One pot Ground Turkey and Broccoli Pasta Recipe ready in 30 minutes and made with turkey, broccoli, tomatoes and Parmesan cheese. It’s a delicious healthy dinner packed with flavor and veggies!
This ground turkey and broccoli pasta is one of my favorite pasta recipes to make with ground turkey! I know many people are not fans of ground turkey but don’t knock it until you try it.
I have figured out how to make it taste flavorful. Proof are my other ground turkey dishes like reader favorite ground turkey pasta bake and this creamy one pot ground turkey pasta.
Biggest Recipe Tip
Use quality fresh ingredients! It really makes a big difference in flavor. Please read Ingredients section below for all the advice.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ready in 30 minutes: This ground turkey and broccoli recipe is perfect for busy weeknights – prep time is 10 minutes, idle time is 20 minutes.
- Picky eater approved: Most kids love pasta (and broccoli). My 14 year old asked “Mom, what’s the sauce?”. Um, nothing really.
- One pot meal: Less dishes to wash after dinner.
- Healthy and flavorful: Low fat ground turkey, nutrient filled broccoli, fresh herbs and carbs is a nutritious powerhouse. The flavors of meat, pasta, parsley and garlic are unbelievable together!
Reader’s Review
Incredibly delicious! Super-easy and low fat, which you’d never guess by the flavor! I will be making this again and again! Thank you!
Tracy Eberlein
Ingredients for Ground Turkey and Broccoli Pasta
- Ground turkey: I used 1 pound of ground turkey. Equivalent substitute is ground chicken, but ground beef will work if that is all you have on hand.
- Pasta: Short pasta like shells, penne, elbow macaroni or bow ties. I use whole wheat or whole grain pasta. Broken into pieces spaghetti, fettuccine or any long pasta is just as fine. Break in half or more to prevent lumps. Gluten-free pasta like brown rice or chickpea pasta are healthy and packed with protein and fiber too.
- Broccoli: Fresh broccoli florets or frozen. Frozen broccoli might need less cook time.
- Tomatoes: Tomato for a pop of color and taste. Be sure to buy tasty tomatoes because they do add flavor. I used ripe tomatoes on the vine, grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes would be good too. If it’s summer, any fresh garden tomatoes are good.
- Onion: I used yellow onion. White onion or red onion will add even more flavor. Don’t use onion powder.
- Garlic: Freshly grated garlic cloves are more flavorful rather than minced. Don’t use garlic from a jar or garlic powder.
- Broth: Any low sodium broth like chicken broth, vegetable broth or beef broth will work. Don’t substitute with water.
- Oil: For frying. I recommend to use extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor.
- Parsley: Use Italian flat leaf parsley rather than curly parsley for more flavor. Fresh basil could be used as well.
- Spices: Salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. You can always add more seasonings to taste like Italian seasoning.
- Parmesan cheese: Use freshly grated Parmesan for the best taste, not from a shaker.
How to Make Ground Turkey and Broccoli Pasta
- Saute the onions: Preheat large Dutch oven, pot or large skillet over medium heat and swirl oil to coat its bottom. Add onion and stir fry for 3 minutes or just enough till fragrant.
- Cook ground turkey: Add ground turkey and cook just until small enough pieces are cooked through. Some pink is okay, it will continue to cook with remaining ingredients.
- Cook pasta: Add pasta, stock, and seasonings. Everything should come to a boil as you stir. Level with spatula and cook covered on low heat for 10-12 minutes.
- Add broccoli and let stand: When past is ready (al dente), turn off the heat. Add broccoli, tomato, garlic and red pepper flakes. Stir, cover and let stand for 5 minutes or if you like very soft broccoli, keep cooking for another 3-5 minutes.
- Garnish and serve: Add parsley and Parmesan cheese, gently stir and watch it all come together. Serve hot.
Recipe Tip
It’s normal to have some liquid left after cooking pasta. It will get absorbed by pasta with time as you let it sit “to cook” broccoli and before serving. It also makes “the sauce”.
Tips for Best Results
- Don’t open the lid: It’s OK to open the lid once to check on pasta and stir it to avoid sticking to the bottom of the pot, but don’t do it more than once.
- Pasta should be al dente: Avoid overcooking the pasta until soft before adding broccoli, so it doesn’t become a mush when we cook broccoli further.
- If you like soft broccoli: Add it 3 minutes earlier or use frozen broccoli. I like broccoli firm, similar to a broccoli salad. And this is what this ground turkey and broccoli recipe is.
- Tomato substitution: You can skip tomato all together or use sun-dried tomatoes.
- Add other vegetables: Cauliflower, another cruciferous vegetable, would be your best substitution. Diced carrots, green beans or kale would also work, adjust time accordingly. Diced bell peppers or mushrooms could be added with turkey.
Serving Ideas
This healthy ground turkey broccoli pasta is truly a one pot meal with fiber, fat and protein. If you are feeding hungry boys like me, you could add some additional sides.
- Side salad: Spinach salad or lettuce salad are my go to salads for serving with pasta.
- Other vegetable sides: Creamy cucumber salad or sauteed zucchini are easy sides to serve anytime of the year.
How to Store and Reheat
Store: Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing it as pasta doesn’t withstand freezer in general. If recipe is too large, cut it in half.
Reheat: Add leftovers to a pot with a splash of broth or water and reheat on low while covered, stirring a few times. Basically you want food to steam through.
FAQs
No. You cannot replace pasta with quinoa, rice, white beans etc. because amount of liquid and cook time in this recipe is calculated strictly for pasta.
No. We add dry and uncooked pasta. It is a one pot meal.
Yes. For meal prep, cook ground turkey and onion, store in the refrigerator. Chop broccoli and tomatoes, store in separate containers refrigerated. On cooking day, proceed with step 3 of putting it all together and cooking pasta.
More Pasta Recipes to Try
- Ground turkey and zucchini skillet
- Broccoli pesto pasta
- Ground turkey and potato skillet
- Healthy pesto pasta
- No boil pasta bake
- Healthy hamburger helper
Ground Turkey and Broccoli Pasta Recipe
Equipment
Video
Ingredients
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, extra virgin
- 3 cups any short pasta like shells or penne
- 3 cups vegetable or chicken broth, low sodium
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 pound smaller broccoli florets, give a few rough chops
- 3 medium ripe tomatoes like on the vine, diced (or 2-3 cups grape tomatoes)
- 1-2 large garlic cloves, grated
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (not from a shaker)
Instructions
- Preheat large Dutch oven or pot on medium heat and swirl oil to coat. Add onion and saute for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add ground turkey and cook for 5 minutes, breaking into pieces and stirring with spatula.
- Add pasta, stock, salt and pepper; stir and level with spatula. Then cover and cook on low heat for 10-12 minutes, checking after 10 minutes. Brown rice pasta and any gluten free pasta cooks faster than wheat.
- When pasta is al dente (not too soft, so it doesn't become a mush), turn off heat and add broccoli, tomato, garlic and red pepper flakes. Stir, cover and let stand for 5 minutes.
- Add parsley and Parmesan cheese and gently stir. Serve hot.
Notes
- Make ahead: Cook ground turkey and onion, store in the refrigerator. Chop broccoli and tomatoes, store in separate containers refrigerated. On cooking day, proceed with step 3 of putting it all together and cooking pasta.
- Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. I wouldn’t recommend freezing.
- Reheating: To reheat, add leftovers to the pot with a splash of broth or water and reheat on low while covered, stirring a few times. Basically you want food to steam through.
- If you like soft broccoli: Add it 3 minutes earlier or use frozen broccoli. I like broccoli firm and this is what this recipe is.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
It turned out I didn’t have broccoli after all, so made it with cauliflower, and it was great! Thanks for the easy, quick, and healthy recipes. (Who says you can’t have all 3?)
You definitely can and so glad you made it work!
Good flavor, but pasta took way longer than 10-15 minutes to cook. Starting at medium and
Cooking it on low was not hot enough to cook the pasta
So glad you loved the flavor!
Loved this recipe. But I have 2 sons who don’t like chunks of onions, tomatoes, so I cooked the onions and garlic first.And then Put them in the blender. Then I cut up the tomatoes and put them in the blender with the onions and garlic. And added them when I had to add the the other I gred. It was sooo good. Thankyou so much for the recipes
Love that sneaky way to add them in! That’s awesome!
Is there no way to pin this on Pinterest? I would love to save it that way.
Hi, yes if you scroll up to the first paragraph under the Table of Contents this is a large green banner with a button to click to pin. Looking forward to hearing how you like the recipe!
This is so delicious….good food
So very good! It looked so simple I was not sure how it would be, but then it was one of the best meals I have cooked in a very long time! Great with a glass of red wine. (Also, I added some boiled small potatoes and used about a cup of spaghetti sauce because I had no tomatoes ~ So good!!!! Wonderful! Thank you.
You are very welcome, Janet!
I came across this recipe and I had pretty much everything on hand. I have only used my Dutch oven once before. So excited I tried it, super yummy and now sharing the recipe with friends.
Fantastic! Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Delicious and easy! I used red pepper instead of tomato, and supplemented the broccoli with some chopped green beans.
I’m so happy to read this! Thanks for your positive feedback!
Wow, this is really good! I added a chopped orange bell pepper and it was a colorful, delicious dish.
Thank you!
I never comment on anything ! but this was extremely tasty. My husband loved it and it looked so pretty with all the colors. I used a red pepper since I didn’t have tomatoes and orecchiette pasta, so delicious. This will definitely be a ground turkey regular. Thank you !
Yay! Happy that one of my recipes will be in your dinner rotation 🙂
A good base recipe for ratios, making the recipe as is the broccoli was literally still totally raw after the 5 minutes. With some doctoring to add extra spices, a splash of white wine, some nutritional yeast, and some extra cheese and cooking time it turned out great! I will continue to use the basic outline of the recipe, who knew you could just throw meat raw pasta and stock together, so easy… thank you!