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–+ servings
Bowl of spaghetti tossed in a ground turkey and tomato sauce topped with shredded basil and parmesan.

Ground Turkey Spaghetti Sauce

easyhealthyrecipes.com/turkey-spaghetti/
A quick and easy Italian dinner recipe that uses a meat sauce based in marinara and ground turkey rather than ground beef or pork!
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Recipe makes approximately 6 servings

Equipment Needed

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

Ingredients Needed

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

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.

Recipe 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 Info (Approximate)

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