There are a lot of recipes on the blog that I don’t actually make that often.
As much as I wish that I constantly had chocolate cake with pistachio filling and chocolate ganache laying around my kitchen, I don’t. But this healthy turkey pasta recipe? A standard weekly recipe.
A few weeks ago, Alex and Alli came over for family dinner. (Our life is very much like Friends, since we live one floor apart, have keys to the other’s place, steal each other’s dog when one dog isn’t enough, and are extremely lucky to have not had any awkward walk-ins so far.) But when one of us gets too busy to cook, we usually land at the other couple’s apartment for family dinner. Being a weeknight and because I seem to have trouble walking the 100 yards to the grocery store, I had planned our throw-together turkey pasta.
I had to admit to Alli that I was almost embarrassed that this happened to be the only meal on our agenda and that I was going to serve it to them, because it is just THAT easy. And while Alli and I are sooooo far past embarrassment over anything . . . i’m a food blogger . . . i’m supposed to . . . ya know . . . cook and stuff.
Ah well. They liked it. We played Mario Kart. The end.
Throw-Together Healthy Turkey Pasta
There are many many reasons that we eat this turkey pasta so often . . .
- low calorie & low carb (especially if you swap the noodles for zucchini and green beans)
- high protein
- super filling (I struggle to finish my zucchini-loaded bowl)
- quick and easy — 25 minutes
- unrefined — yay whole grains and veggies!
- easily adapted for whatever ingredients you have on hand
- gluten-free adaptable (say yes to zucchini!)
- paleo adaptable (say yes to zucchini and no to cheese!)
- ummm, did I mention delicious???
Seriously. Keep this healthy turkey pasta recipe in your back pocket and it’ll be a lifesaver during the week!
mikaela | wyldflour
Serves 4
5 minPrep Time
20 minCook Time
25 minTotal Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 1 lb lean ground turkey
- 2 cups jarred pasta sauce (See Notes)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 14.5 oz canned sliced carrots
- Canned green beans
- Canned carrots
- Frozen peas
- Fresh Zucchini
- Whole wheat pasta
- 1/4 cup parmesan or mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Choosing Your Pasta Base: If you just want traditional pasta, go with a healthy whole grain penne! If you want a lower calorie pasta, fill your bowl with roasted zucchini, green beans, carrots, and/or peas, according to your personal preference! My personal preference is to roast 1 small zucchini/person and purchase 1 can green beans per every two people and add just a little handful of peas and extra carrots to each bowl. If you're having pasta, a good estimate is 4 oz per person.
- Roast the zucchini. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Rinse the zucchini and do not dry it so that it is slightly wet. Slice the zucchini into 1/2-inch thick rounds. Slice each round into quarters and spread on tin foil-covered baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper to your taste (use quite a bit). Use your hands to mix the zucchini with the seasoning, until all of the zucchini is seasoned. Then, tip each piece of zucchini so that it is peel-side down and tip in the air. (See picture above.) It is important to do this to every piece of zucchini so that it does not stick to the pan. This allows us to dry roast it for less calories. Roast for 20 minutes or until fork-tender, while you make the pasta sauce.
- Make the Pasta Sauce. Brown ground turkey in a frying pan over medium heat until fully cooked. Add all of the spices; add pasta sauce and heat through. Once heated, reduce heat to low and add canned carrots. Continue to simmer on low until everything else is ready to serve.
- Cook Pasta according to package directions. (If you're having it.)
- Assemble and Serve. If you are having green beans or peas or extra carrots as your "pasta," then add to bowls and heat in the microwave. If you are having pasta, then divide cooked pasta among bowls. Then top veggies or pasta with roasted zucchini and pasta sauce. Sprinkle with a tablespoon of parmesan or mozzarella if desired and serve!
Notes
This pasta is easily adaptable to whatever you have in the fridge! (Possibly the reason we have it so often!) Sub the ground turkey for ground beef or cooked rotisserie chicken. Sub the carrots for frozen peas and carrots. Fill you bowl with any vegetables you prefer or even zoodles (zucchini noodles).
Re Pasta Sauce: If you're trying to be healthy, make sure you choose one with no sugar in the ingredients list. I use Muir Glen Tomato Basil.
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