Delicious EASY Ground Turkey Meat Sauce Recipe
This homemade, delicious, and EASY Ground Turkey Meat Sauce Recipe is flavorful and simple to make! The secret is basil, rosemary, and oregano, combined with onions, garlic, and Italian tomatoes. This family-favorite meat sauce recipe is chunky and full of rich classic Italian flavor, making it the perfect, simple recipe for busy weeknights.
Meaty, rich, and flavorful ground turkey meat sauce will have you returning for seconds! Onions, garlic, leeks, fresh herbs, a splash of white wine, and crushed whole tomatoes are the secret to this delicious pasta sauce. It’s perfect over pasta or baked in the oven casserole style with grated parmesan cheese. Penne, Rigatoni, or Spaghetti Pasta would all be delicious! If you love Italian food you will also love our Gluten-Free Lemon Piccata Recipe. and Gluten-Free Lasagna with Ground Turkey.
What you’ll love about this Ground Turkey Pasta Sauce Recipe:
Ingredients for Ground Turkey Spaghetti Sauce
- Ground Turkey – We used organic ground white meat turkey (You can use half dark meat)
- Olive Oil
- Crushed Tomatoes in Puree – We enjoy San Marzano Tomatoes.
- Tomato Puree or Tomato Sauce
- Onions
- Leeks – adds a unique flavor we love
- Carrots
- Celery
- Bay Leaves
- Fresh Garlic Cloves
- Fresh Basil
- Dried Rosemary
- Dried Oregano
- Fresh Parsley for Garnish
- Dry White or Red Wine (optional)
- Salt and black pepper
Ingredient Notes
- We used Barilla Gluten Free Pasta
How To Make Turkey Meat Sauce – Step-by-Step
See the recipe card below for ingredients and complete instructions.
Step 1 – Saute Garlic – Add 2-3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven. Add 9-10 Cloves of chopped Garlic. Stir for one to two minutes with a wooden spoon until fragrant. The garlic will melt into the sauce and give it that irresistible flavor.
Step 2 – Add Chopped Leeks and Onion and cook for two to three minutes, stirring often.
Step 3 – Add diced Carrots and Celery and cook on low for five minutes until Onions are translucent. Stir often.
Step 4 – Add Tomato Sauce, Crushed Tomatoes and Puree, Oregano, Basil, Bay Leaves, and Rosemary—Season with Salt and Pepper. Add optional dry white or dry red wine (1/2 cup).
Step 5—Turn the heat to a low simmer, loosely cover, and cook for 20 -30 minutes until the vegetables are tender. If you like a smoother sauce, puree it with an immersion blender. While the sauce is simmering, saute the ground turkey.
Step 6—Heat a large skillet over medium heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add ground Turkey meat and saute until cooked all the way through. The turkey should turn grey rather than brown. Make sure there is no pink.
Step 7 – Add Ground Turkey to the Tomato Sauce and mix well. Cook Meat Sauce for 30 minutes on a very low simmer, stirring it occasionally. This is when I move the sauce to the small burner. Time to cook the pasta!
Enjoy this quick meat sauce with your favorite pasta or zucchini noodles.
Storage Suggestions
- Let sauce cool to room temperature before storing. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat on the Stovetop on low or in the Microwave.
- Mix the sauce with a whole package of cooked pasta and refrigerate.
Variations
- You can add a pound of Italian turkey sausage to this recipe (make sure the sausage is gluten-free)
- Serve over Spaghetti Squash or spiralized noodles
- Use ground chicken instead of ground turkey.
- Add a cup of cream, and you have Bolognese Sauce
- Serve with Pasta and Grated Parmesan Cheese
Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed this Turkey Meat Sauce Recipe.
Our Favorite
Dinner Recipes
Delicious EASY Ground Turkey Meat Sauce Recipe
This homemade, delicious, and EASY Ground Turkey Meat Sauce Recipe is flavorful and simple to make! The secret is basil, rosemary, and oregano, combined with onions, garlic, and Italian tomatoes. This family-favorite meat sauce recipe is chunky and full of rich classic Italian flavor, making it the perfect, simple recipe for busy weeknights.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 Minutes
- Total Time: One Hour
- Yield: 10 Cups
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean Diet
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Organic Ground Turkey – 2 – 16 oz. packages
Olive Oil – 6 Tablespoons
Yellow Onion – 1 Whole Large Onion Small Dice (1 Cup)
Leeks – 2 Medium Dice (1 Cup) If you don’t have leeks, add an extra chopped onion. The leeks add a unique flavor that we love.
Carrots – 2 Large Medium Dice (1 Cup)
Celery – 2 Spears Medium Dice (1 Cup)
Crushed Italian Tomatoes in Puree – 2- 28 oz. cans
Tomato Puree – 2 – 10 oz. cans (alternately, you can use a jar of plain tomato sauce)
Bay Leaves – 2
Fresh Garlic Cloves – 8-10 large cloves minced (fine chop)
Fresh Basil – 1 cup chopped and some for garnish
Dried Rosemary – 2 Tablespoons
Dried Oregano – 1 Tablespoons
Fresh Parsley – 1/2 Cup Garnish
Dry White Wine (optional) – 1/8 cup
Salt – 1/2 Teaspoon
Cracked Black Pepper – 1 Teaspoon Fresh Cracked
Instructions
Step 1—Heat 2-3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven. Add 8-10 large cloves of finely chopped Garlic. Stir for 1–2 minutes with a wooden spoon until fragrant.
Step 2 – Add chopped Leeks and Onion and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.
Step 3 – Add diced Carrots and Celery and cook for approximately five minutes, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until onions are translucent.
Step 4—Add Tomato Sauce, Crushed Tomatoes, Oregano, Basil, Bay Leaves, and Rosemary. Season with Salt and Pepper. Optionally, add 1/2 cup of good dry white or red wine (such as Cabernet).
Step 5 – Turn Heat to a low simmer, loosely covered, and cook for 30 minutes until vegetables are tender. If you like a smoother sauce, puree it with an immersion blender before adding the ground turkey. If you stop right here, you have a wonderful homemade marinara sauce.
Step 6—Heat a large skillet over medium heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add Ground Turkey Meat and saute until cooked all the way through. The turkey should turn grey rather than brown. Make sure there is no pink.
Step 7—Mix well with cooked Ground Turkey in the Marinara Sauce in the Dutch oven. Cook on a very low simmer, covered with a splash screen, for 30 minutes or until the desired thickness is achieved. Turn off the flame and enjoy this quick turkey meat sauce with your favorite pasta or zucchini noodles.
Notes
Serving Suggestions
- Serve turkey meat sauce with a bowl of grated parmesan cheese
- Perfect over penne pasta, rigatoni, or spaghetti.
- It also is a great layering base for Lasagna.
Storage Suggestions
1. Let sauce cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container.
2. I often mix all the leftover sauce with a bowl of cooked penne pasta and store it for the next meal.
3. Re-heat on low simmer on the stovetop.
My family loved this pasta sauce!!
I am so glad you liked it! Thank you!