Rigatoni with Ground Turkey

This baked rigatoni layers a savory ground turkey and mushroom sauce under a blanket of homemade béchamel, toasted breadcrumbs, and Parmesan. It’s the kind of dish that comes out of the oven bubbling and golden, and nobody’s complaining about eating leftovers the next day.

The double-mushroom move is what sets this apart. Regular sliced mushrooms give bulk, while rehydrated porcini and their soaking liquid bring that deep, woodsy, almost smoky intensity you can’t get any other way. Don’t toss that porcini water. It goes right into the sauce and adds a concentrated umami backbone.

The béchamel is simple: flour cooked in olive oil, then milk whisked in until thick. It doesn’t need to be fancy. Its job is to bind everything together under that crispy breadcrumb top and keep the pasta from drying out in the oven.

Chef Tips

• Cook the rigatoni just short of al dente. It finishes cooking in the oven, and overcooked pasta turns mushy in a bake.
• Squeeze excess liquid from the rehydrated porcini before adding them. Then strain their soaking liquid through a coffee filter to catch any grit.
• Let the bake rest for 5 minutes out of the oven before serving. It sets up slightly and slices more cleanly.
• Toast the breadcrumbs in a dry pan before sprinkling on top for extra crunch.

Variations

• Use Italian sausage instead of ground turkey for a richer, more assertive sauce.
• Add a layer of ricotta dollops under the béchamel for extra creaminess.
• Stir in a handful of fresh spinach with the mushrooms for added color and nutrition.