This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
When a craving hits for cheesy pasta, but you don’t want to blow the fat and calorie bank, look no further than One Pot Turkey Mexican Pasta – a spicy, cheesy, delicious way to get your pasta fix. Lean ground turkey is cooked with pasta, salsa, plenty of smoky spices, and just a touch of sharp cheddar cheese – and as stated, everything is cooked in one pot!
For more one pot pastas, check out this One Pot Cacio e Pepe Ramen, this One Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs, and this One Pot Creamy Spinach Orzo.
One Pot Turkey Mexican Pasta
If aldente noodles tossed in a slightly spicy, smoky, hearty, but mostly healthy sauce sounds like something you can get down with, then let me introduce you to One Pot Turkey Mexican Pasta. A saucy, taco/enchilada/general tex-mex inspired pasta that’s made completely in one pan, and in 30 minutes or less.
It’s basically a cheesy, nostalgic casserole, but in Mexican form.
I’ve been talking to my Mom a lot lately about going back to the basics when it comes to cooking. You know the foods I’m talking about, the dishes likely found in a dusty church cookbook and include ingredients like canned cream of chicken, a pound of cream cheese, or packaged pudding mix. It’s what my Mom grew up with, a little bit of what I grew up with, and even though I love those things, I’ve been guilty of steering clear of those nostalgic classics for two reasons:
- I, like the rest of the foodie world want to try new-to-me, exciting, over-the-top foods.
- Fat, calories, and preservatives
BUT! Over the last few years, I’ve been finding ways to make all of those classic church recipes from scratch, and also, a lot healthier. This One Pot Turkey Mexican Pasta isn’t my first go-around (this Lightened Up Chicken Tetrazinni is a. go-to), but it just may be my favorite because it’s still just a touch outside of the cream-of-chicken realm.
How to make One Pot Turkey Mexican Pasta
- Cook ground turkey in a little bit of olive, then add onion, garlic, and a little bit of salt. Continue to cook until the onion and garlic are slightly softened.
- Add spices! Chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and oregano.
- Add salsa, water, pasta, and a little bit more salt. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook until pasta is aldente, about 10-12 minutes.
- Once the pasta is aldente, stir one last time and season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with cheese and place in the oven just until the cheese has melted, about 2 minutes.
- Garish with sour cream and chopped parsley or cilantro.
- Done!
Can One Pot Turkey Mexican Pasta be made ahead of time?
Sure! Just cook the noodles shy of aldente, and leave the cheese off. When you go to re-heat, add in a splash or two of water, stir and bring up to a simmer again. Top with cheese and bake.
How can I make this even healthier?
Easy. Use whole-wheat or gluten-free noodles, just be aware, the cook time may be a little bit longer and you may have to add more water. You can also swap out the sour cream for plain Greek yogurt.
Substitutions and Tips and Tricks for Recipe Success
- Feel free to use ground chicken or ground sirloin in place of turkey
- Add in corn, beans, or even zucchini for some veggies.
- Any kind of salsa will do, I like to use a chunky medium-spiced salsa.
- Be sure when you’re cooking the noodles, the mixture isn’t boiling too much, you don’t want the pasta to stick to the bottom. I’d also suggest stirring every once in a while to prevent sticking.
- Only need to pop the skillet in the oven for a very short period of time for the cheese to melt. You don’t want the cheese to get crispy.
One Pot Turkey Mexican Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 lb lean ground turkey
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt, divided
- 1 Tbsp. chili powder
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 1/2 cups your favorite salsa (I use a medium, non-chunky salsa)
- 3 cups water or chicken broth
- 3 cups medium UNCOOKED shells
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- sour cream (or Greek yogurt) and cilantro for serving
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. (Optional: See step 3)
- Heat a large oven-proof skillet with high sides to a medium-high heat. Add olive oil. Once oil is hot, add ground turkey. Use a wooden spoon to break up the turkey. Once the turkey is mostly cooked, add onion, garlic, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Continue to saute for 3-4 minutes until garlic and onion are softened.
- Add chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and oregano. Stir to combine and cook for 1 minute. Add salsa, water, uncooked pasta and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook until pasta is aldente, about 10-12 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure the pasta isn't sticking to the bottom. If you're using whole-wheat or gluten-free pasta, you may need to add a little bit more water and cook longer.
- Once the pasta is aldente, stir one last time and season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with cheese and cover with a lid or place in the oven just until the cheese has melted, about 2 minutes.
- Garish with sour cream and chopped parsley or cilantro.
Jessica Conroy says
Making this tonight!! Yum! Just curious, about how many servings is this? I see the nutrition info but it’s just for one serving. So just curious how many servings/serving size? Thanks!
Lesley says
Love ! Easy to make has lots of favour. Thank you.
Amanda J. says
This was a hit! Was searching for a recipe to use ground turkey and found this… had everything but used Campanella pasta (will use it again, very good!). My 8 year old had three plates and my picky five year old loved the pasta. Served with cilantro and sour cream as recommended. This will be a keeper!
Julie A Davenport says
It’s delicious! I used a dutch oven. I didn’t end up putting it in the oven, just sprinkled the cheese and put the lid on and let it sit for a couple of minutes. Perfect.
Nicole says
Love it! I need to update the recipe to do this as it’s what we do now as well!
Noemi says
This has been my go to recipe for over a year now. Made it with chicken, turkey, beef, different cheeses and salsa. I’ve added veggies. It’s so versatile and delicious.
Mary Ann Bankston says
I didn’t have to add the salsa and used vegan cheese instead. This was delicious!! Also, I used my skilled and didn’t place in the oven. Just place on med/low heat until the pasta is ready. Thanks for the recipe 😉