Easy One Pot Baked Penne Pasta for the win this week! Cheesy, creamy, loaded with veggies, gluten free, high protein, AND incredibly easy to throw together...what’s not to love about this recipe? This one is perfect for those busy weeknights, and what’s even better is that it makes plenty to save and have as leftovers for an even easier dinner later or as meal prepped lunches for the week.

The inspiration...

So, truth be told...I had originally planned to make this a baked ziti recipe. Growing up baked ziti was a comfort food favorite, and it’s still one of my Grandma’s favorites, so I wanted to try to create my own version. But, without thinking, I bought penne pasta instead and then later realized that baked ziti kind of requires ziti. So, I improvised and ended up with this absolutely delicious Baked Penne Pasta instead, and I honestly couldn’t be more pleased! Also, you could swap in ziti (or any kind of pasta for that matter, we don’t discriminate), and it would be just as good.

Made with ground turkey and chickpea pasta, this meal is certainly high protein. You can absolutely use any other kind of high protein pasta you prefer, but I find that chickpea (specifically Banza) is the most similar to regular pasta. The chickpea pasta also adds a lot of beneficial fiber to keep you full longer, and your gut happy! Seasoned with oregano, basil, and garlic, the turkey also really adds incredible flavor to the dish.

I couldn’t very well not include veggies in this baked pasta. It’s just too easy to mix them in and hide them amongst the sauce and cheese (hot tip: this is a great way to sneak in extra veggies for those who are less than enthusiastic when it comes to eating their greens). Mushrooms, zucchini, and onion add so many healthy nutrients to the dish, as well as add a good amount of volume to the meal.

We also have ourselves a three cheese situation in this pot of pasta. Ricotta, parmesan, and mozzarella. The ricotta is mixed within the pasta and sauce to make it rich and creamy. A little parm is mixed in and sprinkled on top, because is it even a pasta dish if you don’t include parmesan? And to bring it all home, shredded, stringy, melty mozzarella tops the whole thing. The three cheeses come together to really make this an exceptionally delicious pasta bake.

While I could go on for ages about how delicious this recipe is, my favorite aspect of it has to be that it only requires ONE pot. Easy to make, easy to clean up. We love to see it. The turkey and onions are cooked first, followed by the veggies. Setting those aside on a plate, you cook the pasta in the same pot, then add everything together and bake it! It really couldn’t be simpler. For anyone with a busy schedule, I highly recommend giving this healthy and delicious recipe a go.

If you do give this Easy One Pot Baked Penne Pasta a try, be sure to comment below and/or tag me on Instagram and let me know how you like it! I really love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks for stopping by!
Take Care xx
Slim

Easy One Pot Baked Penne Pasta (Gluten Free)

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Serves: 8

Ingredients

1lb ground turkey (free range/pasture raised if possible!)
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp oregano
2 tsp dried basil
3 tsp chopped fresh garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
6oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 large zucchini, sliced and then quartered
3 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1 (24oz) jar of pasta sauce (I used Rao’s Arrabbiata)
16 oz Banza Chickpea Penne Pasta (or any kind of preferred pasta)
⅓ cup part skim or nonfat ricotta
¼ cup + 2 tbsp grated parmesan
6oz fresh mozzarella, grated

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In an ovenproof dutch oven or pot, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil on the stove over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the ground turkey and yellow onion. Cook until the turkey is completely browned. Around 7 minutes.
Add the oregano, basil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir until well mixed and cook for an additional minute. Should be quite fragrant. Remove the turkey and onion mixture from the pot and set aside on a plate for now.
Add the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil to the pot, then add in the zucchini and mushrooms. Cook until softened. Around 5 minutes. Once cooked, remove from the pot and place with turkey.
Place the vegetable broth, pasta sauce, and pasta in the pot over high heat. Mix together, cover, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, uncover, and reduce to medium for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reduces and thickens, and the pasta is cooked.
Once the sauce has thickened and pasta is cooked, add the turkey and veggies back to the pot. Mix together so everything is well distributed. Add the ricotta and ¼ cup parmesan. Mix together until well combined. Top with mozzarella and remaining parmesan.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cheese is fully melted on top. Let sit for a few minutes before serving.