Southern Cheesy Baked Spaghetti with Ground Turkey

Ingredients

• 1 pound spaghetti (cooked al dente per package)
• 1 pound ground turkey (ground beef works too)
• 2 jars Ragú Old World Style Traditional Sauce
• 1 medium onion
• 2 tablespoons butter
• about 1 tablespoon olive oil (for tossing noodles), plus cooking spray for greasing the baking dish
• 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• sugar, to taste (optional, to balance acidity)
• 3 cups sharp cheddar cheese (shredded; fresh-shredded preferred)
• 3 cups mozzarella cheese (shredded)
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (shredded)

How to Make It

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Boil the 1 pound of spaghetti until al dente per the package directions (about 10–11 minutes for the brand used), standing over it at the start until the strands loosen up.
3. Drain the spaghetti.
4. Toss the drained spaghetti with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil to keep it from sticking, and set it aside.
5. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter.
6. Before the butter is fully melted, add the onion and sauté for a couple of minutes.
7. Add the 1 pound of ground turkey.
8. Season with Creole seasoning, garlic powder, pepper, salt, dried basil, and dried oregano.
9. Mix everything in and cook until the turkey is no longer pink in the middle.
10. Add the 2 jars of Ragú sauce.
11. Stir in a little sugar to balance the acidity, if desired (completely optional).
12. Let the sauce simmer.
13. While the sauce simmers, grease the baking dish all around with cooking spray so the noodles won't stick.
14. Spread a first layer of spaghetti in the dish.
15. Top with the turkey sauce, then the cheeses (any order on the cheeses).
16. Repeat with another layer of spaghetti, sauce, and cheeses.
17. Finish with a final layer of sharp cheddar cheese on top.
18. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and toasted brown.
19. Let the dish sit for about 5–10 minutes to cool down.
20. Cut into it and serve.

Curtis's Tips

• Shred the cheese fresh — buy the block and shred it down — but if you don't have time, packaged shredded cheese works just as fine.
• If ground turkey isn't your thing, go ahead and use ground beef; I chose turkey as the healthier, leaner protein.
• Feel free to adjust the seasonings and ingredients to your preference.
• The sugar in the sauce is completely optional — it's just there to balance the acidity.
• Stand over the pasta at the beginning of the boil until it's all loosened up, and set a timer so you don't forget it.
• Oiling the noodles after draining and greasing the baking dish both keep the noodles from sticking.