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    Home » Recipes » Main Dishes

    Easy Weeknight Turkey Spaghetti Sauce

    Published: Aug 24, 2022 by Janessa

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Shhh... This satisfying Turkey Spaghetti Sauce is mostly vegetables!

    Ready in under an hour, this wholesome sauce is made mostly hands off and tastes great on pasta, zoodles, and more. Or use it to make a lasagna, baked pasta or even sandwiches.

    Bowl of meat sauce on pasta.

    The Ingredients

    Ingredients for turkey spaghetti sauce.
    • Ground Turkey- This recipe can also be made with ground beef or chicken.
    • Yellow Onions- Red onion will also work.
    • Carrots and Zucchini- I most often make this recipe with about 6 cups of shredded carrots and zucchini. However, the vegetables in this recipe are pretty flexible! See my notes below for ideas to make it your own and to use what you have on hand.
    • Garlic- 1 tablespoon of ground garlic can be used if needed.
    • Crushed Tomatoes
    • Balsamic Vinegar- I accidentally left this out once and the sauce still turned out pretty good! So you can omit it if needed.
    • Olive Oil- Another neutral cooking oil such as avocado oil will also work.
    • Sea Salt
    • Black Pepper
    • Oregano
    • Thyme- If you would like, you can use 1 tablespoon of freshly chopped thyme instead.
    • Red Pepper Flakes

    The Method

    1. Saute onions and vegetables. Heat the olive oil and cook the onions and vegetables over medium until they are nearly softened. Stir in the garlic.

    Vegetables cooked and softened.

    2. Brown turkey. Add the turkey to the pot of vegetables and stir often to break it up, until it is fully cooked through.

    Turkey browned in pot with vegetables.

    3. Stir in seasonings, tomatoes and balsamic vinegar.

    Tomatoes and seasonings added to pot with turkey and vegetables.

    4. Simmer. The longer the sauce simmers, the better the flavour! If you can, I recommend allowing it to simmer for at least 30 minutes. However, you can eat it as soon as the tomatoes are heated through (about 10 minutes), if you are in a hurry!

    All of the ingredients mixed together and simmering.

    5. Serve!

    Leftovers

    Make Ahead: This sauce can definitely be made ahead. You can prepare the sauce one day ahead up to the simmering step. Cover and store in the refrigerator.

    Complete in a Slow Cooker: Transfer the sauce to the pot of a slow cooker and then heat in the slow cooker on low for up to 8 hours.

    Complete on the Stove Top: Heat the sauce in a pot over medium heat for 30-45 minutes.

    To Store: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Leftovers freeze very well so this a great recipe for making a double batch to meal prep!

    To Reheat: Reheat leftovers in the microwave until warmed through.

    Turkey meat sauce on spaghetti squash.

    Make it Your Own

    • Change up the vegetables:
      • Add more: You can add 4-6 cups of additional vegetables if you would like. The following would all be tasty options!
        • Spinach
        • Mushrooms
        • Bell Peppers
        • Celery
      • Use Different: If you want to use another vegetable instead of carrots and zucchini, you definitely can. See the list above for some ideas.
      • Substitute Frozen: When I want to make this recipe extra quick, I will sometimes you a bagged (750 g) frozen blend of chopped vegetables. Usually it is a mixture of onions, carrots, celery and peppers. You can cook them right from frozen but the first step will take 5-10 additional minutes.
      • Chop them: You can use chopped vegetables instead of shredded if you want a chunkier sauce.

    Serving Ideas

    • Enjoy this sauce on:
      • Pasta
      • Zucchini noodles
      • Spaghetti Squash
      • Mashed Potatoes
      • Roasted Vegetables
    • Top it with:
      • Freshly grated Parmesan
      • Chopped fresh herbs
    • Have it alongside:
      • Garlic Toast
      • Honey Oat Bread
      • Mediterranean Salad
      • Caesar Salad
    • Use it to make:
      • Lasagna
      • Baked Pasta
      • Sandwiches
    Parmesan grated onto a bowl of pasta with turkey spaghetti sauce.

    Dietary Notes

    If you have dietary restrictions, check the packaging of specific ingredients that you use to ensure they are compliant. This recipe is:

    • Dairy Free
    • Gluten Free
    • Nut Free
    • Paleo

    And if you liked this recipe...

    ...you might also like:

    • Italian Sausage Rice Skillet
    • Cashew Shrimp Alfredo
    • Bruschetta Chicken Sheet Pan

    Weeknight Turkey Meat Sauce

    This easy sauce is packed with vegetables yet so delicious! Enjoy it on its own, with pasta, use it in lasagna and more.
    5 from 19 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 50 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 186kcal

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 2 yellow onions diced (about 2 cups)
    • 2 carrots shredded (about 3 cups)
    • 1 medium zucchini shredded (about 3 cups)
    • 4-6 cloves garlic minced (about 2 tbsp)
    • 1 lb ground turkey
    • 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
    • 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
    • 2 teaspoon fine sea salt
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper
    • 2 teaspoon dried oregano
    • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
    • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
    (Prevent your screen from going dark)

    Instructions

    • In a large pot over medium heat, add the olive oil, onions and vegetables and saute until nearly softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 additional minute.
    • Add the ground turkey and stir often, breaking up into small chunks, until browned, about 6-7 minutes.
    • Stir in the tomatoes, vinegar and seasonings. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and allow to simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
    • Serve.

    Notes

    Leftovers
    Store leftover sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1.33cups | Calories: 186kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 1011mg | Potassium: 838mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 3834IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 3mg
    Did you make this recipe?Let me know what you thought in the comments below!

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    Reader Interactions

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    1. Chenée

      August 24, 2022 at 9:51 am

      5 stars
      This is the easiest and most delicious spaghetti sauce I've made! We had it for dinner last night and everybody loved it!

      Reply
      • Janessa

        August 24, 2022 at 10:30 am

        I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe!

        Reply
    2. Claudia Lamascolo

      August 24, 2022 at 10:10 am

      5 stars
      We are always looking for recipes like this that are less fat, and this sounds great cant wait to try it!

      Reply
      • Janessa

        August 24, 2022 at 10:30 am

        I hope you enjoy this recipe!

        Reply
    3. Shadi

      August 24, 2022 at 10:16 am

      5 stars
      Oh wow, this looks so delicious. My family is going to devour it!

      Reply
      • Janessa

        August 24, 2022 at 10:30 am

        I hope you love it!

        Reply
    4. Andrea

      August 24, 2022 at 10:16 am

      5 stars
      I'm all in for this veggie packed turkey spaghetti sauce. Loving all the flavors in it. It's a perfect sauce for my family.

      Reply
      • Janessa

        August 24, 2022 at 10:31 am

        Thank you for your kind review, Andrea!

        Reply
    5. Jess

      August 24, 2022 at 10:22 am

      5 stars
      My husband and I made some pretty big health changes in our lives and I am on the lookout for ways to make healthier choices in our lives. This turkey meat sauce is perfect!

      Reply
      • Janessa

        August 24, 2022 at 10:31 am

        Thank you for your kind review, Jess!

        Reply
    6. Andrea

      August 24, 2022 at 10:27 am

      5 stars
      This is the perfect ground turkey recipe! I substituted the zucchini for yellow squash. Loved the flavor the sauce had!

      Reply
      • Janessa

        August 24, 2022 at 10:31 am

        I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe, Andrea!

        Reply
    7. Donny

      August 31, 2022 at 3:56 pm

      5 stars
      I love all the added veggies so I had to try it and it was great! Served it over spaghetti squash noodles.

      Reply
      • Janessa

        August 31, 2022 at 9:18 pm

        I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe, Donny! Thank you for your kind review.

        Reply
    8. Stacey

      September 02, 2022 at 11:20 am

      5 stars
      I love the addition of zucchini and veggies to the meat sauce. This was tasty served with spaghetti squash noodles.

      Reply
      • Janessa

        September 03, 2022 at 8:01 am

        I'm glad you enjoyed this meat sauce, Stacey!

        Reply
    9. nancy

      September 05, 2022 at 12:25 pm

      5 stars
      i love this easy turkey spaghetti sauce - it's so lean and tasty and really hits the spot!

      Reply
      • Janessa

        September 05, 2022 at 5:36 pm

        I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe, Nancy!

        Reply
    10. jennifer

      September 06, 2022 at 6:07 am

      5 stars
      SO amazing, I loved the zucchini and carrots in there --- also added mushrooms! Will be one of our new weekday go-tos!

      Reply
      • Janessa

        September 06, 2022 at 9:49 am

        I'm glad you enjoyed this meat sauce, Jennifer!

        Reply
    11. Julie

      April 20, 2023 at 11:23 am

      5 stars
      Easy, delicious and satisfying!

      Reply
      • Janessa

        April 20, 2023 at 11:25 am

        Thank you for your kind review, Julie! I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe.

        Reply

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    Janessa

    Hi, I'm Janessa and I'm passionate about sharing recipes that are made with wholesome ingredients, are quick and easy and most importantly, delicious!

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