What to Make With Ground Turkey and Pasta: 3 Fast Weeknight Dinners
Ground turkey and pasta need a real sauce or they taste like plain noodles with crumbles. Tomato, lemon, or soy. Pick one and don't be shy with salt. These three are a one-pot tomato pasta, a lemon skillet, and a fast noodle soup. The turkey's water has to cook off or the sauce goes thin. Got more in the fridge? Snap a photo and we'll pick dinner for you. Free.
Quick picks: 3 dinners with ground turkey and pasta in 30 minutes or less
Fastest option: a 18-minute dinner
18 min
Turkey noodle soup
Total time, start to plate · One pot · serves 4 · Kid-friendly
A small amount of turkey, broth, and noodles. A soft dinner, not a bake.
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb ground turkey
- 1 cup pasta
- 5 cups water
- 1 onion
- 1 tsp salt
Steps
- Brown the ground turkey with the onion and salt.
- Add the water and bring it to a simmer.
- Add the pasta and cook until tender.
- Taste the broth. Turkey soup is quiet until the salt is right.
Keeps: Fridge for 2 days. Noodles swell, so keep extras out of the pot if you can.
One-pan or sheet-pan option
25 min
One-pot turkey pasta
Total time, start to plate · One pot · serves 4 · Kid-friendly
Dry pasta cooks in tomato and turkey in a single pot. No colander.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 8 oz pasta
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp salt
Steps
- Brown the ground turkey with the salt until the pan looks dry.
- Add the tomatoes, water, and dry pasta.
- Simmer, stirring so the pasta doesn't weld to the pot, until it is tender.
- Rest 3 minutes. It thickens. Add a splash of water if the spoon stands up.
Keeps: Fridge for 3 days.
The other dinner
20 min
Lemon turkey pasta
Total time, start to plate · One skillet · serves 4 · Kid-friendly
Ground turkey, garlic, and lemon tossed with pasta and a splash of pasta water.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 12 oz pasta
- 1 lemon
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp salt
Steps
- Boil the pasta in salted water. Save a cup of the water.
- Brown the ground turkey with salt until the liquid it sheds is gone.
- Add the garlic, then the lemon juice and splashes of pasta water.
- Toss the pasta through. Taste. Lemon should be bright, not sour-only.
Keeps: Fridge for 3 days.
Make it with leftovers
Cooked turkey can go into the lemon skillet and the soup at the end. The one-pot tomato pasta wants the turkey browned before the dry pasta and liquid go in. Leftover noodles skip the boil on the lemon card.
Pantry staples you'll need
- Salt
- Garlic
- Tomato paste
- Lemon
- Oil
- Soy sauce
No pasta: the lemon turkey is fine on rice. No turkey: a can of white beans in the lemon skillet, salted well.
Picky-eater and healthy tweaks
The tomato pot looks like the familiar red pasta. Lemon and soy are the cards to offer with the sauce on the side. Cheese helps the tomato one and is not required.
Turkey plus tomato plus pasta is a straightforward plate. Skip a cream sauce. A handful of spinach at the end of the pot wilts and adds the green.
Have something else in the fridge?
Got more in the fridge? Snap a photo and we'll pick dinner for you. Free.
Snap your fridgeRelated dinners
Questions
What can I make with ground turkey and pasta in 20 minutes?
Turkey noodle soup takes 18 minutes, start to plate. A small amount of turkey, broth, and noodles. A soft dinner, not a bake.
What's the easiest dinner with ground turkey and pasta?
Lemon turkey pasta is the low-fuss one: one skillet, 20 minutes. Ground turkey, garlic, and lemon tossed with pasta and a splash of pasta water.
Can I make this with leftover or cooked ground turkey?
Cooked turkey can go into the lemon skillet and the soup at the end. The one-pot tomato pasta wants the turkey browned before the dry pasta and liquid go in. Leftover noodles skip the boil on the lemon card.
What else can I add to ground turkey and pasta for a full meal?
The cards already use ground turkey, pasta, lemon. A piece of fruit or a handful of frozen vegetables is enough if you want more on the plate. Don't make a second shopping trip.
Is ground turkey and pasta a healthy dinner?
Turkey plus tomato plus pasta is a straightforward plate. Skip a cream sauce. A handful of spinach at the end of the pot wilts and adds the green.
How do I make ground turkey and pasta kid-friendly?
The tomato pot looks like the familiar red pasta. Lemon and soy are the cards to offer with the sauce on the side. Cheese helps the tomato one and is not required.
Can I make ground turkey and pasta in one pan or a sheet pan?
One-pot turkey pasta uses one pot and takes 25 minutes. Dry pasta cooks in tomato and turkey in a single pot. No colander.
What if I don't have pasta?
No pasta: the lemon turkey is fine on rice. No turkey: a can of white beans in the lemon skillet, salted well.