This baked ziti with ground turkey is a delicious Italian American comfort food with a hearty, flavorful meat sauce and a creamy ricotta cheese mixture topped off with a golden brown cheesy topping.
Preheat your oven to 375°F. Cook the pasta noodles in a large pot of boiling water until al dente. They should be soft but slightly underdone. They will continue cooking while the pasta bakes. Then drain and set aside.
While the noodles cook, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 30-45 seconds until fragrant. Add the ground turkey and turkey sausage and brown, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Then drain any excess fat.
Add the tomato sauce to the pan with the cooked turkey meat. Stir in 2 teaspoons of oregano and 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5-10 minutes. Then turn off the heat, add the noodles to the sauce, and stir to combine.
In a medium bowl, add the ricotta, 1 cup of mozzarella, ½ cup of parmesan, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon of oregano, 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning, and the salt and pepper. Stir until combined.
Add half of the noodles and sauce mixture to a 9x13 baking dish. Spoon half of the ricotta mixture on top. Add the remaining noodles and top with the remaining ricotta, then sprinkle on the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
Bake for 20 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling and the top is melted and lightly browned. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
To make ahead: Skip preheating the oven and prepare the dish through step 5. Then let the assembled ziti cool. Cover and transfer to the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.Remove from the fridge around 15-20 minutes before baking. Cover with foil and bake at 375°F for 10 minutes. Then remove the foil and continue baking for around 20 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the top is browned.To freeze: Make through step 5 using a foil pan instead of a baking dish. Cover with foil and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw overnight in the fridge. Bake covered at 375°F for 10 minutes. Then remove the foil and continue baking for around 20 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the top is browned.