One Pot Ground Turkey Pasta Recipe

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This one-pot ground turkey pasta recipe is a savory, wonderful meal! It's simple to make and comes together in less than 40 minutes, much of which is hands-off time.

The savory meat sauce and cheesy pasta dish is going to be a hit with the whole family - it's one we make on repeat!

Perfect for a busy weeknight, this one-pot recipe requires minimal cleanup and is absolutely worth the time it takes to cook. It's a complete and filling meal that makes for great leftovers - it tastes even better the next day!

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Tips for Making this Recipe
• Substitutions & Variations
• Storage
• More One-Pot Dinner Recipes
• One-Pot Ground Turkey Pasta

Ingredients

Here are the simple ingredients you'll need to make this easy ground turkey pasta recipe.

• Lean Turkey - Lean ground turkey is a fantastic, healthier meat to use in a pasta sauce. It has the same richness as ground beef while being a great alternative that's heart-healthy. (check out all of our easy ground turkey recipes)
• Olive Oil - you'll use this to cook the turkey, onion, and tomatoes. There is no need to use extra virgin olive oil; save that for salad dressings and raw dishes.
• Red Onion - creates the allium flavor and base for the sauce. You can substitute this for a yellow onion if necessary.
• Cherry Tomatoes - add a lovely pop of flavor and color to the dish! These can be substituted for grape tomatoes as well.
• Seasonings - you'll use dried oregano, dried thyme, garlic powder, sea salt, and ground black pepper to season this dish.
• Whole Wheat Pasta - penne pasta works well for this recipe, but any chunky pasta like fusilli, casarecce, or farfalle would be great.
• Marinara Sauce - the marinara provides a great tomato base for the sauce, and since it's already seasoned, it adds rich flavor. You can substitute this for tomato sauce, but I'd recommend adding an additional ½ teaspoon of salt to the sauce.
• Heavy Cream - this adds a wonderful creaminess to the sauce! It can be substituted for 1 ounce of cream cheese if necessary.
• Broth or Stock - you can use either chicken broth or vegetable stock to thin the sauce. If you don't want to buy the boxed stuff, use some hot water and bouillon powder.
• Baby Spinach - adds a bright pop of color and grassy flavor to make this an even healthier dish.
• Fresh Basil - using fresh basil is key as it will both add a beautiful color but also flavor to the sauce.
• Mozzarella Cheese - adds another layer of creaminess and cheesy goodness to this dish. And as a bonus you get that lovely cheese-pull when you scoop up a spoonful of pasta!
• Optional - additional chopped fresh herbs like basil or parsley and grated parmesan cheese.

See the recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey and sauté it for 5 to 7 minutes, breaking it up with a spatula or wooden spoon until the turkey is browned.

Add the onions, cherry tomatoes, dried oregano, dried thyme, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.

Add the pasta, broth, marinara sauce, and heavy cream. Stir to combine and increase the heat until the mixture is gently bubbling. Reduce the heat to medium heat and cover the pot. Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes until the cooked pasta is al dente.

Stir in the spinach in batches, then add the basil and mozzarella. Stir to combine.

Serve immediately and top with optional grate parmesan.

Tips for Making this Recipe

Cooking Tips - Test the pasta after 10 minutes of simmer time. It should still be firm but easy to bite. If it stills feels underdone, cook it for an additional 2 minutes.

Recommended Tools - To make this dish, I recommend using a large (at least 4 quart) dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pan.

Substitutions & Variations

• Seasonings - if you don't have each of the herbs and seasonings on hand, you can substitute all of them for 2 ½ teaspoons of Italian seasoning. If you'd like to add a little heat to this recipe, feel free to add ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the seasoning blend.
• Pasta - you can substitute the whole wheat pasta for any other type of pasta you'd like - regular wheat pasta, lentil pasta, or chickpea pasta. Just be sure to change the simmer time based on package instructions for that specific pasta.
• Vegetables - if you'd like to substitute the cherry tomatoes for another veggie, try diced bell peppers.
• Meat - you can substitute ground chicken for turkey if you'd prefer.

Storage

This dish will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator when stored in an airtight container. It's a great meal prep dish and tastes even better the next day!

More One-Pot Dinner Recipes

If you're looking for more easy weeknight meal ideas, try one of these favorites!

• One Pot Creamy Skillet Salmon
• Ground Pork and Bok Choy Stir Fry
• Ground Turkey Chili
• Chicken Curry with Coconut Milk

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