Easy Ground Turkey Pasta with Pumpkin and Mushrooms

This ground turkey pasta is creamy, savory, and full of cozy fall flavor, made with pumpkin, mushrooms, and fresh rosemary.

If you love a comforting pasta dinner, you will also want to try my Pasta with Ricotta and Peas, Vegan Pumpkin Pasta with Sage, and Ziti al Forno.

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Jump To

• Ingredients
• Equipment you need to make this pasta
• How to make ground turkey pasta?
• Recipe Tips
• Variations and Substitutions
• What to serve with healthy ground turkey pasta?
• How to Store This Pasta
• Some other pasta recipes to enjoy:
• Healthy Ground Turkey Pasta
• FAQ'S

It's official: I am a true vegetable bargain hunter. Some of my Calabrian mother-in-law's food-shopping savviness has definitely rubbed off on me! She has been training me for years in Italy and here back home. You could say this pumpkin and turkey pasta came together, thanks to her!

Today's delicious sauce also has sweet onions and an earthy flavor from using two different types of mushrooms (portobello and white mushrooms). We could have used turkey sausage but used ground turkey instead. You could make this even with turkey sausage (or regular sausage).

Totally kid approved! They just love this flavorful pasta recipe!!

Her mission is always to find the best deals! I watch her from her balcony in Italy and at the mercato bartering with every vendor! This summer in Calabria I walked two steps behind her and watched her clever way of getting the deal she wanted with the hot pepper vendor and the tomato vender.

One day, all by myself, I even stood in line in the incredible Calabrian summer heat to buy the BEST homemade ricotta (at 2.50 euro each container, it was worth the wait!). The old ladies kept trying to figure out who was in line first. It was the typical Calabrian chaos.

Shoppers were coming at the little truck filled with magical ricotta containers from every angle. The shoppers became more and more anxious and even angry! I tried to calm down my new friends every time someone cut in line and got their ricotta first. 

Then I proudly arrived back at my mother-in-law's home in time for lunch with two of these treasured ricotta containers. We took one to my grandmother-in-law's house for dinner and I proudly told her how that morning I went to the Thursday mercato and I braved the heat and the long line of angry customer's for this extra special ricotta.

I asked her what she thought of the ricotta. And without skipping a beat, my 94 year old Calabrian grandmother-in-law told me in pure Calabrian dialect, "It tastes like ricotta!".

So back to the vegetable bargain hunting...this pasta came together with bargain containers of portobello and white button mushrooms that I found at my favorite vegetable market! If you're searching for new ground turkey pasta recipes, you should give this one a try!

Ingredients

Here is all you need to make a healthy pumpkin sauce (full printable recipe is below):

1. Pasta - main component of the dish, I used rigatoni. Any short pasta or even gnocchi would be nice. If all you have on hand is spaghetti, go ahead and use it!
2. Extra-virgin olive oil- I use always a very high quality olive oil. The flavor difference is notable.
3. Broth - adds flavor and moisture to the sauce.
4. White wine - a totally optional ingredient, but it does enhance flavor and adds depth to the sauce. You could omit and use more broth if you don't have any.
5. Rosemary - I used fresh rosemary. You could use sage or thyme.
6. Pumpkin puree - gives a creamy consistency to the sauce.
7. Sea salt - enhances the flavors of all other ingredients and balances out sweetness.
8. Black pepper - adds a subtle heat and complements the other spices in the sauce.
9. Ground Cinnamon - adds warmth and depth to the dish.
10. Nutmeg - adds a warm, nutty flavor to the sauce.
11. Mushrooms - provide texture, flavor, and added nutrients.
12. Onions - I used a sweet onion. Sweet, white, or red onion is fine. Even shallots will work.
13. Pasta water - starchy pasta water helps to thin out the sauce and creates a smooth texture.
14. Hot pepper flakes - optional ingredient if you like a little spice!
15. Grated cheese - optional ingredient for added richness and creaminess (can be omitted for a dairy-free option).

How to make ground turkey pasta?

This is all you need to do to make this DELICIOUS turkey pasta. Full recipe is below.

The first thing is to gather all the ingredients. You can use thyme if you can't find fresh rosemary. Dried rosemary could work, but there is a big difference in the flavor of fresh (I have it growing in my herb garden and use it in so many recipes).

Second step is to add some olive oil to the skillet. when it is warmed up, cook the onions and mushrooms first. First add in the onions. When they are almost translucent (about 3-4 minutes), add in the mushrooms. When they're cooked up (about 4-5 minutes), remove onions + mushrooms and add them to a small bowl.

Third step is to add another drop of olive oil to the pan and add in the ground turkey. Use a wooden spoon to break it up into small pieces. The ground turkey will take about 14-16 minutes in total to cook. When it has just a little bit of pink color, go on to the next step.

Fourth step, when the ground turkey is almost cooked up, add in the broth and a splash of white wine (you could leave that out if you don't drink or don't have any on hand. The alcohol does evaporate while it's cooking). Add in the fresh rosemary.

Cook that all together for about 5 minutes. The turkey will finish cooking with the wine and broth. Fill a large pot with water and add salt (to cook the pasta)and bring to a boil. When it boils, add in your pasta and cook to package directions.

Fifth step is to add in the pumpkin puree. That's when I added in salt, freshly ground pepper, a dash of cinnamon, and I grated fresh nutmeg right on top (it was about a ½ teaspoon). Stir it all together and cook it about 5-7 minutes.

The sixth and final step when the sauce is cooked up add in the mushrooms and onions. Stir it all together and let it cook together for about 2 minutes.

When the pasta is ready and reserve 1 cup of the pasta water. Strain the pasta in a colander and add immediately to the skillet with turkey/pumpkin sauce.

If it's too thick, you can loosen it up with a bit of the pasta water.

Recipe Tips

• Salt the pasta water well. It is your only chance to season the pasta itself.
• No wine on hand? Skip it, or use a little extra broth instead.
• Do not overcook the pasta. Check it a minute early and pull it right at al dente.
• Save some pasta water. It is the easiest way to loosen the sauce to the right consistency.
• This reheats well. Great for meal prep, just warm gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Variations and Substitutions

• Swap the protein: ground chicken, turkey sausage, or a plant-based ground works in place of turkey.
• Swap the pumpkin: butternut squash or sweet potato puree both work well.
• No mushrooms? try spinach, bell peppers, or zucchini instead.
• Make it vegetarian: swap the turkey for diced tofu and use vegetable broth.
• Add cheese: Parmigiano-Reggiano, Pecorino Romano, or Grana Padano all work well grated on top.
• Add crunch: toasted pine nuts or chopped walnuts on top.

What to serve with healthy ground turkey pasta?

• A side salad of mixed greens with a simple vinaigrette dressing
• Roasted vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, carrots and parsnips
• Garlic bread or crusty French bread for dipping in the sauce
• Grilled chicken or shrimp for added protein
• Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or pecorino Romano cheese to sprinkle on top

How to Store This Pasta

• Reheat: thaw overnight in the fridge if frozen, then warm in a skillet or the microwave.
• Refrigerate: airtight container, up to 3 to 4 days.
• Freeze: airtight container or freezer bag, up to 2 to 3 months.

Some other pasta recipes to enjoy:

• Vegan Pumpkin Pasta with Sage
• Pasta with Ricotta and Peas
• Ziti al Forno-Baked Ziti with Meat Sauce
• Fettuccine with Weeknight Lamb Ragù

Originally published October 2021 and updated for content October 2023.

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