If you are looking for recipe ideas to meal prep ground turkey, this tortellini casserole is loaded with turkey and vegetables and the perfect dish to throw together for dinner or weekly meal prep!

With a lower fat content than other meat options, ground turkey is a lower calorie and high protein food that people are reaching towards for their meal prep. While it is lower in calorie, ground turkey can also be lower in flavor compared to beef and chicken leaving people feeling frustrated with their flavorless meals.

Enter, this loaded tortellini casserole. This casserole is the perfect dish to meal prep your ground turkey and enhances its flavor with spices, vegetable varieties, and the subtle sweetness of a sweet potato to pull it all together. Beyond its balanced ingredient profile, this tortellini bake is the perfect fridge clean out recipe and a great way to use up vegetables that could otherwise be thrown away!

Why you’ll love this recipe:

This tortellini casserole will be a household favorite because it’s:

A fridge clean out: I give a few vegetable suggestions on how I make this recipe but you can definitely use any vegetables that you have on hand!
Full of flavor filled ground turkey: if you are struggling with ideas on how to season ground turkey, then this dish is perfect for you. Not only do we add spice directly to the ground turkey itself, but we also enhance the natural flavors with different vegetable varieties!
Great for meal prep: Im constantly making this casserole as our weekly meal prep. It saves really well in the fridge and can be eaten for up to 5 days.
Family friendly: Kids love tortellini and this could be a great way to get them to eat more colorful foods as well. If you are going to serve this to kids, I do recommend that you opt for a less spicy seasoning as this casserole can pack a punch from the creole seasoning!

I know you’ll love it too!

The process:

I love this recipe but I will also admit that you are going to use quite a few dishes to make it. Sorry about it. Start by preheating your oven to 425 then dice your sweet potato into small cubes, toss in olive oil and roast for 25-30 minutes or until fork tender.

While your potatoes roast, season and cook your ground turkey until it reaches an internal temperature of 165…

Then cook your veggies in the largest pan that you own! We want to cook the veggies until they are fully tender… about 15 to 20 minutes.

On another burner, bring water to a boil and cook your tortellini according to package instructions.

Once your ground turkey, sweet potatoes, veggies, and tortellini are all cooked, mix them together and add them to a casserole dish or 9x13 baking dish. Top with your shredded cheese then bake at 325 for 20 minutes or until your cheese is melted.

Recipe modification suggestions

The best thing about casseroles is that they are great fridge clean out recipes! We’re team no food waste here. You can definitely modify this recipe by:

Switch up your vegetables: Use whatever veggies you have on hand or that you enjoy! I do recommend including the sweet potato and red bell pepper as “standards” for this recipe, but the other filler veggies can be switched out.
Try a new tortellini: I always use the spinach and cheese stuffed tortellini but you can also use 3 cheese tortellini in this recipe.
Change the seasonings: As written, this recipe is SPICY. If you want a less spicy casserole, I would recommend you season your ground turkey with:
- Fresh parsley and garlic salt
- Dried Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper
- Smoked paprika, lemon, and garlic
Swap your protein: This recipe is a great way to use up that ground turkey but you can also make this recipe with cooked chicken, crispy tofu, or another protein you have on hand.

Ingredients:

This tortellini casserole features so many delicious flavors and nutrients from unique ingredients like:

Ground turkey: Ground turkey for meal prep is a great way to keep the protein high but the calories low.
Tortellini: I used spinach and cheese tortellini but you can use your favorite! Buitoni tortellini has a delicious 3 cheese tortellini or spinach and cheese tortellini that would pair perfectly here.
Red bell pepper: In addition to your veggies of choice, I recommend you add in a red bell pepper which pairs nicely with the sweet potato.
Sweet potato: cubed and roasted, a sweet potato will add fiber and Vitamin A to this recipe.
Veggies of choice: I used zucchini, squash, and a head of cauliflower in this recipe but this tortellini casserole is the perfect fridge clean out recipe and an easy way to use up the veggies you have in your fridge! I recommend using 5 cups of veggies in this recipe and have used zucchini, squash, cauliflower, broccoli, brussel sprouts, and spinach before.
Shredded cheese: I used Colby jack.
Seasoning: Ok, I generally try not to say “pick your favorite” seasoning but it this will depend on what you think is the best seasoning for ground turkey. Personally, I think the best ground turkey seasoning is one with a little bit of spice so I choose a Creole or cajun seasoning. Other great seasonings for ground turkey are Italian seasoning with fresh parsley and garlic salt!

Recipe FAQ:

What are the best seasonings for ground turkey?
- Ground turkey has a very mild flavor and requires good seasonings to enhance its taste. A few great seasonings for ground turkey include:
  - Smoked paprika
  - Cajun or creole seasoning
  - Fresh herbs like parsley or cilantro.
What if I can’t find spinach and cheese tortellini?
- Other tortellini flavors like 3 cheese tortellini would be delicious in this recipe as well. There are many brands that you can buy from and I typically pick any of the Buitoni tortellini cheese or veggie flavored packages or Rana has a great spinach and cheese option.
Can tortellini be frozen?
- Yes! This casserole can be prepped and frozen to be eaten at another date. If you plan to freeze this tortellini casserole, I would cook everything then mix it together and freeze without adding the cheese. The best way to bake frozen tortellini is to allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight so take this casserole out when you are ready to eat it and give it at least 12 hours in the refrigerator. Add shredded cheese and bake at 350 for 45 minutes to and hour or until warmed through.
What is the safe internal temperature for ground turkey?
- Like other poultry, ground turkey should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Yield: 6

Author: Lauren Twigge