The first time I made this, I couldn’t get over how easy and fast it was to whip up dinner for the family, and it was SO good. And my husband was especially thrilled with how little cleanup was left afterward! This One Pot Veggie-Loaded Turkey Pasta is the perfect weeknight dinner for families with little kids!
My toddler loves this dish so much and always cleans her plate. Since everything is mixed in it’s easier to get her to eat the meat and veggies included in this recipe. I also love how great the leftovers are, so it’s the perfect lunch for her for the next few days. It’s one of the recipes I include on my list of Cheap Dinners for a Family too, since the ingredients are very basic and inexpensive!
Ingredients Needed for One Pot Veggie-Loaded Turkey Pasta
Lean Ground Turkey or Ground Chicken: Either works great in this recipe, and is a healthier option than ground beef. However if you prefer ground beef or sausage, you can use that here too!
Italian Seasoning: You can make your own blend or use a pre-made bottle of it.
Pepper: A little to flavor the meat.
Salt: If you’re watching the amount of salt you give your toddler, you can certainly choose to leave this out since you’ll be adding cheese and salted broth later in the recipe.
Sweet Onion: You can use any kind of onion in this recipe, I just prefer sweet onions! Yellow or white, or even shallots work great too!
Celery Stalks: I love the addition of celery in this recipe, but if you don’t have any or don’t like them, then leaving them out is fine. Feel free to replace them with any other veggie!
Carrots: This recipe calls for full sized carrots, but if you have baby carrots, shredded, sliced, etc. that’s fine too, just eyeball the amount you want included in the recipe!
Garlic: Fresh or jarred is fine here; I know jarred is so much easier and more realistic sometimes for a quick weeknight dinner!
Pasta: Any kind of pasta works, but preferably use rotini or something easy for little hands to hold. Bow Ties would be fun too!
Chicken Broth: This is what the pasta will cook in for all the added flavor. I personally use Better than Bullion and LOVE how easy and yummy it is!
Can Diced Tomatoes: You’ll want to get the normal, 15 oz, size can. For a little extra flavor you can use the fire roasted kind!
Half & Half (Optional): I like adding in half & half (or heavy cream) to make this recipe a little creamy. But it is equally delicious without it!
Parmesan Cheese: Feel free to use as much as you’d like here; I never skimp on the parmesan!
Spinach: You can use fresh or frozen!
Baby-Led Weaning for One Pot Veggie-Loaded Turkey Pasta
This is a great baby-led weaning recipe since all of the ingredients are cut very small and do not pose choking hazards. Plan to buy petite diced tomatoes, and ensure the pasta is cooked soft.
The only common allergens in this recipe are wheat and dairy. Be sure to test those first before giving this meal to your baby.
Storage for One Pot Veggie-Loaded Turkey Pasta
Store this one pot veggie loaded turkey pasta in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge.
Tools Needed to make this One Pot Veggie Loaded Turkey Pasta
You’ll need a very large pan for this recipe, I absolutely love my Viking Saute Pan, it fits SO much and is such great quality!!
One Pan Veggie-Loaded Turkey Pasta for Families
Ingredients
- 1 lb Lean Ground Turkey or Ground Chicken
- 1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
- ½ tsp Pepper
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1 Sweet Onion, diced
- 3 Celery Stalks, diced
- 2 Large Carrots, diced
- 3 Cloves Garlic, minced
- 12 oz Pasta (Preferably rotini or something easy for little hands to hold)
- 3 cups Chicken Broth
- 15 oz Canned Diced Tomatoes
- ½ cup Half & Half (Optional)
- ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese
- 2 cups Spinach
Instructions
- In a very large skillet, cook the ground meat on medium heat, adding in the seasoning, salt and pepper. Cook until no pink remains, but is not fully cooked.
- Add in the onion, celery, carrots and garlic and cook for about 5 more minutes.
- Next, add the pasta, broth and can of tomatoes. Mix well, bring to a simmer and cook for about 10-12 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked.
- Stir in the half & half, parmesan and spinach. Turn off the heat and let sit for a few minutes to let the spinach wilt, then serve!
