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Ground Turkey Pasta Recipe

Ground Turkey Pasta Recipe

This Ground Turkey Pasta is a super easy, cheesy, and flavorful weeknight dinner made with lean ground turkey and pasta smothered in a creamy tomato sauce.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Dinner
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6 servings
Calories 613 kcal

Equipment

  • large pot
  • Large pan or Dutch oven

Ingredients
  

Pasta and Sauce

  • 12 oz penne pasta or pasta of choice
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion diced
  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 2 teaspoon salt divided
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
  • 1 cup half and half
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • fresh parsley to garnish
  • red chili flakes to garnish (optional)

Instructions
 

Cooking Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta 1-2 minutes less than the package instructions. After the pasta has finished cooking, reserve 1 cup of boiling pasta water before draining. Set the pasta aside.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large pan or Dutch oven set over medium heat. Cook the onions until soft and translucent, approximately 5 minutes.
  • Add the ground turkey and cook over medium to medium-high heat, breaking it into small bite-size pieces. Once cooked, season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning and stir in the minced garlic. Mix to combine and continue to cook for an additional minute or so.
  • Sprinkle the ground turkey with 2 tablespoons of flour and mix well to combine. Pour in the chicken broth and the tomato sauce and let it come to a simmer.
  • Add the cooked pasta to the pan and pour in the half-and-half. Stir to combine.
  • For a thinner sauce, slowly add additional chicken broth or reserved pasta water. For a creamier sauce, add additional half-and-half.
  • Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in half of the mozzarella cheese and half of the cheddar cheese and top with the remaining half cup of each.
  • Reduce heat to low and cover your pan or Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid until the cheese is melted. Remove from heat and enjoy!

Notes

You may also make this recipe with ground beef. For an extra creamy sauce and pasta, swap the half-and-half for heavy cream. For bubbly, golden cheese on top, preheat your oven to 400° F and cook for about 5-10 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 613kcalCarbohydrates: 57gProtein: 35gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 105mgSodium: 1700mgPotassium: 871mgFiber: 4gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 1011IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 335mgIron: 4mg
Keyword Cheesy Pasta, Creamy Tomato Sauce, Easy Dinner, Ground Turkey Pasta, Pasta Recipe, Weeknight Dinner
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