Description
A light yet flavorful pasta dish featuring tender turkey meatballs enriched with ricotta, served over rigatoni tossed with garlicky sautéed spinach.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Crust:
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1/2 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 12 oz rigatoni pasta
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 oz fresh spinach
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- Fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
1. Prepare the Crust:
- In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, ricotta, Parmesan, egg, breadcrumbs, parsley, lemon zest, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Mix gently until just combined.
- Shape the mixture into 1-inch meatballs (about 20). Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook meatballs for 8-10 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
- Cook rigatoni according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
- In the same skillet, add remaining 1 tbsp olive oil. Sauté garlic for 1 minute until fragrant. Add spinach and cook until wilted, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add marinara sauce and reserved pasta water to the skillet. Stir to combine. Return meatballs to the skillet and simmer for 2-3 minutes to heat through.
- Toss cooked rigatoni with the sauce and meatballs. Serve hot, garnished with fresh basil and extra Parmesan if desired.
Notes
You can customize the seasonings to taste.