Ground Turkey Pasta Skillet: A One-Pan Weeknight Dinner Loaded with Flavor, Protein, and Comfort

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When you need a comforting, filling, flavor-packed dinner that cooks in one pan and takes less than 30 minutes, this Ground Turkey Pasta Skillet is the recipe you’ll turn to again and again. It’s the perfect blend of hearty pasta, seasoned ground turkey, crushed tomatoes, garlic, herbs, rich broth, and optional cream or cheese to bring everything together.

This dish checks all the boxes:
✔ Easy
✔ Family-friendly
✔ Affordable
✔ High in protein
✔ One-pan cleanup
✔ Delicious enough for leftovers

Whether you’re cooking for a busy family, prepping meals for the week, or craving a cozy skillet meal without spending hours in the kitchen, this recipe guarantees success.

Let’s dive into why this dish works so well, followed by the ingredients, step-by-step instructions, expert tips, variations, serving ideas, and the full JSON structure you asked for.

Why This Ground Turkey Pasta Skillet Works Perfectly

1. Everything cooks in ONE skillet

The ground turkey, pasta, sauce, and veggies simmer together, infusing maximum flavor.

2. Ground turkey is lean but flavorful

It absorbs seasoning beautifully without making the dish heavy.

3. The sauce becomes luscious

Crushed tomatoes, broth, garlic, and optional cream create a silky, rich sauce.

4. The pasta cooks right in the sauce

This means fewer dishes AND more flavor.

5. Wide ingredient flexibility

Swap vegetables, change pasta shapes, use different herbs — it’s almost impossible to mess up.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 2 cups dry pasta (penne, rotini, shells, or elbows)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup fresh spinach (optional)
  • ¼ cup heavy cream (optional)
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese
  • Fresh basil for garnish

Instructions

1. Sauté the aromatics.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add onions and cook 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.

2. Brown the turkey.

Add ground turkey and cook until no longer pink, breaking it up as it cooks.

3. Season.

Stir in salt, pepper, paprika, and Italian seasoning.

4. Add tomato paste.

Cook tomato paste for 1 minute to deepen the flavor.

5. Add pasta and liquids.

Stir in crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, and dry pasta.

6. Simmer.

Cover and cook on medium-low for 12–14 minutes, stirring occasionally until pasta is tender.

7. Add spinach & cream (optional).

Stir in spinach and heavy cream for a silky finish.

8. Add cheese.

Stir in Parmesan until melted and creamy.

9. Serve.

Garnish with basil and extra Parmesan.

Ground Turkey Pasta Skillet

A one-pan, quick, and flavorful pasta dinner made with seasoned ground turkey, tomatoes, broth, and herbs.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 28 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main
Cuisine: American, Italian-Inspired
Calories: 460

Ingredients
  

Turkey & Pasta
  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 2 cups dry pasta penne, rotini, shells, or elbows
Aromatics & Seasoning
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
Sauce
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 can crushed tomatoes 14.5 oz
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup fresh spinach optional
  • 0.25 cup heavy cream optional
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese grated
  • fresh basil for garnish

Equipment

  • Large skillet
  • Wooden spoon
  • Measuring cups
  • Knife

Method
 

  1. Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add diced onion and cook for 3 minutes, then add garlic and cook 1 minute.
  2. Add ground turkey and cook until no longer pink, breaking it up as it cooks.
  3. Season with salt, pepper, paprika, and Italian seasoning.
  4. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
  5. Add crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, and dry pasta. Stir well.
  6. Cover and simmer 12–14 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender.
  7. Stir in spinach and heavy cream if using.
  8. Add Parmesan cheese and mix until melted and creamy.
  9. Serve garnished with fresh basil and extra Parmesan.

Notes

Adjust cream and cheese levels to preference; add extra veggies if desired.

Expert Tips

1. Use short pasta

Shapes like penne, rotini, or shells cook evenly in the skillet.

2. Don’t skip toasting the tomato paste

It adds extra richness and depth.

3. Want thicker sauce?

Simmer uncovered the last 3 minutes.

4. Want more veggies? Add:

  • Zucchini
  • Mushrooms
  • Bell peppers
  • Kale

5. Want it creamy?

Stir in cream cheese or half-and-half.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this dish with:

  • Garlic bread
  • Green salad
  • Roasted broccoli
  • Parmesan-crusted asparagus
  • Steamed green beans

Variations

Cheesy Turkey Pasta

Add mozzarella or cheddar.

Spicy Turkey Pasta

Add red pepper flakes or cayenne.

Mediterranean Turkey Pasta

Add olives, feta, and cherry tomatoes.

Mexican-Inspired Version

Replace Italian seasoning with taco seasoning and add corn + black beans.

Storage

Refrigerate:

4 days

Freeze:

Up to 2 months

Reheat:

Add splash of broth and reheat in skillet or microwave.

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