Sauces & Condiments Healthy Sauce Recipes Healthy Pasta Sauce Recipes Healthy Tomato Sauce Recipes Quick Turkey Meat Sauce 4.8 (6) 6 Reviews This lean meat sauce is made with ground turkey meat instead of ground beef, and the result is just as delicious! Plus, finely chopped mushrooms are incorporated into the sauce (undetected!) for an easy way to eat more vegetables. Serve this healthy, hearty recipe with your favorite whole-wheat pasta or over polenta with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. By Carolyn Casner Carolyn Casner Carolyn Casner is a longtime recipe tester and contributor for EatingWell. Over the years, she has tested and developed hundreds of recipes for the magazine and website. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Updated on July 23, 2024 Reviewed by Dietitian Christa Brown, M.S., RDN, LD Reviewed by Dietitian Christa Brown, M.S., RDN, LD Christa Brown is a registered dietitian and business owner with a practice focus on diabetes management and content development for brands and fitness influencers. She is a licensed dietitian with a Master of Science in Nutrition Education and a certification in gut health by the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Tested by Learn more about our food philosophy and nutrition parameters." tabindex="0" data-inline-tooltip="true"> EatingWell Test Kitchen Tested by EatingWell Test Kitchen The EatingWell Test Kitchen is comprised of a group of culinary professionals who develop and test our recipes. Our recipes go through a rigorous process, which includes testing by trained recipe testers, using different equipment (e.g., gas and electric stoves) and a variety of tools and techniques to make sure that it will really work when you make it at home. Testers shop major supermarkets to research availability of ingredients. Finally, a Registered Dietitian reviews each recipe to ensure that we deliver food that's not only delicious, but adheres to our nutrition guidelines as well. Learn more about our food philosophy and nutrition parameters. Meet the EatingWell Test Kitchen Save Rate PRINT Share Prep Time: 35 mins Total Time: 35 mins Servings: 12 Yield: 6 cups Nutrition Profile: Low-Carb Nut-Free Dairy-Free Soy-Free Egg-Free Gluten-Free Jump to Nutrition Facts Jump to recipe How to Store Quick Turkey Meat Sauce This healthy ground turkey meat recipe is perfect for making ahead and storing. Refrigerate the sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the sauce in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. To reheat the meat sauce, microwave or reheat in a saucepan over low heat until heated through. If frozen, let the sauce thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Can I Use a Different Protein in This Meat Sauce Recipe? Yes, the ground turkey can be swapped for ground beef in this recipe. Choose lean ground beef, 90% or higher, which will have less fat. Ground beef adds great flavor to this recipe. However, it does have more saturated fat than ground turkey, so if you're following a heart-healthy diet, stick with ground turkey. Christine Ma Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning 1 pound lean ground turkey 8 ounces mushrooms, chopped ½ teaspoon salt 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes ½ cup chopped fresh parsley or basil Directions Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and Italian seasoning; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add turkey, mushrooms and salt; cook, crumbling the turkey with a wooden spoon and stirring, until the turkey is no longer pink and the mushrooms are cooked, about 10 minutes. Christine Ma Increase heat to medium-high. Stir in tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in parsley (or basil). Christine Ma Equipment Large skillet Originally appeared: EatingWell.com, October 2018 Rate It Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 100 Calories 5g Fat 7g Carbs 9g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 12 Serving Size 1/2 cup Calories 100 % Daily Value * Total Carbohydrate 7g 3% Dietary Fiber 2g 6% Total Sugars 4g Protein 9g 18% Total Fat 5g 6% Saturated Fat 1g 5% Cholesterol 28mg 9% Vitamin A 381IU 8% Vitamin C 11mg 12% Folate 19mcg 5% Sodium 249mg 11% Calcium 40mg 3% Iron 2mg 9% Magnesium 24mg 6% Potassium 398mg 8% Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate. * Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.) (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs. Additional reporting by Alex Loh Alex Loh Alex Loh is EatingWell's associate food editor. As part of the food team, she creates healthy, delicious recipes for the EatingWell audience. Alex also writes informative food and cooking articles that range from how to store ground beef to the best picks from Trader Joe's. Alex conducts product and taste tests to find the best options, from salad spinners to salsas. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines