This recipe has the easiest ground turkey spaghetti sauce you’ll find. It only needs 6 simple ingredients, like garlicky marinara sauce and ground turkey, to make a flavorful, almost effortless meal. It’s so easy, flavorful, and protein-packed that I’ve included instructions for cooking it on the stove in 30 minutes or in the slow cooker or Instant Pot.
Spaghetti with ground turkey is a delicious healthier alternative to traditional spaghetti with meat sauce. Ground turkey packs lean protein and can be used to make a flavorful meaty sauce for pasta without all the fat that comes with beef or pork. If you’re looking for a simple weeknight dinner that still feels special, spaghetti with turkey meat sauce is a great option.
Why Choose Ground Turkey For Spaghetti
There are a few key benefits to using ground turkey instead of beef or sausage in your spaghetti sauce:
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Lower fat and calories – Ground turkey is much leaner than ground beef or pork sausage. You can make a hearty, meaty sauce with ground turkey but cut way down on saturated fat and calories.
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Cost effective – Ground turkey tends to cost less per pound than ground beef or Italian sausage, It’s an affordable way to stretch your grocery budget,
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Subtle flavor – While ground turkey doesn’t have as pronounced a flavor as beef or sausage, it takes on the flavors of whatever sauce or seasonings you pair it with nicely. This makes it perfect for pasta sauce!
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Nutritional boost – Ground turkey provides lean protein as well as important nutrients like niacin, selenium, vitamins B6 and B12. It packs more nutrition than plain pasta.
Tips for Making the Best Ground Turkey Spaghetti
Follow these simple tips and tricks to make sure your turkey spaghetti sauce turns out flavorful and delicious:
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Use Italian seasoning – The key to amping up ground turkey’s mild flavor is to add bold seasonings. A blend of dried Italian herbs like oregano, basil, parsley, and thyme gives the sauce an authentic taste.
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Cook with olive oil – Sauteing the ground turkey in olive oil instead of butter adds a touch of healthy fats and enhances flavor.
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Don’t overcook the turkey – Be careful not to dry out the turkey meat. Cook just until it loses its pink color to keep it tender.
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Simmer the sauce – Letting the sauce simmer with the herbs and spices allows the flavors to meld together.
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Add vegetables – Onions, garlic, carrots, and mushrooms make tasty additions. Saute them before adding the turkey.
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Splash of wine – For a restaurant-worthy sauce, deglaze the pan with a bit of red wine after browning the turkey.
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Garnish with Parmesan – Freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top adds a delicious finishing touch.
Ground Turkey Spaghetti Recipes
There are so many ways to adapt ground turkey spaghetti to suit your tastes. Try one of these delicious recipes:
Basic Spaghetti with Turkey Meat Sauce
The simplest recipe just combines ground turkey, marinara sauce, and Italian seasonings. Saute 1 pound ground turkey with minced garlic and onions. Add jarred marinara sauce and dried basil, oregano, parsley, and red pepper flakes. Simmer 15 minutes. Toss with hot cooked spaghetti and Parmesan.
Turkey Bolognese Sauce
For a heartier meat sauce, make it Bolognese style. Cook the turkey with diced carrots, celery, and onion. Add tomato paste, milk, and chicken broth. Simmer until thickened. Toss with spaghetti.
Turkey Spaghetti with Mushrooms
Saute sliced mushrooms with the aromatics before adding ground turkey. Use chicken or vegetable broth as part of the sauce liquid. Earthy mushrooms pair nicely with turkey.
Southwest Turkey Spaghetti
Add taco seasoning, diced bell peppers, fire-roasted tomatoes, and cumin to make a zesty Southwestern-flavored turkey spaghetti. Top with shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack.
Turkey Spaghetti Squash
For a lower carb, lighter option, swap spaghetti for roasted spaghetti squash. The sweet squash strands pair perfectly with the savory turkey meat sauce.
One Pot Turkey Spaghetti
Save time and just one pot by cooking the pasta right in the sauce. Simply add the dry spaghetti to the cooked sauce, cover and simmer until the pasta is al dente. No boiling water required.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Follow these simple step-by-step instructions for how to make classic turkey spaghetti:
Ingredients:
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1⁄4 cup dry red wine (optional)
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
- 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper
- 8 ounces spaghetti
- Grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
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Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook 3-5 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
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Add ground turkey to the skillet. Break up turkey chunks with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Cook until no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes.
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Add crushed tomatoes, red wine (if using), Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
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Bring sauce to a simmer. Let simmer 10-15 minutes to meld flavors. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
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Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti according to package directions until al dente. Drain.
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Add cooked pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Toss to coat noodles evenly with sauce.
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Serve turkey spaghetti hot, garnished with grated Parmesan cheese.
That’s all it takes to make a hearty, healthy turkey spaghetti dinner the whole family will love. The lean turkey bulked up with tomatoes and seasonings makes for a flavorful sauce that complements the noodles perfectly. Serve with salad and garlic bread for a complete meal. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days, ready to quickly reheat for a satisfying lunch or dinner later in the week. Enjoy this budget-friendly crowd pleaser any night of the week!
3 Cooking Method Options
This spaghetti with turkey meat can be cooked in three different ways, which I’ll list below so you can choose the one that works best for you and your schedule. The stove-top option is the quickest (comes together in 30 minutes), so it’s a perfect last-minute meal. This method is quick to put together, but the turkey isn’t as tender and the sauce doesn’t have as much flavor as the other ways.
The slow cooker method is probably my favorite because I don’t have to do anything and the sauce tastes great with the tender turkey. I also have a slow cooker spaghetti sauce if you’re looking for a spaghetti sauce with beef. The instant pot method is another hand-off choice that makes tender meat and tasty sauce. It also takes a little less time to put together than the slow cooker method. Just make sure to read the instructions carefully so as not to burn the sauce.
Easy Variations & Substitutions
- Low carb: Put zucchini or squash noodles on top of the spaghetti sauce to make this a low carb dinner.
- Gluten-free: Use gluten-free spaghetti or your favorite gluten-free noodle instead of the spaghetti.
- Turkey marinara sandwich: Put this hearty sauce on a sub and sprinkle fresh mozzarella on top.
- Add more vegetables: For picky eaters, sneak in some extra vegetables. This recipe works great with cauliflower rice, zucchini dice, carrot shreds, or mushroom dice.
- Stuffed shells: Use this lighter ground turkey sauce instead of beef sauce in my stuffed shells.
- You can use any ground meat you like instead of turkey. This recipe works well with ground turkey, but you can also use light ground beef or chicken.
- If you don’t have fresh garlic, you can use granulated garlic instead. In the same way, if you don’t have Italian seasoning, mix dried basil, oregano, and parsley together.
Turkey Spaghetti That Your Grandma Would Be Proud Of!
FAQ
Does ground turkey taste good in spaghetti?
What can I add to ground turkey for taste?
Why use ground turkey instead of beef?
When not to cook ground turkey?
How long does it take to cook ground turkey spaghetti?
This savory one pot ground turkey spaghetti is lean, flavorful and delicious. Prepared in less then 30 minutes, it’s a super easy recipe for a weeknight meal that families love. Place a large dutch oven or large 5-7 quart pot on the stove. Turn the heat to medium high and add the olive oil.
How do you cook ground turkey in a crock pot?
Add the ground turkey, Italian sausage, and onion. Cook until browned, draining any excess fat or liquid before the next step. Add the canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, and seasonings to the cooked meat and onion mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and allow to simmer for about 20 minutes. Stir in the sugar.
How long does it take to cook a ground turkey?
Cover and cook for a few minutes until veggies are tender, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and ground turkey to the veggies and cook until turkey is fully cooked through about 10 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, seasonings and parmesan cheese. Cover and cook over a very low simmer for another 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
How do you cook a turkey burger?
Add the olive oil and onion, sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, and cook until softened, about 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the turkey, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt, garlic, and Italian seasoning, then stir to break apart. Cook until browned and no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes. Add the marinara, stirring to combine.
How do you cook ground turkey in a Dutch oven?
Heat a large heavy bottom pot, like a Dutch oven, over medium heat. Add the ground turkey, Italian sausage, and onion. Cook until browned, draining any excess fat or liquid before the next step. Add the canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, and seasonings to the cooked meat and onion mixture and bring to a boil.
Can you make spaghetti sauce with ground turkey?
If you want to make your spaghetti sauce with ground turkey more flavorful, you can allow the meat to brown a little. This will intensify the flavor even more. Adding another protein such as pork (Italian sausage works best) will help to boost the flavor of the meat.