Easy Ground Turkey Spaghetti (6-Ingredients)
Developed and tested by Robyn Conley Downs
on Oct 30, 2023 (last updated Apr 24, 2026) 
Made with 6 simple ingredients including marinara and lean ground turkey, this ground turkey spaghetti comes together for an easy weeknight family dinner. Flavorful, protein-packed, and ready in 30 minutes on the stovetop, with slow cooker and Instant Pot instructions included.
5 star review
“The homemade sauce that goes with this recipe is delicious and so easy to make. This is such an easy dinner but so delicious. The whole family loved it. It is fresh, quick, and a great weekday dinner that is healthy and yum! Thanks for another great dinner!”
– Jodi
Ground Turkey Spaghetti Sauce Made Simple
This ground turkey spaghetti is one of my favorite weeknight dinners, and it’s earned that spot for good reason! Made with 6 simple ingredients like lean ground turkey, onion, Italian seasoning, and a good marinara, it comes together with minimal effort but tastes like it simmered all afternoon. It’s protein-packed, family-friendly, and flexible enough to pull off on the stovetop in 30 minutes or leave hands-off in the slow cooker or Instant Pot. Love that!
A few things to keep in mind when you’re making this one. First, salting the turkey as it browns (not after) creates deeper flavor than seasoning just the sauce. Keep the heat at a low simmer once the marinara joins the pot, because a hard boil could make the turkey tough and burn the sauce to the bottom of the pot. And, for the richest flavor and most tender texture, the slow cooker method is my favorite, though the stovetop version gets dinner on the table fastest.
Serve this ground turkey spaghetti over your favorite pasta, with zucchini noodles for a lower-carb option, or tucked into a sub and topped with mozzarella. Leftovers freeze beautifully for up to 3 months, making this a great candidate for batch-cooking Sunday! And quick note that the homemade marinara sauce I use here is one I always have on hand, and it makes a real difference in the final flavor, but store-bought works, too. And when you want the same cozy dinner with ground beef instead, reach for my crockpot spaghetti sauce!
Welcome to My Kitchen, Here’s How to Make Turkey Spaghetti
Testing Tips for Simple Turkey Spaghetti
- Break the ground turkey into small, pea-sized pieces as it cooks so it browns evenly instead of clumping. A potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon makes quick work of this!
- For the Instant Pot method, pour the marinara on top of the browned turkey and resist the urge to stir. Stirring causes the tomato solids to sink and scorch on the bottom, which triggers the dreaded burn notice mid-cook.
- Cook the spaghetti separately and toss it with the sauce right before serving. Adding the noodles to the pot too early leaves them mushy, especially if you’re planning leftovers for the week.
- To sneak in extra vegetables for picky eaters, stir a cup of diced zucchini, shredded carrots, or riced cauliflower in with the onions. The marinara covers them completely and no one is the wiser.
- Double or triple the recipe and freeze in meal-sized portions! Let the sauce cool fully before transferring to freezer-safe containers, then freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the stovetop.
Easy Ground Turkey Spaghetti (6-Ingredients)
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1 ½ pounds 93% lean ground turkey
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon no-salt added Italian seasoning
- 24-ounces marinara sauce
- 1 pound spaghetti
Equipment
- Dutch Oven optional
Instructions
Stovetop Instructions
- Heat a large pot or Dutch over medium heat. 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. Cover, bring to a rapid simmer, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- While the turkey spaghetti simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions. Drain, toss with spaghetti sauce, and serve.
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. 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.
- Carefully transfer the turkey-onion mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the marinara, stirring to combine.
- Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours, or low for 4-5 hours, or until the turkey is very tender.
- While the turkey spaghetti cooks, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions. Drain, toss with spaghetti sauce, and serve.
Instant Pot Instructions
- Set a 6-quart pressure cooker to saute. Allow to preheat, then 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.
- Pour over the marinara sauce. Do not stir. Seal and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. Quick release or allow for natural release.
- While the turkey spaghetti cooks, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions. Drain, toss with spaghetti sauce, and serve.
I seriously haven’t had one bad or even moderately not-good recipe from your site yet. And this one continues the trend. The homemade sauce that goes with this recipe is delicious and so easy to make. This is such an easy dinner but so delicious. The whole family loved it. It is fresh, quick, and a great weekday dinner that is healthy and yum! Thanks for another great dinner!
Jodi, your kind words are always so appreciated. So happy to hear you enjoyed this one, and thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!
This is an awesome weekday dinner recipe! I’ve made it either by preparing it in the morning then slow cooking it all day or using the instant pot. Either way – it’s always so flavorful, a family favorite and quick! I will serve this with either a salad or a green veggie on the side. I used Rao’s marinara sauce.
Heidi, yay, so happy to hear this one is a hit! Thanks so much for leaving a review!
Delicious! This meal will be a great winter staple for my family and grand boys. Easy and oh so good.
Wonderful to hear this one was a hit and that it will become a family meal for you this winter. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!
I like the recipe, easy and simple. And like that they got different way to cook them.
So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Sandra, thanks so much for sharing your thoughts!
Outstanding recipe. I used this to make lasagna. Layered the sauce with eggs/cottage cheese/mozzarella and baked it. What a hit in our household. Plenty of leftovers to freeze.
Liz, oh yum, I bet the sauce made the best ground turkey lasagna, yum! Thanks so much for sharing your tips and leaving a review!
So yummy! I am glad I found it!
I’m glad you did, too! So happy to hear it was a hit, thanks for sharing your thoughts and leaving a review!
This has become my favorite turkey spaghetti sauce! I make huge batches of it and meal prep so I eat it often 😆
I can’t wait to try more recipes from your site ❤️
Vanessa, I’m so happy to hear this has become your favorite spaghetti sauce! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and leaving a review, I hope you find more recipes to love!