Ground Turkey Pasta: A Comforting Weeknight Winner

There’s something undeniably comforting about a pasta dish that combines perfectly cooked noodles with a rich, meaty sauce. This Ground Turkey Pasta recipe delivers exactly that – a hearty, flavorful meal that comes together with minimal effort and maximum satisfaction. As someone who’s spent years testing and perfecting pasta recipes, I can confidently say this dish hits all the right notes while keeping things lighter than traditional beef-based sauces.

A Quick, Satisfying Alternative to Traditional Bolognese

While traditional Bolognese sauce requires hours of simmering to develop deep flavors, this ground turkey pasta sauce delivers remarkable taste in just 40 minutes of cooking time. The lean turkey provides a lighter protein option that still creates that satisfying, meaty texture we crave in pasta sauces. The aromatic combination of sautéed onions, carrots, and celery creates a flavorful foundation that transforms simple ingredients into something truly special.

If you enjoy this recipe, you might also love our Ravioli Soup or Pizza Chicken – both family favorites that share that same comforting quality. This post is proudly sponsored by our friends at DeLallo, whose exceptional Italian products add authentic flavor to this dish.

Why You’ll Fall in Love With This Recipe

The moment you start cooking this sauce, your kitchen will fill with an irresistible aroma that signals comfort is on the way. Beyond the incredible smell, you’ll appreciate how this recipe:

• Comes together more quickly than traditional meat sauces
• Uses lean ground turkey for a lighter alternative
• Requires mostly pantry staples you likely already have
• Creates enough sauce to freeze portions for future meals
• Tastes even better the next day as leftovers

The Perfect Pasta Partner: DeLallo Tortiglioni

For this recipe, we specifically recommend DeLallo’s tortiglioni pasta. This sturdy tubular pasta shape, whose name derives from the Latin “to spiral,” features ridges that are perfect for capturing the meaty sauce. The substantial tubes hold up beautifully against the robust sauce, ensuring each bite delivers the perfect balance of pasta and flavor.

The quality of DeLallo pasta makes a noticeable difference – it maintains its al dente texture and doesn’t turn mushy like some mass-produced varieties. If you can’t find tortiglioni at your local store, you can order directly from DeLallo’s website. They’ve been a family-owned company from Pennsylvania since 1950, committed to authentic Italian quality.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• 16 ounces DeLallo Tortiglioni
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 celery sticks, finely chopped
• 1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound ground turkey (lean but not extra lean for better flavor)
• 1 (28 ounce) can DeLallo San Marzano Style Crushed Tomatoes
• 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup heavy cream (optional but highly recommended)
• 1 generous handful fresh basil, torn
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Optional: freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving

Helpful Tips for Success

The key to developing flavor in this sauce is to properly sauté the vegetables until they’re softened and just beginning to caramelize. This process, known as “soffritto” in Italian cooking, creates a flavor base that elevates the entire dish.

When cooking the ground turkey, break it up well with your spoon and let it develop some brown bits – this is where the magic happens. Those caramelized pieces add depth of flavor that makes this sauce taste like it’s been simmering all day.

For the best pasta texture, always cook the tortiglioni in heavily salted water to just shy of al dente, as it will continue cooking slightly when tossed with the hot sauce.

Creating Your Ground Turkey Pasta Masterpiece

The process breaks down into a few simple steps:

1. Start by sautéing your onion, celery, and carrot in olive oil until softened.
2. Add the ground turkey and cook until no longer pink, breaking it up as it cooks.
3. Stir in the garlic, followed by the crushed tomatoes and seasonings.
4. Simmer the sauce for about 30 minutes to develop flavor.
5. While the sauce simmers, cook your pasta according to package directions.
6. Finish the sauce with heavy cream and fresh basil before tossing with the pasta.

The full, detailed instructions are available in the recipe card below, but this overview gives you a sense of just how straightforward this delicious meal is to prepare.

Make It Your Own: Substitutions and Variations

This recipe is wonderfully adaptable. Don’t have ground turkey on hand? Substitute ground chicken for a similarly light option, or use ground beef for a richer flavor. Vegetable-wise, you can add bell peppers, mushrooms, or zucchini if you’d like to incorporate more produce.

The heavy cream adds a wonderful richness and helps balance the acidity of the tomatoes, but if you’re watching calories, you can reduce the amount or omit it entirely. Just note that lower-fat alternatives like half-and-half or milk may curdle in the acidic tomato sauce.

Perfect Pairings

Complete your meal by serving this pasta with fresh bread or Easy Extra Cheesy Garlic Bread for sopping up every last bit of sauce. A simple green salad dressed with Creamy Balsamic Dressing or homemade Italian Dressing provides a refreshing contrast to the hearty pasta.

Making the Most of Leftovers

One of the best features of this recipe is how well the sauce keeps. Store leftover sauce (separate from pasta) in airtight containers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. For the best texture, I recommend cooking fresh pasta when reheating leftover sauce – it takes just minutes and makes the leftovers taste brand new.

Explore More Pasta Favorites

If you enjoy this Ground Turkey Pasta, you might also love these other easy pasta recipes from our collection:

• Orzo alla Vodka with Chicken
• Baked Feta Pasta
• Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta
• Simple Garlic Butter Pasta

We’d love to see your creations! If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating and review below, and tag us on Instagram with your pasta masterpiece.

This Ground Turkey Pasta has become a staple in countless homes for good reason – it delivers restaurant-quality flavor with minimal effort, using ingredients that don’t break the bank. It’s the perfect solution for busy weeknights when you want something satisfying without spending hours in the kitchen.