Quick ground turkey spaghetti

This ground turkey spaghetti recipe is made with savory ground turkey and store-bought marinara sauce. It’s quick, easy, and perfect for a simple weeknight dinner.

Spaghetti with ground turkey

We go through a lot of ground turkey in our house. It's more affordable than ground beef and has less saturated fat.

Ground turkey spaghetti is a weeknight staple for us! It's super quick, easy, and even my 6 year old devours it.

You can make this recipe with store-bought or homemade marinara sauce. Most of the time, I just pick up my favorite brand of store-bought marinara (Rao's!) to keep things extra simple.

(Try my turkey meatballs and turkey chili too!)

Key Ingredients

• Olive oil - For sautéing the turkey and adding a rich flavor to the sauce! It also prevents the turkey from sticking to the pan.
• Ground turkey - I used 85/15 ground turkey because I prefer its richer flavor and find that it stays more moist and flavorful than 93/7. If you prefer the leaner turkey, that's fine too!
• Spices - Let’s be honest, ground turkey doesn’t have the same flavor as ground beef! Adding a blend of spices helps enhance the turkey and gives the dish a more flavorful, well-rounded taste.
• Marinara sauce - Either works! If you’re using store-bought sauce, I recommend choosing a higher-quality one since it’s one of the main ingredients in this dish. I personally enjoy Rao's brand.
• Spaghetti noodles - Any brand or variety works! You can use regular, gluten-free, or even protein pasta. Just make sure you cook the pasta correctly! Avoid over-cooking the pasta, especially if it's gluten-free!

Instructions

• Boil water - Start by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil. It takes a little time to heat up, and since the rest of the recipe comes together quickly, it’s best to have your water ready to go!
• Cook the turkey - While the water comes to a boil, cook the ground turkey and spices in a large skillet. Use a spatula to break up the meat and mix the spices evenly throughout, making sure every bite is well seasoned.

• Add the marinara sauce - Once you pour in the marinara, turn down the heat and let it simmer while you cook the pasta.
• Cook the pasta - When the water comes to a boil, cook the pasta according to the directions. I prefer to taste the pasta before draining it to make sure it’s perfectly cooked, tender but not overdone.

• Toss and serve - Drain the pasta, toss with the marinara sauce, and serve immediately with parmesan.

rECIPE TIPS

• Use a high-quality marinara sauce that you love. When my favorite brand goes on sale, I stock up so I always have a few jars on hand. Since marinara is such an important part of this recipe, choosing a sauce you enjoy makes all the difference!
• Before draining the pasta, give it a taste to make sure it’s perfectly cooked. It should be tender with a slight bite, not soft or mushy. Simply use a spoon or fork to grab a strand, let it cool for a moment, and taste it.
• As the turkey cooks, be sure to break it up into small, bite-sized pieces. Avoid leaving it in large clumps, you want the turkey to cook evenly and blend throughout the sauce.
• You don't have to stir the noodles into the sauce. You can keep them separate if thats what you prefer. Just add a little bit of olive oil to the noodles after you drain them to avoid them sticking together.

Storage

• Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• If you plan to freeze this recipe, I recommend making and freezing the sauce separately, then cooking the pasta fresh when you’re ready to serve. While pasta can be frozen, it can become soft or mushy when reheated. Making the pasta fresh gives you the best texture!
• Reheat leftovers in the microwave until hot throughout.