Pasta recipes are a staple in most households, but they can be quite unhealthy. However, ground turkey is a great addition, being a lean protein with minimal fat.
This roundup contains 17 recipes for all different kinds of pasta using ground turkey.
Easy Turkey Broccoli Pasta
Simple, healthy, and delicious. This recipe proves that pasta doesn’t have to be heavy on cream or cheese to make a great dinner. It provides protein, fiber, and slow-release carbohydrates in every mouthful.
You can keep things light with ground turkey and whole-grain pasta spirals while adding flavor with crushed garlic, fresh basil, and super-savory Parmesan cheese.
Keep picky-eating kids and health-conscious grownups happy with the same dish.
Turkey Goulash
Boldly flavored, and beautifully balanced. A richly seasoned tomato and meat sauce envelopes elbow macaroni in this healthier spin on goulash.
Swapping the usual ground beef for ground turkey lightens up the fat and calorie content, while still making for a satisfying dinner.
This turkey goulash involves only a little bit of stirring and simmering, meaning you can have it on the table in well under an hour.
Tri-Pepper Turkey Pasta
Up your vegetable intake in the tastiest and most colorful way! Red, orange, and yellow bell peppers are combined in this fresh pasta dish for a bold and savory flavor.
Spiral pasta and light ground turkey are coated in a lightly creamy pepper sauce kissed with fresh herbs and grated Pecorino Romano cheese. Protein-packed, full of vitamins, and bursting with great tastes.
Ground Turkey Pasta
A healthy pasta dinner that still has that restaurant-style creaminess.
If deliciousness and nutrition are equal priorities for you at mealtimes, this may just be a recipe to try. It expertly combines lean ground turkey and vitamin-rich tomatoes with half-and-half and two kinds of fresh cheese.
This penne dish is creamy, comforting, and nourishing. The best part? That bubbling blanket of melted cheddar and mozzarella.
Turkey Spinach Meatballs and Spaghetti
Satisfying bowls of spaghetti, made lighter
This recipe may have found the best way to get a heap of leafy greens and gooey melted cheese into one plate.
You’ll need to roll up your sleeves to make these protein-rich turkey and spinach meatballs, but you can cut down on time with ready-made marinara sauce.
Don’t forget to serve it over your spaghetti with a generous helping of mozzarella.
Baked Parmesan Turkey Meatballs
Need a faster and less-oily way of cooking those meatballs for your pasta?
These Baked Parmesan Turkey Meatballs cleverly mix ready-made marinara sauce and grated Parmesan cheese inside the meatballs themselves.
It’s an instant flavor hit that also helps them stay beautifully moist while baking in a hot oven. Lean ground turkey ensures calories are kept to a minimum without skimping on the taste.
Air Fryer Pasta Bake
Pasta bake you can make in under half an hour?
A layer of golden melted cheese tops this vegetable and protein-packed pasta dish. Lean ground turkey, sweet bell pepper, and marinara sauce coat wide rigatoni pasta that both crisps and softens when baked.
This recipe is easy to throw together and cooks in less time than the average pasta bake thanks to a smart air-fryer method.
Creamy Lemon Pepper Ground Turkey and Broccoli Orzo
A fresh and flavorful way to enjoy ground turkey.
Orzo, a tiny variety of pasta, is gently browned with the meat before being dressed up with zingy lemon, tangy mustard, and rich chicken broth.
The slightest amount of butter and Parmesan cheese make this light and healthy dish gently but gorgeously creamy.
Finish it off by adding broccoli florets for extra color and goodness!
Healthy Stuffed Shells with Ground Turkey and Spinach
Giant shell pasta stuffed generously with a meaty filling and covered in melting cheese.
This recipe mixes ground beef and ground turkey for a perfectly healthy balance of flavor, protein, and fat. Sweet onion, chopped spinach, and three delicious kinds of cheese are combined with the herby meat filling and spooned into shell-shaped pasta.
Once baked with tomato sauce and creamy mozzarella, these might just become your new favorite meal. Get the recipe here.
Turkey Bolognese
A gorgeous Italian-inspired pasta Bolognese sauce made lighter and healthier. No hours of simmering, and no heavy fat.
Use lean ground turkey, or any leftover turkey, as the base for this rich and delicious ragu to spoon over your preferred pasta.
Enjoy the Mediterranean flavors of garlic, celery, dried herbs, and Parmesan cheese that dress this Bolognese. Don’t forget to add some clever rashers of bacon for extra meatiness!
Best Ever Leftover Turkey Cannelloni
A seriously satisfying baked pasta stuffed with tasty turkey.
This recipe is creamy, cheesy, and generously filled with seasoned turkey and tomato sauce. It’s deliciously indulgent while providing a protein-packed punch.
A bit of assembly is required but in under an hour, you can easily feed a hungry crowd with this tempting tray of bubbling meaty and cheesy pasta.
Why not add some spinach to add some sneaky vitamins too?
Instant Pot Creamy Tomato Pasta with Ground Turkey & Spinach
Restaurant quality pasta in your own kitchen.
You can cook this entire delicious dish in a pressure cooker, no need to dirty those pots and pans! Sun-dried tomatoes, marinara sauce, and cream cheese all impart glorious flavor and texture to the ground turkey base of this sauce.
Cook your favorite short pasta shape, drenched in the sauce, in your Instant Pot for a super-fast and stunning dinner.
Turkey Skillet Mac and Cheese
A healthier, more grown-up take on the iconic Hamburger Helper! This one-pot pasta dish makes mac and cheese easier than ever.
It boasts lean ground turkey and sweet bell pepper for nutrition, and smoky spices and sharp cheddar cheese for flavor.
The pasta cooks gently right in among its creamy sauce, for a family-friendly dinner taken up a notch without any extra effort.
Instant Pot Turkey Taco Pasta
A fusion of cuisines in one delicious dish. Even better? You can have this whole recipe made and plated in less than 30 minutes!
Healthy ground turkey and short pasta shapes are dressed in a combination of Italian and Tex Mex inspired ingredients.
Fire-roasted tomatoes, sweet corn, and taco seasoning create a beautifully balanced base before the dish is topped with anything from fresh cilantro to rich sour cream.
Crockpot Turkey Chili Mac and Cheese
Hearty, nourishing, and perfect for those chilly days.
This dish celebrates the best of spicy chili and creamy mac and cheese in one cozy bowlful. Lean ground turkey is slow-cooked gently with kidney beans, tomatoes, chicken broth, and smoky spices to create a rich and developed chili base.
When stirred into soft pasta noodles and an abundance of shredded cheddar, it makes for a dinner that’s both wholesome and dreamy.
Spicy Turkey Zucchini Meatballs
Lean, light, and lovely. These meatballs are surprisingly made with just three ingredients: ground turkey, fresh zucchini, and spicy hummus.
Baking these smart and healthy meatballs reduces the need for added fat, and allows them to crisp up nicely around the edges.
Dress the meatballs in a creamy and tangy roasted red pepper sauce and spoon over a steaming bowl of pasta.
Turkey Enchilada Casserole
Classic American-style casserole meets Mexican-style enchiladas in this simple but satisfying dish.
Ground turkey breasts and pasta nestle into enchilada sauce, smoky spices, and creamy cheeses for serious flavor and substance. It’s all the spoonable satisfaction of casserole with the spicy savoriness of enchiladas.
A short stovetop cook and quick oven-bake ensure this dish has the perfect balance of meaty flavor and creamy texture under a blanket of melted Mexican cheese.
Healthy Pasta Recipes with Ground Turkey
Ingredients
- Easy Turkey Broccoli Pasta
- Turkey Goulash
- Tri-Pepper Turkey Pasta
- Ground Turkey Pasta
- Turkey Spinach Meatballs and Spaghetti
- Baked Parmesan Turkey Meatballs
- Air Fryer Pasta Bake
- Creamy Lemon Pepper Ground Turkey and Broccoli Orzo
- Healthy Stuffed Shells with Ground Turkey and Spinach
- Turkey Bolognese
- Best Ever Leftover Turkey Cannelloni
- Instant Pot Creamy Tomato Pasta with Ground Turkey & Spinach
- Turkey Skillet Mac and Cheese
- Instant Pot Turkey Taco Pasta
- Crockpot Turkey Chili Mac and Cheese
- Spicy Turkey Zucchini Meatballs
- Turkey Enchilada Casserole
Instructions
- Choose your favorite recipes.
- Get ingredients and follow the instructions.
- Create a healthy pasta dish with ground turkey.