Ground Turkey Pasta (Healthy 30-Minute Dinner)

Ground turkey pasta simmered in a quick marinara sauce with hidden veggies. A healthy 30-minute dinner for busy family weeknights.

Course dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Diet Gluten Free

Keyword ground turkey, healthy, pasta, quick, shells

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 374

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt to taste, then cook the pasta 2-3 minutes short of the package instructions. Carefully ladle out ½ cup pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, zucchini and carrot, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt, then cook until softened, about 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Turn the heat to medium high, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, turkey, ¼ teaspoon salt and Italian seasoning. Break the turkey into small pieces, then cook until browned and cooked through, about 3-5 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the marinara sauce, stir, cover and bring to a strong simmer. Reduce to a low simmer and cook, covered, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the cream cheese, stirring until well incorporated. Add the drained pasta along with the pasta cooking water, stirring to combine. Simmer, uncovered, until the sauce thickens, about 3 minutes.
Serve sprinkled with parmesan cheese and fresh basil if desired.

Zucchini: You can also peel the zucchini first if you want to avoid any green parts appearing in the final sauce. Then cook the veggies until tender, add the turkey and spices, brown, then add the marinara and cream cheese to finish the sauce.
Pasta Water: Toss in the cooked pasta along with the reserved pasta water for a restaurant-quality pasta dinner at home!
Smart Prep: While the pasta cooks, chop the onion and grate the carrot and zucchini, which allows the vegetables to “melt” into the sauce and become mostly undetectable.