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.
The Ingredients
- 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.
2. Brown turkey. Add the turkey to the pot of vegetables and stir often to break it up, until it is fully cooked through.
3. Stir in seasonings, tomatoes and balsamic vinegar.
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!
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.
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.
- Add more: You can add 4-6 cups of additional vegetables if you would like. The following would all be tasty options!
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
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:
Weeknight Turkey Meat Sauce
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
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
Nutrition
More Meal Ideas!
Chenée
This is the easiest and most delicious spaghetti sauce I've made! We had it for dinner last night and everybody loved it!
Janessa
I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Claudia Lamascolo
We are always looking for recipes like this that are less fat, and this sounds great cant wait to try it!
Janessa
I hope you enjoy this recipe!
Shadi
Oh wow, this looks so delicious. My family is going to devour it!
Janessa
I hope you love it!
Andrea
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.
Janessa
Thank you for your kind review, Andrea!
Jess
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!
Janessa
Thank you for your kind review, Jess!
Andrea
This is the perfect ground turkey recipe! I substituted the zucchini for yellow squash. Loved the flavor the sauce had!
Janessa
I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe, Andrea!
Donny
I love all the added veggies so I had to try it and it was great! Served it over spaghetti squash noodles.
Janessa
I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe, Donny! Thank you for your kind review.
Stacey
I love the addition of zucchini and veggies to the meat sauce. This was tasty served with spaghetti squash noodles.
Janessa
I'm glad you enjoyed this meat sauce, Stacey!
nancy
i love this easy turkey spaghetti sauce - it's so lean and tasty and really hits the spot!
Janessa
I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe, Nancy!
jennifer
SO amazing, I loved the zucchini and carrots in there --- also added mushrooms! Will be one of our new weekday go-tos!
Janessa
I'm glad you enjoyed this meat sauce, Jennifer!
Julie
Easy, delicious and satisfying!
Janessa
Thank you for your kind review, Julie! I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe.