Ground Turkey Spaghetti

Our quick and easy ground turkey spaghetti is a deliciously lighter take on the traditional version. We substitute ground turkey in the typical meat sauce and pair it with tender al dente noodles and a tangy red sauce for a meal everyone will love!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Any spaghetti sauce – but especially this ground turkey sauce – in general is such an easy recipe. I love it because it’s one of those meals that you can always keep supplies on hand for, and it’s honestly super low-effort, which is great for busy evenings.
• You’re probably used to a meat sauce based in ground beef or ground sausage. We’ve replaced the beef and pork options with turkey here for a lighter protein that’s typically lower in fat and higher in vitamins and nutrients. But it still tastes amazing! So good in fact instead of spaghetti (or any other pasta shape) it is also great spooned over polenta.

Chef’s Tips

• Because ground turkey is so lean, it can overcook and dry out easily. You want to cook it just until it’s browned and then add the next ingredients quickly to keep it hydrated.
• Don’t drain the spaghetti noodles! When you cook spaghetti, a lot of the starch ends up in the water. To make a glossy, restaurant-style sauce, you want to add some of the pasta water!

More Delicious Pasta Recipes

• Instant Pot Chicken and Dry Egg Noodles
• Meal Prep Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
• Vegan Vodka Sauce Pasta Recipe
• Chicken and Orzo Bake Recipe
• High Protein Greek Pasta Salad Recipe
• Easy Mushroom Stroganoff Recipe

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5 from 6 votes

Ground Turkey Spaghetti Sauce

Prep: 10 minutes minutes

Cook: 30 minutes minutes

Total: 40 minutes minutes

A quick and easy Italian dinner recipe that uses a meat sauce based in marinara and ground turkey rather than ground beef or pork!

Cheryl Malik

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6 servings

Ingredients

For the Turkey Marinara

• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1 pound ground turkey 93/7 preferred
• ▢ 1 small onion diced
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• ▢ 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• ▢ 1 cup chicken broth
• ▢ 1 24-ounce jar marinara sauce
• ▢ 1 teaspoon sugar optional
• ▢ freshly cracked black pepper to taste

For the Spaghetti

• ▢ 8 ounces dry spaghetti noodles see Notes
• ▢ salt to taste

Serving Suggestions (All Optional)

• ▢ chopped fresh basil
• ▢ freshly grated parmesan cheese

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Equipment

• large skillet with high sides
• spatula or wooden spoon
• Large pot
• slotted spoon

Instructions 

• Heat large skillet over medium heat, then pour in olive oil. When oil is hot and shimmery, add ground turkey and cook until browned and crumbled.
• Add onion to skillet and cook until onions begin to brown, then add minced garlic and cook 1 additional minute. Add Italian seasoning and cook until fragrant.
• Pour in red wine vinegar to deglaze pan, making sure to scrape up anything that might be stuck to bottom of skillet.
• Add in chicken broth, marinara sauce, sugar (if using), and pepper to taste. Stir well until all ingredients are fully combined. Simmer over medium heat until sauce thickens, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.
• While sauce simmers, cook spaghetti in large pot according to package instructions.
• Once noodles reach "al dente", transfer noodles directly to skillet without draining first. Take ½ cup of pasta water from pot and pour in to skillet. Stir well to incorporate noodles and water into sauce, then let sit 3 to 5 minutes.
• Once pasta has absorbed sauce somewhat, divide into equal portions and serve warm with fresh basil and freshly grated parmesan, if desired.

Notes

Don’t overcook the turkey: Because ground turkey is so lean, it can overcook and dry out easily. You want to cook it just until it’s browned and then add the next ingredients quickly to keep it hydrated.

Save that pasta water: Don’t drain the spaghetti noodles! When you cook spaghetti, a lot of the starch ends up in the water. To make a glossy, restaurant-style sauce, you want to add some of the pasta water!

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 315kcal | Protein: 21g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Total Carbs: 37g | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Net Carbs: 34g | Vitamin C: 9mg | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 738mg | Potassium: 621mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 3mg

Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

 

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

 

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.

© Author: Cheryl Malik