Baked Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Turkey Sausage Meatballs
Baked Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Turkey Sausage Meatballs
Baked Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Turkey Sausage Meatballs

Baked Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Turkey Sausage Meatballs

David Venable

We've trimmed off the fat, but not the flavor with this unique (baked) version of spaghetti and meatballs.

Ingredients

  • 1-1/4 lb sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
  • 1-1/4 lb hot Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
  • 1-1/2 lb whole wheat spaghetti
  • 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes in juice
  • 1-1/2 cups fat-free ricotta
  • 1 cup reduced-fat Parmesan, grated
  • 2 cups reduced-fat mozzarella, shredded
  • 2 Tbsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Mix together the sweet and hot Italian turkey sausage in a large bowl. Form sausage into 1'' meatballs and place on a nonstick baking sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes until cooked through. Remove and set aside.
Bring a large stock pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook 7-9 minutes until cooked through, yet firm to the bite. Drain and set aside.
In a separate large bowl, mix together the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, ricotta, Parmesan, 1 cup of mozzarella, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Add the spaghetti, toss to combine, and carefully stir in the cooked meatballs. Spray the inside of a 6-qt roaster oven with nonstick spray and add the mixture. Top the spaghetti with the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella and parsley. Bake in the roaster oven at 275°F for 50-55 minutes until bubbly, warm throughout, and nicely colored.

Cook's Notes

Don’t rinse the pasta with water to cool it down. Allow it to cool naturally to keep all the starches in place, so the sauce grips the noodles.|If you like, use your own favorite turkey meatball recipe instead of using the sausage.

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