Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lbs Lean Ground Turkey or 90/10 Ground Beef
- 2 jars (24 oz each) Marinara Sauce
- 1 box (16 oz) Whole Wheat or Protein Penne Pasta
- 1 cup Low-fat Cottage Cheese (blended until smooth)
- 2 cups Shredded Part-skim Mozzarella Cheese
- 1 cup Water or Beef Broth
- 2 tbsp Italian Seasoning
- 1 tbsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes (optional for heat)
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the raw ground meat at the bottom of your 6-quart or larger crockpot. Break it up slightly with a wooden spoon, but don’t worry about browning it. Pour both jars of marinara sauce and the cup of water (or broth) over the meat. Add your Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. Give everything a quick stir to ensure the meat is submerged in the liquid.
- Cover the crockpot with the lid. Set the temperature to LOW and cook for 4 hours. If you are in a rush, you can cook it on HIGH for 2 to 2.5 hours. At the end of the cooking time, use a spoon to break up any remaining large chunks of meat. The acid in the tomatoes and the slow heat will have fully cooked the meat and infused it with flavor.
- Stir in the blended cottage cheese; this creates a “secret” creamy vodka-style sauce texture while adding massive amounts of protein. Add the dry pasta directly into the crockpot. Ensure the pasta is mostly submerged in the sauce. If it looks too dry, add another half-cup of water. Cover and cook on HIGH for an additional 20 to 30 minutes until the pasta is al dente.
- Once the pasta is tender, turn off the heat. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese over the top of the pasta. Place the lid back on for 5 minutes to let the residual heat melt the cheese into a gooey, delicious layer. Serve immediately directly from the crockpot for easy cleanup.
- Cook Time: 4 hours 5 minutes