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Dinner recipe · from the recipe book

Turkey Cauliflower-Cream Pasta Bake with Cheddar

Tender pasta and savory ground turkey bound in a silky blended cauliflower sauce, baked under a bubbling golden cheddar crust.

Turkey Cauliflower-Cream Pasta Bake with Cheddar

Ingredients

  • 10 oz280 gPasta, dryshort shape such as penne or rotini
  • 1 lb450 gGround turkey, 93% lean
  • 3¼ cups florets350 gCauliflowercut into florets
  • 1¼ cups (300 ml)300 gMilk, 2%
  • ½ cup120 gLow-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 medium110 gYellow oniondiced
  • 3 cloves9 gGarlicminced
  • 1 medium119 gRed bell pepperdiced
  • 3 cups loosely packed90 gBaby spinach
  • 1 cup shredded100 gCheddar cheeseshredded
  • 1 tbsp14 gOlive oil
  • 2 tsp10 gYellow mustard
  • 1 tsp1 gDried thyme
  • ¾ tsp2 gPaprika (sweet or smoked)
  • ¾ tsp4 gSalt
  • ½ tsp1 gBlack pepper
  • 12⅔ cups3,000 gWater

Steps

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with a little of the olive oil, keeping the rest for the skillet.
  2. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot, add half the salt, and cook the pasta 2 minutes short of package time. Add the cauliflower to the same pot for the last 6 minutes, then drain both together and set the pasta aside, keeping the cauliflower separate.
  3. While the pasta cooks, heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey and cook, breaking it up, until no pink remains and it reaches 165°F (74°C).
  4. Add the onion, bell pepper and garlic to the turkey and cook 5 minutes until soft. Stir in the thyme, paprika and black pepper, then wilt in the spinach and take the skillet off the heat.
  5. Make the sauce: put the cooked cauliflower, milk, chicken broth, mustard and the remaining half of the salt in a blender and blend until very smooth.
  6. In the large pot, combine the pasta, turkey mixture and cauliflower sauce, stirring to coat evenly. Stir in half the cheddar.
  7. Spread the mixture in the baking dish and scatter the remaining half of the cheddar over the top.
  8. Bake uncovered 25 minutes, until bubbling and the cheddar is golden. Rest 5 minutes before serving.

Contains: Milk, Gluten.

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Saved in the Every Helping recipe book on October 24, 2026.

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