This pasta sauce with ground turkey meat is a thick and flavorful meat sauce. It only needs to simmer for 20 minutes and is ready to serve. Perfect for weeknight meals!
For years, I have searched for the perfect meat sauce made with ground turkey for spaghetti. I love thick meat sauce that coats the noodles and does not have watery pools of sauce on my plate.
When my son was in high school, he helped me cook family meals. He found a recipe for meat sauce from Cooks.com and it was delicious! It is flavorful and has a great consistency.
When he went to college I tweaked the recipe and made it healthier by replacing the ground beef and pork with turkey and made a few other adjustments. I loved the results.
My favorite way to eat this sauce is on top of Roasted Spaghetti Squash. It is a perfect low-carbohydrate meal. This meat sauce is also tasty on spaghetti noodles.
If you like thick spaghetti meat sauce made with turkey that is full of flavor, this recipe is for you! Give this spaghetti meat sauce recipe a try. I hope you like it as much as my family does
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Why I love this recipe
- The consistency! It is thick, and it coats the pasta.
- Using ground turkey instead of beef and pork is healthier.
- It is full of flavor.
- The sauce only needs 20 minutes to cook.
- You can make the sauce ahead of time and it freezes beautifully.
Ingredients
See the recipe card for a full list of ingredients with quantities,
- Ground Turkey-for a healthier meat sauce, 93% lean ground turkey.
- Italian Sausage-Jennie-O has an excellent Italian sausage that is perfect in this spaghetti sauce.
- Onions-Yellow or white onions work well for the meat sauce. In a pinch, I have used red onions. However, I would not recommend using onion powder unless you don't have fresh onions.
- Garlic-I recommend fresh garlic, however, you can substitute ½ teaspoon garlic powder.
- Bell Peppers-Use your favorite bell pepper, green, red, yellow, or orange. They add a nice flavor to the sauce.
- Spices include traditional dried Italian spices: oregano, basil, thyme, and bay leaves.
- Worcestershire sauce deepens the flavor of the spaghetti sauce.
- Red pepper flakes add a bit of heat. If you prefer no heat, you don't need to add them.
- Crushed tomatoes-if possible, use San Marzano tomatoes.
- Tomato sauce adds flavor; use your favorite brand.
- Tomato paste gives the sauce an intense tomato flavor and thickens the sauce. Be sure not to leave it out.
- Red Wine is optional but adds flavor. If you prefer not to use wine, substitute water or chicken broth.
Let's make Healthier Meat Sauce for Pasta
Cook the ground turkey and Italian sauce.
Add the garlic, onions, and bell pepper.
Add the spices and Worcestershire sauce.
Add the remaining ingredients, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, red wine, and water.
Simmer for 20-30 minutes.
The spaghetti sauce will be thick and flavorful.
Enjoy this delicious and healthier meat sauce! It's perfect for a weeknight meal or a special occasion.
Substitutions
- Ground beef can be substituted for the turkey, and the sauce would be delicious.
- If you don't have fresh garlic, substitute ½ teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Substitute water or chicken broth for the wine if you prefer not to cook with wine.
Equipment
- Cutting board
- Chef's knife
- Dutch oven or large pot
Storage
Refrigerated
Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
Reheat in the microwave or on the stove until the sauce reaches 165°F.
Frozen
The pasta sauce freezes well. Make extra for a quick meal.
Freeze the sauce in a plastic freezer bag. Lay it flat in the freezer so it takes up less space. Be sure to label and date it. Freeze the sauce for up to 3 months.
Don't miss this tip
If your ground meat is frozen, quickly thaw it in the microwave at 50% power and turn it every minute until it is thawed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Fresh herbs work great in the sauce. Double the amount called for in the recipe.
The sauce is freezer-friendly and will keep frozen for up to 3 months.
Lean ground beef is a wonderful substitute for ground turkey.
What Can I Serve with Pasta Sauce?
Serve the sauce on any type of pasta, spaghetti is perfect. The turkey meat sauce is delicious and served over roasted spaghetti squash for a lower carbohydrate meal.
To complete the meal, an arugula with a lemon vinaigrette or Ceasar salad and a crusty loaf of French bread round out the meal.
I hope you try this recipe! Please rate it and comment below. I love hearing from you! ❤️
Print📋 Recipe
Fast and Easy Pasta Sauce with Ground Turkey
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 10-1 cup servings
Description
This pasta sauce with ground turkey meat is a thick and flavorful meat sauce. It only needs to simmer for 20 minutes and is ready to serve. Perfect for weeknight meals!
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive vegetable oil
- 1 pound lean ground turkey ((ground beef can be substituted))
- 1 pound ground turkey Italian sausage (Pork Italian sausage can be substituted)
- ½ cup diced onions
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- ¼ cup diced green, orange, yellow, or red bell pepper
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
- 2 teaspoons dried sweet basil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 each fresh or dried bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1-28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1-8 ounce can tomato sauce
- 1-6 ounce can tomato paste
- ½ cup red wine (optional)
- ¾ cup water
Instructions
- Pour oil into a Dutch oven (or pan holding 3-4 quarts of liquid)—heat oil over medium heat until it is warm. Add ground turkey and turkey Italian sausage. Stir the meat with a wooden spoon to break it into smaller pieces. Cook until meat is no longer pink and the liquid is gone, about 10 minutes.
- Add onions, garlic, and diced bell peppers. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Season sauce with Worcestershire sauce, oregano leaves, sweet basil, thyme leaves, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper.
- Stir crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, red wine, and water into the pan.
- Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Add enough water to achieve your desired consistency if the sauce is too thick.
Notes
- Chicken broth or water can be substituted for the red wine.
- This recipe is adapted from Cooks.com.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 4.8 g
- Sodium: 446.3 mg
- Fat: 14.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 13.9 g
- Protein: 18.4 g
- Cholesterol: 57.6 mg
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Sandy
This sauce is the best! I love how thick it is and it costs the pasta perfectly. I will make this one again!