Looking for a delicious and easy ground turkey pasta recipe that can be made in your pressure cooker? Look no further! This recipe is simple to follow and will be a hit at dinner tonight. Plus, it’s a great way to use up any leftover ground turkey you might have and only takes about 30 minutes. We are using the Ninja Foodi because it is incredibly useful in this recipe but if you don’t have it we have adjustments for regular pressure cookers or ovens.
Why Use Ground Turkey?
Ground turkey is a great alternative to ground beef and is a great substitution in many pasta recipes. Lean turkey has less fat, making it a healthier option. Plus, ground turkey can be just as versatile as ground beef. You can use it in tacos, chili, pasta dishes, and more.
Ground Turkey Vs Ground Beef.
So, what’s the difference between ground turkey and ground beef? Ground turkey is made from, you guessed it, turkey. It’s usually a mixture of dark and light meat. Ground beef, on the other hand, is made from cow meat. It’s usually all red meat.
Ground turkey has less saturated fat than ground beef. Saturated fat is the type of fat that can raise your cholesterol levels. Ground beef also has more calories than ground turkey depending on the fat content in the beef. If you go for 93% lean beef the similarities are much closer.
Beef Vs Turkey
| 80/20 Beef | 93% Lean Turkey |
| 209 Calories Per 3 ounces | 173 Calories Per 3 Ounces |
Beef Vs Turkey
| 93% Lean Beef | 93% Lean Turkey |
| 164 Calories Per 3 Ounces | 173 Calories Per 3 Ounces |
What Type of Pasta Should I Use?
For this recipe, we recommend using mini penne pasta, pasta shells, or elbows. But feel free to use your favorite pasta or whatever you have on hand or switch to gluten-free pasta if you prefer. Just make sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly until pasta is al dente. Especially if you aren’t using a pressure cooker.
What Marina Sauce Do I Use?
We love using Bertolli pasta sauce for this dish because it is thicker and has chunkier pieces of tomato, Italian seasoning and herbs in it. But you can use your favorite marinara sauce or even tomato sauce if you like. The goal here is to make things quick and easy so don’t overthink your sauce, use your favorite.
Why Use Worcestershire Sauce?
Worcestershire is an amazing ingredient to use. Particularly when using ground turkey. If you don’t season turkey properly, it can have a slightly gamey taste to it. Worcestershire sauce works incredibly well with proteins for not only flavor but also adds moisture and when you’re cooking with a lean type of meat you don’t want it to go dry.
Ground Turkey Pasta
| Servings 8 | Prep time 15 minutes |
| Calories 395 | Cook time 20 minutes |
Total time 35 minutes
*Please note that the nutritional information provided is an estimate only and may vary depending on the ingredients used. Calories listed are per serving.*
*Please note that the nutritional information provided is an estimate only and may vary depending on the ingredients used. Calories listed are per serving.*
What If I Don’t Have A Ninja Foodi?
No problem! This recipe can easily be made in a regular pressure cooker. If you don’t have a Ninja Foodi simply follow the pressure cooker or stovetop directions for your pasta and continue. You don’t have to use the air fryer step and can serve the dish without or you can preheat your oven at the beginning of the recipe to 350 degrees and bake for 10 minutes to melt the cheese.
Do I Have To Use A Pressure Cooker?
No, you don’t have to use a pressure cooker. But we highly recommend it. It cuts down on cooking time and ensures that the pasta is cooked evenly. We are using the ninja foodi which also has an air fryer feature so that we can air fry the cheese layer at the end without having to also use an oven.
How Do I Make This Dish Without A Pressure Cooker?
If you don’t have a pressure cooker you are not out of luck and still make this ground turkey pasta. Simply cook the meat, and sauce as directed. Cook your pasta as the packaging directs you to or until al dente and pour it into a baking dish, casserole dish, or Dutch oven. Pour the sauce mixture over the pasta and mix well. Place in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 10 to 20 minutes or until cheese on top is melted. Remove the ground turkey pasta, serve and enjoy!
Ingredients List
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 16 ounces mini penne (regular or gluten free)
- 24 ounces pasta sauce or tomato sauce
- 2 tbsp 1/3 less fat cream cheese
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 medium white onion
- Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 Cup Shredded Italian Cheese or mozzarella cheese.
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
*Disclosure, below are affiliate links to products we recommend. We do not include links to products we have not used or honestly recommend*
What Tools You Will Need
Directions
- Add pasta and 5 cups of water to the pressure cooker. Set to low for 0 minutes, this allows it to build the pressure and the cooking will be done during the natural release. once done allow to natural release for 10 minutes and release any extra pressure.
- Preheat the pan to medium-high heat, add olive oil, and begin browning the ground turkey. Add Worcestershire sauce and seasoning salt.
- Dice onion and add to the pan with the ground turkey. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium and add minced garlic. Cook for 30 seconds.
- Add Pasta sauce or tomato sauce to the ground turkey mix and stir until combined. Reduce heat to low.
- Add Cream cheese and stir until combined.
- Season meat sauce with salt and pepper to taste and pour the meat sauce over cooked noodles.
- Mix half of your cheese in with your sauce and cooked noodles until thoroughly coated.
- Spread the rest of the cheese over the top of your baked pasta and set ninja foodi to air fry for 5 minutes at 375 degrees.
- (optional) add some freshly grated parmesan cheese on top of your baked pasta.
- Serve and Enjoy!
Notes
- If you are not using a Ninja Foodi or a pressure cooker cook pasta on the stove as the package describes.
- If you want to Bake your ground turkey pasta and melt the cheese after and aren’t using a ninja foodi or pressure cooker with an air fry option. Set oven to 350 and bake for 10 minutes.
- If you use tomato sauce be sure to add some Italian seasoning to it for flavor.
- If you don’t have cream cheese you can also use heavy cream. Its main purpose is to add creaminess to the sauce.
- Add some red pepper flakes if you want some to add some heat to your pasta.
- If you want your sauce to be thicker and chunkier add some diced tomatoes.
Can I Use Beef Or Ground Chicken Instead?
If you’re not a fan of ground turkey, you can definitely use ground beef or ground chicken in this recipe. Just keep in mind that the dishes nutrition information will vary.
Is This A Good Meal Prep Option?
Absolutely! Ground turkey pasta reheats well and can be made ahead of time. Simply cook the pasta and sauce separately and then combine them when you’re ready to eat. You can also add the cheese layer at this point or wait until you reheat the dish. If you have leftovers, you can save them for meal prep for up to 3 days.
A Delicious Ground Turkey Pasta Recipe for the Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 LB Ground Turkey
- 1 TSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
- 16 Ounces Mini Penne
- 24 Ounces Pasta Sauce (Or Tomato Sauce)
- 2 TBSP 1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese
- 1 TBSP Minced Garlic
- 1 Cup Shredded Italian Or Mozzarella Cheese
- 1 Medium White Onion
- Salt (Kosher Or Table) And Black Pepper To Taste
- Seasoning Salt To Taste
Instructions
- Add pasta and 5 cups of water to the pressure cooker. Set to low for 0 minutes, this allows it to build the pressure and the cooking will be done during the natural release. once done allow to natural release for 10 minutes and release any extra pressure.
- Preheat the pan to medium-high heat, add olive oil, and begin browning the ground turkey. Add Worcestershire sauce and seasoning salt.
- Dice onion and add to the pan with the ground turkey. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium and add minced garlic. Cook for 30 seconds.
- Add Pasta sauce to the ground turkey mix and stir until combined. Reduce heat to low.
- Add Cream cheese and stir until combined.
- Season meat sauce with salt and pepper to taste and pour over cooked pasta.
- Mix half of your cheese in with your sauce and cooked pasta until thoroughly coated.
- Spread the rest of the cheese over the top and set ninja foodi to air fry for 5 minutes at 375 degrees.
- Serve and Enjoy!
Notes
- If you are not using a ninja foodi or a pressure cooker cook pasta on the stove as the package describes.
- If you want to Bake your pasta and melt the cheese after and aren't using a ninja foodi or pressure cooker with an air fry option. Set oven to 350 and bake for 10 minutes.
- If you use tomato sauce be sure to add some Italian seasoning to it for flavor.
- If you don't have cream cheese you can also use heavy cream. Its main purpose is to add creaminess to the sauce.
- (Optional) Add some freshly grated parmesan cheese on top.
Nutrition
Can I Prepare Ground Turkey Pasta In Advance?
Yes, ground turkey pasta can easily be made in advance. Simply cook the pasta and sauce separately and then combine them when you’re ready to eat. You can cook it in advance and store it in the refrigerator to reheat later. Just make sure you cover it with plastic wrap, aluminum foil, or an airtight lid. If you have leftover turkey pasta, you can save it for meal prep for up to three days in an airtight container .
Want To Get Creative With This Dish?
This dish is versatile and can be customized to your liking. Try adding some diced bell peppers, swiss chard, diced tomatoes, or mushrooms to this dish. If you want to try something other than ground turkey, try using ground beef or Italian sausage.
How Can I Add More Flavor To My Turkey Pasta?
If you want to add more flavor to your pasta, try using Italian seasoning. You can also add in some crushed red pepper flakes for a bit of heat. Another good way to add flavor to your pasta is by cooking your noodles in beef broth or chicken broth. Using beef broth or chicken broth is an excellent and easy way to add flavor to your noodles.
Summary
There you have it! A delicious and easy ground turkey pasta recipe that can be made in your pressure cooker. This easy recipe is simple to follow and will provide some darn good food that will have your family asking for seconds in only about 30 minutes. Plus, it’s a great way to use up any leftover ground turkey you might have. Give it a try and let us know how it turns out! What are some of your other favorite pasta recipes? Let us know in the comments below.
