Name: Quick Turkey Meat Sauce
Prep time: 35 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil; 1 large onion, chopped; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning; 1 pound lean ground turkey; 8 ounces mushrooms, chopped; 0.5 teaspoon salt; 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes; 0.5 cup chopped fresh parsley or basil

Quick Turkey Meat Sauce

4.7

(6)

6 Reviews

This lean meat sauce is made with ground turkey meat instead of ground beef, and the result is just as delicious! Plus, finely chopped mushrooms are incorporated into the sauce (undetected!) for an easy way to eat more vegetables. Serve this healthy, hearty recipe with your favorite whole-wheat pasta or over polenta with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

Carolyn Casner

Updated on April 18, 2024

Reviewed by Dietitian

Emily Lachtrupp, M.S., RD

Tested by

Learn more about our food philosophy and nutrition parameters.

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Prep Time:

35 mins

Total Time:

35 mins

Servings:

Yield:

6 cups

Nutrition Profile:

Low-Carb Nut-Free Dairy-Free Soy-Free Egg-Free Gluten-Free

Jump to Nutrition Facts

How to Store Quick Turkey Meat Sauce

This healthy ground turkey meat recipe is perfect for making ahead and storing. Refrigerate the sauce in an airtight container for up to three days. You can also freeze the sauce in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. To reheat the meat sauce, microwave or reheat in a saucepan over low heat until heated through. If frozen, let the sauce thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Can I Use a Different Protein in This Meat Sauce Recipe?

Yes, the ground turkey can be swapped for ground beef in this recipe. Choose lean ground beef, 90% or higher, which will have less fat. Ground beef adds great flavor to this recipe. However, it does have more saturated fat than ground turkey, so if you're following a heart-healthy diet, stick with ground turkey.

Additional reporting by Alex Loh

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 pound lean ground turkey
8 ounces mushrooms, chopped
½ teaspoon salt
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
½ cup chopped fresh parsley or basil

Directions

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and Italian seasoning; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add turkey, mushrooms and salt; cook, crumbling the turkey with a wooden spoon and stirring, until the turkey is no longer pink and the mushrooms are cooked, about 10 minutes.

Christine Ma
Increase heat to medium-high. Stir in tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in parsley (or basil).

Christine Ma

Equipment

Large skillet

Originally appeared: EatingWell.com, October 2018; updated November 2022

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

100	Calories
5g	Fat
7g	Carbs
9g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 12
Serving Size 1/2 cup
Calories 100
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 7g	3%
Dietary Fiber 2g	6%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 9g	18%
Total Fat 5g	6%
Saturated Fat 1g	5%
Cholesterol 28mg	9%
Vitamin A 381IU	8%
Vitamin C 11mg	12%
Folate 19mcg	5%
Sodium 249mg	11%
Calcium 40mg	3%
Iron 2mg	9%
Magnesium 24mg	6%
Potassium 398mg	8%

Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.

* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.