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Spaghetti with Turkey Meat Sauce, recipe.
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Spaghetti with Turkey Meat Sauce
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
Total Time
40 mins
 
Turkey meat sauce is perfect for the times you need an easy family dinner with little fuss or extra work. It is a hearty sauce with bright flavor and is not too heavy. Adding grated carrots balances the out any harsh flavors from the canned tomatoes and makes them sweeter. A perfect weeknight dinner for the family.
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian American
Keyword: spaghetti and meat sauce, turkey meat sauce
Servings: 4 -5
Author: Ginger
Ingredients
  • 1 lb (453 g) ground turkey
  • 2 TB extra virgin olive oil
  • 5 cloves garlic green germ removed and minced
  • ¼ tsp red pepper flakes optional
  • 1 medium or 2 small carrots about 2.5 oz / 75 g grated on a box grater
  • 1- 1½ tsp Kosher salt divided
  • 1 28 oz (800 g) can of whole tomatoes in purée rough chopped
  • 1 14.5 oz (411 g) can of crushed tomatoes
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1½ tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1 lb box spaghetti or other favorite pasta
  • 1 TB balsamic vinegar
  • small handful of fresh basil leaves
  • small handful of fresh parsley
Instructions
  1. Fill a stock pot 2/3 up with water and place on a burner over high heat.
  2. Place another large saucepan or 5qt Dutch oven over a burner set to medium-high heat. Pour in 2 TB of extra virgin olive oil. When the oil starts to shimmer, add the ground turkey to the pot and break it up. Let the ground turkey cook undisturbed for about 3 minutes. Once the turkey meat starts to brown break up any large chunks and stir. Cook the ground turkey until the meat is no longer pink and the juices collected on the bottom of the pot have evaporated, about 2-3 minutes.
  3. Add the grated carrots, minced garlic, red pepper flakes, if using, and ½ tsp Kosher salt. Stir and cook for about for a couple of minutes.
  4. Add both cans of tomatoes with their juices, dried oregano, and dried basil to the ground turkey and stir. Bring the sauce to a brisk boil, then turn down the heat to medium. Add the granulated sugar, 1/2 tsp of Kosher salt and stir. Taste and correct for seasoning with more Kosher salt if needed. If you are using no-salt canned tomatoes, you may need the full 1½ tsp of kosher salt to the sauce. Don't add more sugar until it has simmered for several minutes. You should not need extra sugar, but sometimes a pinch is required. The sugar helps sweeten the sauce and balance the flavor.
  5. Simmer the sauce for about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
  6. When the sauce is done simmering, and just before serving, turn off the heat and add the chopped fresh herbs and balsamic vinegar to the sauce. Stir to mix.
  7. Meanwhile, when the water comes to a boil add about 1 TB of Kosher salt to the boiling water and cook the pasta following the instructions on the back of the pasta box. Ideally, time the pasta to finish cooking just after the sauce is finished cooking.
  8. Drain the pasta from the water and add a little olive oil and stir. Plate the pasta with sauce and serve with grated Romano or Parmesan Cheese.