Ground Turkey Spaghetti Sauce
This easy ground turkey spaghetti sauce is a great way to sneak more vegetables into your pasta night. It’s loaded with veggies, gently simmered with classic Italian herbs, and finished with just the right touch of garlic. It also freezes well and tastes even better the next day—so leftovers are definitely something to look forward to.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
- 1 medium bell pepper finely diced, any color
- 2 medium carrots peeled and finely diced
- 1.5 lbs ground turkey 85/15 blend recommended
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 15 oz can plain tomato sauce not marinara
- 2 tbsp tomato paste plus more to thicken if needed
- 1.5 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt adjust to taste
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
- 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes optional, for heat
Instructions
- Sauté the vegetables. Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the diced onion, bell pepper, and carrots. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4–5 minutes until slightly softened and the onion is translucent.2. Add the ground turkey. Crumble the ground turkey directly into the pot. Use a wooden spoon to break it into small pieces, folding it into the vegetables as you go.3. Brown the meat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the turkey is fully browned and cooked through with no pink remaining. The internal temperature should reach 165°F. Ground turkey releases very little fat, so no draining is needed.4. Add the tomatoes and seasonings. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste. Add the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, oregano, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Stir everything together until well combined.5. Simmer low and slow. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the sauce simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. The sauce should bubble gently — not aggressively. Lower the heat if it begins to spatter.6. Taste and adjust. Once the carrots are completely fork-tender, taste the sauce and adjust seasoning as needed. If the sauce is too thin, stir in an extra tablespoon of tomato paste. Serve over your favorite pasta with freshly grated parmesan.
Notes
- Use the carrots as your doneness indicator. They take the longest to soften — once they're fully tender, the whole sauce is ready to serve.
- This sauce tastes better the next day. The herbs and tomatoes continue to meld overnight in the refrigerator. Make it a day ahead if you have time.
- Freezer instructions: Let the sauce cool completely, then transfer to airtight freezer-safe containers or zip-top bags. Freeze flat to save space. Keeps well for up to 3 months.
- Add mushrooms for extra depth — finely chopped cremini or button mushrooms blend in seamlessly.
- For a wine variation, add ¼ cup dry red wine after browning the turkey and let it cook down for 2 minutes before adding the tomatoes.