This one-pot ground turkey pasta comes together in just 30 minutes and is packed with good-for-you ingredients like spinach, tomatoes, and bell peppers! The Mexican-inspired flavors are a welcome departure for those of us needing a break from standard tomato sauce.
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“This is a regular in our meal rotation – easy to make, can be adjusted to what’s available and everything in one pot, which makes me happy! Perfect!” -Lisa, FoodieCrush reader
This Fast & Easy Pasta Is Packed with Tex-Mex Flavors
30-minute, one-pot pasta recipes that are tasty and easy enough to make any night of the week make me look a whole lot just like this → 💃💃💃 because guess what?
You may think that because I’m a food blogger, I’m in the kitchen every day, whipping up recipes so that I never have to think twice about what’s for dinner. But the reality is that most days I’m NOT cooking, and when I suddenly realize that it’s not just 5:00 somewhere…it’s 5:00 RIGHT HERE…I panic.
My saving grace? Simple, bold-flavored, all-in-one meals like this ground turkey pasta that don’t require a bunch of hard-to-find ingredients or have too many steps. And bonus points go to the recipe if I can scavenge my pantry for most of it.
Enjoy!
The Main Ingredients
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Lean ground turkey — We prefer using 85/15 ground turkey.
- Herbs and spices — The Mexican-inspired flavors of this pasta are built up by adding cumin, oregano, red pepper flakes, and chili powder.
- Veggies and aromatics — Bell pepper, onion, and garlic add flavor and texture galore to this fabulous pasta.
- Diced tomatoes with green chiles — Choose mild or hot depending on how much you love spice.
- Pasta — I used penne, but any short and sturdy pasta may be used.
- Chicken broth — The pasta cooks in the sauce and doesn’t get drained, so you need to use a flavorful liquid like chicken broth rather than bland water.
- Heavy cream — Just a splash adds richness and creaminess. Feel free to omit or replace with half and half.
- Fresh spinach — You could use chopped kale or even arugula if you have those on hand instead.
- Shredded cheese — I used Monterey Jack for a melty cheese pull, but any melty cheese like provolone, mozzarella, or even Swiss or cheddar will work here too. Or, if you want to go full Mexican flavor, queso will give a tangier, less melty bite.
- Chopped cilantro — The perfect finishing touch.
Only have ground chicken? Feel free to use it if that’s what you’ve got on hand! Just note that ground chicken is a little leaner, so you might want to add an extra glug of oil to the skillet to prevent it from drying out.
How to Make Ground Turkey Pasta in One Pot
- Cook the ground turkey. I like to add a good drizzle of oil to the pan before cooking the turkey to prevent it from drying out or sticking. Season with a blend of herbs and spices once cooked.
- Add the veggies. The onion, garlic, and bell pepper need to cook just long enough to soften (remember that they’ll keep cooking alongside the pasta).
- Cook the pasta. Into the pot goes the tomatoes with green chiles, chicken broth, and pasta. Simmer until the pasta is tender.
- Wilt the spinach. Add the cream, spinach, and cheese. The spinach should wilt quickly.
- Garnish and serve. The whole dish is topped with just enough cilantro and cheese to make this dinner totally crave-worthy for every eater at the table.
Heidi’s Tips for Recipe Success
Use a larger pan than you think you’ll need! Cook this dish in a high-sided, 3- to 4-quart sauté pan or a Dutch so the pasta has enough room to expand as it cooks.
85/15 lean ground turkey is the best choice for this pasta. You can go leaner than that, but the leaner the meat, the more prone it will be to drying out.
Since the pasta cooks right in the sauce, you’ll want to use a good quality chicken broth. I make my own homemade chicken stock and freeze it in gallon freezer bags, then defrost for quick dinner recipes just like this. If buying chicken stock from the store, read the ingredients list to make sure it’s not a total sodium bomb.
Side Dish Suggestions
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think, and tag me on Instagram @foodiecrush.
One-Pot Ground Turkey Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 pound lean ground turkey
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt , divided
- 3 teaspoon ground cumin , divided
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper , divided
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 medium onion , diced
- ½ cup red bell pepper , diced
- 3 cloves garlic , minced or pressed
- 10 ounces canned diced tomatoes and green chilies
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 10 ounces dried penne pasta
- 3 cups chicken broth
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 4 cups fresh baby spinach (2 big handfuls)
- ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- Chopped cilantro , for garnish
Instructions
- Brown the turkey. Heat the oil in a large, high-sided skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat until it shimmers and then add the ground turkey with 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon 1 teaspoon ground cumin, the oregano, ½ teaspoon black pepper and the crushed red pepper. Break up the turkey with the spices and cook for about 5 minutes.
- Cook the aromatics. Add the onion, red bell pepper, and pressed garlic and cook for another 5 minutes or until the turkey is browned and the veggies soften.
- Add the tomatoes, spices, and liquid. Add the canned tomatoes with green chiles to the skillet or pot with the rest of the kosher salt, cumin, black pepper, chili powder and stir. Add the penne pasta and cover with the chicken broth, bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer, cover and cook until the pasta is just tender, about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Make it creamy. Stir in the cream and fold in the spinach and cook until the spinach wilts, taste for seasoning and top with the shredded cheese.
- Serve. Garnish with the chopped cilantro, sit back and watch the forks fly!
Notes
Nutrition
More One-Pot Pasta Recipes
- One-Pot Pasta Primavera
- Mexican Shrimp and Orzo
- Parmesan Risotto
- Hamburger Stroganoff
- Homemade Hamburger Helper
More Easy Dishes with Ground Turkey
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Julie K
I have made this many times for my family. I like that it is healthy and usually sneak in a little extra spinach. My husband and two teen boys like it as well. I do reduce the cumin to 2 teaspoons. I’ve used different kinds of paste depending on what’s on hand.
Ha, I agree Julie! It’s a good one to fool the kids into eating something healthy. I mean, pasta is a pretty good vehicle :) Thanks for the 5 stars and for making it part of your rotation!