Ground Turkey Alfredo Pasta with Broccoli

This rich and creamy ground turkey alfredo with broccoli is done in under thirty minutes. It’s healthy, it’s filling, and it’s so easy that you’ll definitely want it in your busy weeknight meal rotation.

Why You’ll Love This Ground Turkey Alfredo Pasta with Broccoli

• No complicated ingredients here. In fact, you probably have most of them in your kitchen already.
• It’s rich, creamy and healthy. It’s packed with protein and fiber from chickpea pasta that will keep you satisfied (so you’re not immediately headed for your snack cabinet).
• This meal comes together in less than 30 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights.
• It’s easy to customize. You can use homemade or jarred alfredo sauce (keep reading for my recommendations), decide which pasta you want to use, swap out the veggie, or swap out the meat!

Ingredients

Ground turkey

Ground turkey is one of my favorite easy proteins because it’s easy and cooks up quickly, within 12-15 minutes. I personally prefer 93% lean ground turkey based on flavor and texture, but you can choose 99% lean ground turkey if you’d like!

Garlic & Onion

Is there any meal that isn’t made better with garlic and onions? This recipe sautés garlic and onion with the ground turkey, but you can omit if you don’t like them. If you don’t have fresh, you can use garlic powder and onion powder instead.

Chickpea pasta

Chickpea pasta is packed with more plant-based protein and fiber than regular pasta, so it keep you full and satisfied longer(and keeps your gut happy!). If you’ve never had chickpea pasta before, I invite you to give it a try with this recipe!

Just 2 oz of chickpea pasta has 11g of protein and an impressive 8g of fiber. I’ve tried a ton of them, and Barilla’s chickpea pasta is hands down my favorite. The key to chickpea pasta? Don’t overcook it, and toss with a delish sauce (like alfredo!)!

If chickpea pasta isn’t your jam, that’s totally okay! You can swap whatever pasta you like for this recipe and it will be just as delicious.

Alfredo sauce

Personally, you’ll find me using jarred alfredo sauce more often than you’ll find me making homemade. When you need a healthy meal on the table quickly, there’s truly nothing wrong with using some convenience. Here are two I like: Rao’s Alfredo Sauce and Bertolli Alfredo Sauce.

If you prefer homemade, here’s one I like!

Broccoli

If there’s any veggie that always pairs well with a creamy, cheesy sauce- it’s broccoli. If you’re low on time, grab a 10 oz bag of pre-chopped fresh broccoli to throw in, or even use frozen.

How to Make Ground Turkey Alfredo Pasta with Broccoli

Get this dish done and on the table in less than 30 minutes! Here’s how:

Instructions

1. Cook the chickpea pasta according to the box instructions.
2. While the pasta is cooking, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook 2-3 minutes, until onions are beginning to become translucent.
3. Add ground turkey to the pan with garlic and onions and cook for 12-15 minutes until completely brown and cooked through (no pink should be visible). Season with salt and pepper.
4. Reduce heat to low-medium and add broccoli to the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes uncovered and then an additional 2 minutes covered. 
5. Add cooked pasta and alfredo sauce to the pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Combine thoroughly and serve hot.

Variations & Swaps

• Use regular white or whole wheat pasta instead of chickpea pasta.
• Use red lentil pasta or edamame pasta for some other high protein, high fiber pasta alternatives.
• Change up your pasta shape for some variety! Bowties and penne are perfect.
• Use a homemade alfredo sauce instead of jarred.
• Swap the alfredo sauce and toss in tomato sauce instead.
• Shred some rotisserie chicken and use as your protein, or use ground chicken.
• Make it vegan by omitting the ground turkey and using a vegan alfredo sauce.
• Swap broccoli for cauliflower or spinach.
• Sprinkle with mozzarella and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes for a “baked” version.

Healthy and balanced meals dinners don’t need to be complicated, and that’s exactly why this one is a favorite. Need more go-to easy dinner ideas? Don’t miss my Bell Pepper Nachos!

If you try this recipe and love it, don’t forget to give it a 5 star rating and tag me @the.balanced.nutritionist on Instagram!

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