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This Ground Turkey Spaghetti is rich, savory, and so flavorful no one will tell it isn’t beef! It’s an easy family dinner even your pickiest eaters will love!
You Won’t Believe It’s Not Beef
I’ll be honest, I’m not typically one who willingly chooses ground turkey over ground beef or pork. Maybe I’m a scaredy-cat, but I’m always a little worried it will taste bland, dry, or just a little “off.” Similar to how I don’t like fish tasting too fishy, I don’t like turkey to taste too turkey-y. That is why I love this ground turkey spaghetti recipe so much. It doesn’t taste like turkey! In fact, my family can’t tell the difference between when I use ground turkey and when I use ground beef. No joke! The secret is in browning the turkey the right way and adding a few ingredients to give it the same rich flavor as ground beef. I can’t wait for you to try this spaghetti, and when you do, come back and let me know what you think!
🩷 Erica
Ingredients to Make Turkey Spaghetti
- Ground turkey – Any kind of ground turkey will work great, just use your favorite. My favorite is the Simple Truth brand turkey from Kroger/Fred Meyer. Try not to use EXTRA lean turkey, just regular 93% lean, otherwise the turkey will be too dry.
- Butter & oil – I like to cook ground turkey (or any ground meat) in a blend of butter and oil because the butter adds rich flavor while the oil helps it brown and get a crispy coating without burning.
- Onion – Some chopped onion really adds great flavor to the turkey while it is cooking. White or yellow onion both work great.
- Seasonings & flavorings – Getting the right flavors for the turkey is key for this recipe. I use garlic, salt & pepper, tomato paste, soy sauce (don’t worry, you won’t even taste it. It just adds flavor), dried basil, and if I want it to taste like Italian sausage instead of beef, I add some fennel seeds.
- Marinara (or spaghetti sauce)– I usually use my homemade canned spaghetti sauce for this recipe because it’s always on hand. If you want to make the sauce from scratch you can use my homemade spaghetti sauce with fresh tomatoes, the sauce from our Authentic Italian spaghetti, or my Italian pomodoro sauce if you want a more simple, smooth sauce. Of course you can also use your favorite canned spaghetti sauce if you want to keep it really easy!
- Spaghetti noodles – If you want a good spaghetti, use good spaghetti noodles. They really make a difference! Try to get noodles that are made in Italy if you can!
How to Make Ground Turkey Spaghetti
- Heat the avocado oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey, press it into a thin layer, and let it cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes to develop some color.
- Break the turkey into smaller pieces, then stir in the diced onion, minced garlic, and salt. Cook until the turkey is browned and the onion is soft.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for about 1 minute. Add the soy sauce, dried basil, black pepper, and fennel seeds, if using.
- Pour in the marinara sauce and bring everything to a gentle simmer. Cook for 20-25 minutes so the flavors can come together.
- While the sauce simmers, prepare the spaghetti according to the package directions, then drain. Don’t forget to reserve a cup of pasta water to add back to the pasta in case in gets too dry (I always do this any time I cook pasta).
- Spoon the turkey sauce over the spaghetti, or toss the noodles and sauce together before serving.
Expert Tips
Get lean, but not too lean: “Ground turkey” usually contains a mixture of light and dark meat, while “ground turkey breast” is much leaner. For this recipe, regular ground turkey works best. And I know this sounds weird but if you use turkey that’s too lean, it will taste more turkey-y (I know that’s not a real word but it’s the best way to describe it!)
Dice the onion finely: Smaller pieces practically melt into the sauce, adding flavor without leaving noticeable chunks that picky eaters (such as mine) may find.
Crush the fennel seeds: Lightly crushing the seeds before adding them releases more flavor and helps spread that Italian sausage taste throughout the sauce.
Reserve some pasta water. Before draining the spaghetti, save about ½-1 cup of the starchy cooking water. Add a splash if the sauce becomes too thick or needs help coating the noodles. This is a good habit to get into any time you make pasta.
Frequently Asked Questions
Usually, no. Ground turkey doesn’t release nearly as much grease as ground beef, and the small amount of fat in the skillet adds flavor to the sauce. However, if your turkey releases a lot of liquid, you can spoon some of it out before adding the tomato paste.
Yes, but it adds a lot of savory flavor and is one of the ingredients that helps the turkey taste more like beef. If you leave it out, you may need to add a little more salt or another savory seasoning. You can also use low-sodium soy sauce if you are concerned about the sauce becoming too salty.
Fennel seeds will give the turkey more of an Italian sausage flavor. It really depends on if you want it to taste more like Italian sausage or more like traditional ground beef spaghetti. They are completely optional, it just depends on the flavor profile you are hoping for.
Make Ahead, Storage, and Re-Heating
This ground turkey spaghetti sauce is a great make-ahead meal because the flavors get even better after sitting overnight. Prepare the sauce as directed, let it cool, and store it separately from the cooked spaghetti until you are ready to serve. Leftover sauce will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. You can also freeze the sauce for up to 3 months, then cook up fresh spaghetti when you are ready to eat. Thaw frozen sauce overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat it in a saucepan over medium-low heat or in the microwave. Add a small splash of water, broth, or pasta water if the sauce has thickened, and heat until warmed through.
What To Serve With Ground Turkey Spaghetti
I almost always serve spaghetti with a side of salad (I love making a Caesar salad with our homemade Caesar dressing) and garlic bread or easy breadsticks (seriously these are the easiest breadsticks you will ever make and they are my kids’ favorite). You can also serve with peas, roasted veggies, or a fresh caprese salad (my personal favorite).
More Spaghetti Recipes
Have you tried this Ground Turkey Spaghetti? I’d love to hear what you think! Drop a comment below and let me know how you liked it. And don’t forget to take a pic and tag us on Instagram @favoritefamilyrecipes! 📸🍝
Ground Turkey Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey, see notes above
- 1 tablespoons avocado oil, or cooking oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, optional, if you want it to taste more like Italian sausage. Lightly crush them before adding to release the flavors.
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 24 ounces marinara sauce, use homemade or your favorite jarred sauce, see options above
- 1 pound dry spaghetti
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.Add butter and avocado oil and stir together until melted and hot.Spread the ground turkey out in the hot pan in a thin layer (as thin as you can get it) and leave it alone for 2-3 minutes before breaking it up into smaller pieces. This gives you some caramelization instead of a steamed texture.
- While the turkey is browning, add diced onion, garlic, and salt. Cook until the onion becomes transparent and soft and the turkey is nicely browned.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for about 1 minute. Add the soy sauce, basil, fennel seeds (optional) and black pepper. Stir until combined.
- Pour in the marinara, and simmer for 20–25 minutes.
- While sauce is simmering, cook spaghetti according to package directions and drain. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water just in case you find your pasta getting dry later on.
- Serve sauce over spaghetti noodles or toss the sauce and noodles together before serving.
Notes
- For the best flavor and texture, use 93% lean ground turkey rather than extra-lean turkey breast.
- Add the optional fennel seeds for more of an Italian sausage flavor.
- Taste the sauce before adding extra salt since the soy sauce and marinara are already seasoned.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze the sauce for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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