This simple Ground Turkey Spaghetti Sauce is an easy way to add veggies into your pasta dinner. Veggie packed and simmered with basil, oregano and plenty of garlic. Freezer friendly and tastes even better the second day so leftovers are always a bonus!.
When “spaghetti” is the answer to the question, “Whats for dinner?” you never have any complaints.
This is an easy way to sneak some extra veggies into everyone’s favorite dinner: ground turkey spaghetti sauce!
Are you looking for a quick, easy, and healthy dinner recipe that’s packed with flavor? Look no further than this Healthy Teriyaki Turkey Rice Bowl. This dish is perfect for busy weeknights when you’re short on time but still want a delicious and nutritious meal.
What Makes This Recipe Special:
- Flavorful Teriyaki Sauce: The homemade teriyaki sauce is the star of the show. It’s sweet, savory, and slightly tangy, and it perfectly complements the ground turkey and vegetables.
- Hidden Veggies: This recipe is a great way to sneak in some extra vegetables. The finely chopped carrots and broccoli are barely noticeable, but they add extra nutrients and flavor to the dish.
- Easy to Customize: This recipe is easily customizable to your liking. You can use different vegetables, add different spices, or even use ground chicken or beef instead of turkey.
- Healthy and Satisfying: This dish is packed with protein, fiber, and vegetables, making it a healthy and satisfying meal.
Ingredients:
- For the Teriyaki Sauce:
- 1/2 cup less sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar (or less, to taste)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (or less, to taste)
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons warm water
- For the Ground Turkey:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 cup finely chopped broccoli
- 2 large carrots, peeled and grated
- 2 green onions, diced (for garnish)
- 4 cups cooked white or brown rice (divided)
Instructions:
- Make the Teriyaki Sauce: In a small saucepan, combine the soy sauce, water, red wine vinegar, brown sugar, granulated sugar, garlic, and ginger. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
- Thicken the Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of warm water until the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Slowly whisk the cornstarch mixture into the simmering sauce and cook until thickened. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Cook the Ground Turkey: Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced onions and cook until softened. Crumble the ground turkey and garlic into the pan and cook until the turkey is about half cooked. Add the grated carrots and chopped broccoli and continue to cook until the turkey is no longer pink.
- Combine the Sauce and Turkey: Pour the teriyaki sauce over the cooked turkey and vegetable mixture and stir to combine. Simmer for about five minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- Assemble the Rice Bowls: Spoon the teriyaki turkey mixture over the cooked rice. Garnish with green onions and serve immediately.
Tips and Variations:
- Adjust the sweetness: The teriyaki sauce is generally sweet. However, feel free to cut back on the amount of sugar in the sauce to suit your taste.
- Use different vegetables: Feel free to customize this recipe with your favorite vegetables. Some other options include bell peppers, snow peas, water chestnuts, bok choy, bean sprouts, zucchini, corn, and cauliflower.
- Use different protein: You can easily swap the ground turkey for ground beef, pork, or chicken.
- Serve with noodles: Instead of rice, you can serve this teriyaki turkey mixture over noodles.
- Add some heat: For a spicier dish, add some Sriracha or red pepper flakes to the teriyaki sauce.
This Healthy Teriyaki Turkey Rice Bowl is a delicious, easy, and healthy meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights. It’s packed with flavor, nutrients, and protein, making it a satisfying and guilt-free dinner option. So next time you’re looking for a quick and easy meal, give this recipe a try! You won’t be disappointed.
Why you will love this:
- It is veggie packed. I rarely receive complaints when I make this recipe, which is heavy on the veggies. When the ground turkey spaghetti sauce is combined with pasta and cheese, the finely chopped vegetables become indiscernible. Well, my three-year-old will separate the meat, but that’s a different story.
- Little helpers will love helping chop veggies. One of my favorite ways to get help in the kitchen is with this sauce and chili. This sauce recipe requires a lot of time to chop all the vegetables, so working with my child helps. Bonus: Including them in food preparation increases the likelihood that they will eat it!
- Leftovers are the very best. I adore food that I can consume over several days. The second day, after the flavors and spices have had time to fully meld, this meat sauce tastes even better.
- Super freezer friendly. You can prepare one or two batches and store them in the freezer for several months or more. This is a great quick dinner for a night when you’re not feeling well or didn’t have time to prepare dinner.
How to make this recipe:
- Heat olive oil over medium high heat until glistening. Add in the onions, bell peppers and carrots. Simmer, stirring frequently, for three to five minutes, or until slightly tender. (step 1).
- When the turkey is thoroughly cooked and browned, add the ground turkey and garlic. Ground turkey has the advantage that there really isn’t any oil or grease to drain, so you should be good to forego draining. (step 2).
- The remaining ingredients should be added, including the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, and red pepper, if preferred. Stir well to mix. (step 3).
- Once the vegetables are all soft and the sauce has thickened, turn the heat down to medium and simmer for about 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to low if the sauce begins to bubble too much.
- On this one, I judge the doneness of the turkey spaghetti sauce by its carrots. They usually take the longest to soften. If you would like the sauce to be thicker, you can add one or two more tablespoons of tomato paste. (step 4).
- When this spaghetti sauce with ground turkey is ready, use the carrots as a guide. They typically take the longest to become tender. If you want this sauce to cook more quickly, you can even sauté them for a few more minutes in step one.
- Leftovers are even better than freshly cooked sauce. The flavors and spices have had time to combine and become more pronounced after chilling for around 24 hours. You’ll be ecstatic to eat this way for several days.
- This sauce can be prepared the day before it is to be served. You might want to decide to make it early because it tastes better the next day!
- This ground turkey spaghetti sauce is super freezer friendly. Put it in a freezer safe container and seal. It should keep for approximately four months or longer if it is airtight. Make several batches and freeze a ton–you will be set!.
EASY SPAGHETTI W/HOMEMADE MEAT SAUCE | GROUND TURKEY RECIPE
FAQ
How do you add flavor to ground turkey?
How do you make ground turkey not taste bland?
How do you make ground turkey breast taste better?
How do you make ground turkey pasta sauce?
Ground turkey pasta sauce is loaded with three kinds of tomatoes and healthy low-fat ground turkey. Brown ground turkey with onion and garlic until no pink remains. (Drain fat if needed). Add remaining ingredients (except parsley & basil) slightly breaking up the tomatoes.
What can I substitute for ground turkey?
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered 1 hour or until desired consistency. Stir in parsley & basil. Serve over hot pasta. Any ground meat can be substituted for ground turkey in this recipe. Add your favorite vegetables, panfry them quickly in a little bit of oil, and let them simmer along with the sauce.
What makes a good turkey meat sauce?
The best turkey meat sauce starts by rendering the fat from small bits of pancetta. Extra fat gives the sauce body and a richness you simply cannot get from turkey alone. It adds flavor without being assertive and overpowering (the way the smoky flavor of bacon would).
How do you cook a ground turkey in a crock pot?
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, tomato, basil, and garlic; sauté until onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Break ground turkey into small pieces and add to the pot; season with Italian seasoning and oregano. Cook and stir until turkey is completely browned, 7 to 10 minutes.