One Pot Wonder: Ground Turkey Pasta for the Win!
Sometimes dinner needs to be a miracle—quick, healthy, delicious, and with minimal cleanup. Enter: this One Pot Ground Turkey Pasta. It's the kind of meal that checks all the boxes and still gets a thumbs up from the whole table—even the picky eaters.
A Weeknight Win from Real Life
Let me paint you a picture.
It’s a Tuesday. The toddler is trying to feed the dog a marker, the older kids are arguing about who had the last granola bar, and I’m eyeing a sink full of dishes like it personally offended me. I need a meal that basically cooks itself, doesn’t involve 14 pans, and actually fuels our bodies.
This pasta has been our go-to hero on nights like that. It’s a recipe born out of desperation, refined with love, and now a weekly staple.
Why we love it:
One pot. Minimal dishes = maximum peace.
Healthy balance. Lean protein, fiber-packed veggies, gluten-free carbs, and greens.
Customizable. Cheesy, spicy, or veggie-loaded—your call.
Kid-approved. Because it’s pasta. Enough said.
One Pot Ground Turkey Pasta
⭐️ 4.8 Stars (76 Reviews)
🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes
🍽️ Serves: 6
Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (15 ml)
750g (1.6 lbs) ground turkey
1 tablespoon Italian herb seasoning
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 onion, diced
2 large celery stalks, diced
1 large carrot, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (15 ml)
1 tablespoon coconut amino (15 ml)
10 oz dried gluten-free penne (jovial, bonza)
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast (or Parmesan cheese)
2 1/2 cups chicken stock (600 ml)
1 can (15 oz / 400g) diced tomatoes
2 cups spinach (60 g)
Optional: red chili flakes, fresh herbs for topping
Instructions
Heat your skillet.
Warm a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When shimmering, add ground turkey, Italian seasoning, and black pepper. Break the turkey apart and cook for ~5 minutes until nearly cooked through.Add your veggies.
Toss in the diced onion, carrot, celery, and minced garlic. Cook another 5 minutes until veggies are softened and the meat is fully browned.Deglaze the pan.
Stir in balsamic vinegar and gluten-free soy sauce/tamari. Cook for 1 minute.Add pasta, tomatoes, and stock.
Stir in the dry penne, then add the canned tomatoes and stock. Smooth the mixture so the pasta is mostly submerged.Simmer & cover.
Lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Cover the pan with a fitted lid and cook for 7–8 minutes.Finish it off.
Remove the lid and stir in nutritional yeast or Parmesan. Turn off the heat, add the spinach, and cover again for 1 minute to wilt. Once wilted, stir everything together. Taste and adjust salt if needed.Serve & enjoy.
Dish it up hot and garnish with chili flakes or herbs if you’d like!
Tips & Add-Ins
Swap your protein: Use ground beef, pork, chicken, or sausage (casings removed).
Add wine: Omit vinegar/soy and instead deglaze with 1/2 cup red wine—so good!
Make it cheesy: Stir in shredded mozzarella or dollops of ricotta with the spinach.
Fire-roasted flavor: Try fire-roasted diced tomatoes for a smoky kick.
Low sodium? Use low-sodium broth to better control salt content.
Storage
Leftovers? Lucky you. This dish keeps well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat gently and enjoy a second helping with zero effort.
Dinner doesn’t have to be complicated to be nourishing. With this one pot pasta, you get the flavor of a slow-simmered meal in under 30 minutes—and your kitchen stays (mostly) clean.
