This Ground Turkey Spaghetti is simple, flavorful, and made with staples you already have at home. This classic spaghetti recipe is done in just 45 minutes and is perfect for the whole family.
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Whipping up a quick meat sauce is one of my specialties. Growing up, we ate pasta at least once a week-- perks of having an Italian father-- so I got really good at helping my mom in the kitchen. Now, I'm a pro at getting a decadent meat sauce on the table in under an hour.
Ground turkey is a great option for a leaner meat sauce. This is one of my favorite quick spaghetti sauces to make because it's made with all staple ingredients and I always make a bit extra to keep in the freezer for meal prep and easy reheating.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Mirepoix. mirepoix is an aromatic mix of onion, carrots, and celery. It's typically two parts onion, one part carrots, and one part celery. Mirepoix is used as the base for many different soups, sauces, and stocks. I use it in my Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup and Chicken Osso Buco.
- Ground turkey. this recipe can also be made with ground beef, ground pork, or sausage with the casings removed.
- Red wine. adds a rich and robust flavor to the sauce. This is optional, but I highly recommend using it.
- Can crushed tomatoes. I recommend San Marzano crushed tomatoes.
See the recipe card below for the remaining ingredients and quantities.
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil & butter in a large pot and soften the mirepoix for a few minutes.
- Next, add in the salt, garlic, and ground turkey and cook for 5 minutes, until browned.
- Pour in the red wine (optional), deglaze the bottom of the pot & allow to cook for 5 minutes. Add a 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes, black pepper and basil.
- Bring the sauce to a boil, turn down the heat to medium-low & simmer for 25 minutes.
- Serve with spaghetti, and enjoy!
Sarah's Top Tips
- Buy pre-packaged mirepoix to save time on chopping. This is my top tip!
- This turkey meat sauce recipe makes about 6 servings. If you don't use all of it at one time then it can be stored in a freezer-safe container or storage bag for a few months. Let it defrost, in the refrigerator or on the counter for a few hours before reheating.
- Keep it in the fridge all week to enjoy as leftovers. If you are wondering how long you can store leftover sauce and spaghetti, check out my spaghetti storage tips!
- I highly recommend using fresh basil over dried. It is much more flavorful.
- If the carrots are tender, the sauce is ready! Carrots typically take the longest to cook so if they are still a little hard, let the sauce simmer for a little longer.
Serving
I love this ground turkey spaghetti as is but I also like using this sauce recipe in my Classic Lasagna with Béchamel. If you prefer a meat-free sauce, try my Italian Spaghetti Sauce or Italian Pink Sauce.
If you want to add some extra vegetables, serve frozen brussels sprouts in the air fryer or Roasted Sweet Potato Salad on the side.
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Recipe
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Ground Turkey Spaghetti
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoons salt
- 1 pound ground turkey, (can also use ground beef, ground pork or sausage)
- ½ cup dry red wine, optional
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat olive oil & butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add diced onion, carrots and celery and sauté for 5 minutes while stirring occasionally.
- Add in the salt, minced garlic and ground turkey. Cook while crumbling for 5 minutes.
- Pour in the red wine (if using), deglaze the bottom of the pot & allow to cook for 5 minutes. Add in the can of crushed tomatoes, black pepper, and basil.
- Bring the sauce to a boil, cover, then turn down the heat to medium-low and simmer for 25 minutes. Season with more salt to taste.
- Serve with spaghetti and top with parmesan cheese, if desired.
Sarah's Tips
- Buy pre-packaged mirepoix to save time on chopping. This is my top tip!
- This turkey meat sauce recipe makes about 6 servings. If you don't use all of it at one time then it can be stored in a freezer-safe container or storage bag for a few months. Let it defrost, in the refrigerator or on the counter for a few hours before reheating.
- Keep it in the fridge all week to enjoy as leftovers.
- I highly recommend using fresh basil over dried. It is much more flavorful.
- If the carrots are tender, the sauce is ready! Carrots typically take the longest to cook so if they are still a little hard, let the sauce simmer for a little longer.
KITCHEN TOOLS NEEDED
- Cutting board
Brenda Pullin says
I found the Turkey Spaghetti Recipe. Thank you for posting.
Sarah Hill says
Let me know if you have any questions!
Michael Holt says
Quick, easy and delicious, had it for dinner this evening!
Sarah Holt says
So happy you loved it!