How to Make a Quick, Easy, Inexpensive Ground Turkey and Spaghetti With Pumpkin Sauce
- Leigh
- 15 hours ago
- 2 min read
This recipe is easy to make and a great alternative to the usual spaghetti with red sauce. The pumpkin sauce complements the mild ground turkey, and a little cream cheese (light cream cheese works fine!) adds smoothness and a slight tang. Although I use spaghetti noodles in the mixture, any cooked pasta that you have on hand will do. I especially like the sauce with penne or ziti. The dish is delicious, quick to do, even on a weeknight, and is also pretty nutritious, especially if you use whole-wheat spaghetti noodles. Leftovers reheat well in the microwave on 50 percent power. Enjoy!
Ground Turkey With Pumpkin Sauce and Spaghetti -- Serves 4+
2-3 teaspoons of canola oil
16 ounce of lean ground turkey (93 percent)
3/4 cup of chopped onion
1/2 cup of chopped celery
1/2 teaspoon of salt, plus extra to taste
4 - 6 cloves of chopped garlic
1 cup of pumpkin puree
2 cups of water
2 teaspoons of reduced sodium chicken base (I use Better Than Bullion)
1/4 teaspoon of pepper
1/4 teaspoon of dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon of poultry seasoning
4 ounces of light cream cheese, cut into smallish cubes
2 cups of cooked spaghetti or other pasta
2 - 3 tablespoons of chopped parsley to garnish, optional
In a large skillet or chef's pan heat the oil over medium heat. Crumble in the ground turkey and add the onion and celery to the pan. Sprinkle on the salt. Saute the mixture for about 10 minutes or until the vegetables have mostly softened and the meat is cooked through. Add the garlic to the pan and cook it with the turkey/vegetable mixture for a minute or so. Add the pumpkin to the mixture and the water. Stir in the chicken base, the pepper, dried thyme, and poultry seasoning. Turn down the heat a little and let the mixture simmer for about 5 minutes to blend the flavors. Turn the heat to low and stir in the cream cheese until it has melted into the sauce. Stir in the the cooked pasta until it is thoroughly mixed into the sauce. Taste the dish and stir in a little more salt if you'd like. Sprinkle on the chopped parsley just before serving the dish.
