Name: Pasta with Spinach, Ground Turkey & Cannellini Beans
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 tbsp Olive Oil; 1 Yellow Onion, diced; 2 Carrots, peeled and diced small; 3 Garlic Cloves, minced; 1 lb. Lean Ground Turkey, can use beef or chicken; Pinch of Salt; 1 tsp Pepper; 1 28 oz. can Crushed Tomatoes; 1 8 oz. can Tomato sauce; ½ cup Chicken Broth, low sodium preferred; 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning; 1 Bay Leaf; ¼ tsp Crushed Red Pepper, optional; 4 cups Fresh Spinach; 1 14.5 oz can Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed; 1 lb Pasta (I used Rotini), or Veggie Noodles; Grated Parmesan Cheese & Fresh Parsley, for serving

Yummly

Facebook

Twitter

Pasta with spinach, ground turkey and cannellini beans is simmered in a homemade tomato sauce for a quick, easy and healthy family dinner recipe.

An easy family dinner recipe made with a tomato sauce with ground turkey, spinach and cannelloni beans. The sauce is quick, easy and healthy.

What’s better than a complete dinner that uses just two pans, can feed the whole family, and is super easy to make?

Well other than homemade salted caramel sauce, pretty much nothing ;).

This pasta with spinach, ground turkey and cannellini beans will be a go-to family dinner recipe. It’s homemade comfort food you can feel good about eating!

A bowl full of an easy pasta dish thats made from tomato sauce, ground turkey, spinach and white beans. It’s an easy and tasty family dinner recipe.

Growing up, American chop suey (or goulash) and pasta a fagioli were two dinner staples that both my mom and grandma cooked regularly. (Mmmm with a nice slice of crusty Italian bread to zuppa zuppa!)

My version of pasta with spinach, ground turkey and cannellini beans is a mashup of these two family favorites with a spin of my own.

Typically, pasta a Faggioli is made as a hearty soup, but Grandma makes it as more of a pasta dish.

She makes the tomato sauce with carrots to cut down on the acidity of the tomato (and to add a touch of sweetness), and adds a bay leaf for a nice earthy undertone.

My red sauce for this pasta and beans is very similar, but I’m using crushed tomatoes as well as tomato sauce for a slightly heartier sauce.

An overhead shot of a bowl full of rotini pasta. A pan is next to it filled with the easy red sauce made with turkey, spinach and beans

Spinach and ground turkey are added to this pasta dish for a healthier version of goulash. It comes together easily in one pot (other than the pasta) for easy cleanup!

You can certainly omit the meat and substitute a second can of beans for a vegetarian version.

For a low carb version of this pasta with spinach, try it over spaghetti squash or Zoodles!

A brown speckled bowl full of rotini pasta in a tomato sauce with ground turkey, cannelloni beans and spinach. There’s a forkful of the pasta lifted from the bowl, it’s sprinkled with cheese and fresh parsley

To make this easy pasta sauce recipe, first, cook the onions, carrots and garlic until softened. Then add the ground turkey and cook until no longer pink.

Next, add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken broth and seasonings. Simmer for at least 30 minutes to really let the flavors develop.

If I’m not short on time, (which is rare!) I’ll usually let the sauce simmer for about an hour.

Lastly, add in the fresh spinach and beans. Once the spinach has wilted, the sauce is ready to be served!

A closeup shot of rotini pasta topped with an easy tomato sauce that’s made with ground turkey, spinach and cannelloni beans. It’s topped with fresh parsley and Parmesan Cheese.

For an easy weeknight family dinner, this pasta with spinach, ground turkey and cannellini beans is the perfect one-dish meal to feed a crowd.

The sauce can be kept in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 4 months. Just defrost, heat and serve when ready to use!

For more easy family dinner recipes try:
Slow Cooker Balsamic Dijon Pot Roast
Easy Baked Pecan Crusted Fish
Mexican Cauliflower Rice Casserole