunch and nuttiness that you notice between bites.
Spooning the meat sauce down the center instead of mixing it in keeps the two layers distinct. You get a visible stripe of tomato-red meat through the middle of the creamy white pasta, and the flavors stay separate until your fork brings them together.
Kitchen Tips
- Cube the Neufchatel and toss it with the hot pasta so it melts evenly. Cold blocks won’t incorporate and leave lumpy streaks.
- Cook the pasta without added salt or oil since the cheese mixture and tomato sauce both add plenty of sodium.
- Cover for the first 30 minutes to trap steam and heat the center through. Uncover for the last 10 to let the top firm up slightly.
- Ground turkey breast is lean and can dry out. Cook only until no pink remains, not until bone-dry.
Variations
- Beef version: Swap ground turkey for lean ground beef for a richer, more traditional flavor.
- Spinach layer: Add a layer of wilted spinach between the pasta and meat for extra color and nutrition.
Ingredients
Directions
In a large skillet, cook the turkey, onion and green pepper until the meat is no longer pink and the vegetables are tender.
Stir in the tomato sauce, salt, pepper and italian seasoning.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling water without added salt or oil.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the neufchatel cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream and poppy seeds.
Toss the cheese mixture with the cooked pasta.
Layer pasta mixture in the bottom of a 9×13×2 baking dish .
Spoon the meat mixture down the center of pasta mixture.
Bake, covered, for 30 minutes.
Uncover the casserole and bake for an additional 10 minutes more or until the casserole is heated through.
Comments
