Description
A quick and flavorful dish combining ground turkey, zucchini, and penne pasta, finished with garlic, butter, and parmesan.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1.5 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 onion, diced into 1/4-inch pieces
- 1.5 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp fresh thyme
- 6 garlic cloves, freshly minced
- 1 zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch semi-circles
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 12 oz penne pasta
- 1.5 tbsp salt (for pasta water)
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1.25 cups parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add penne pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and reserve about a cup of pasta water.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook until soft, about 3-4 minutes. Add ground turkey and cook until browned, about 5-7 minutes.
- Stir in minced garlic, red pepper flakes, and fresh thyme. Cook for an additional minute.
- Add zucchini to the skillet and sauté for about 3-4 minutes until it softens.
- Mix in the cooked penne pasta and pour in reserved pasta water to combine.
- Stir in butter and parmesan cheese, mixing well. Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper as needed.
- Serve hot, topped with extra parmesan if desired.
Notes
For a richer sauce, consider adding a splash of cream. This dish adapts well to variations with different vegetables or proteins.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 470
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 75mg