Description
This Italian Turkey Vegetable Skillet is a quick and nutritious one-pan meal featuring lean ground turkey, fresh zucchini, yellow squash, and baby spinach simmered with flavorful fire-roasted tomatoes and Italian herbs. Perfect for a healthy family dinner, it offers a balanced blend of protein and vegetables with minimal prep and cook time.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 1 pound zucchini, quartered and cut into chunks
- 1 pound yellow squash, quartered and cut into chunks
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 4 cloves fresh garlic, pressed
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach
Protein
- 1.5 pounds lean ground turkey
Pantry & Spices
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 14.5 ounces fire roasted tomatoes (1 can, not drained)
Instructions
- Prepare the squash: Quarter each zucchini and yellow squash, cutting them into chunks to ensure even cooking and a perfect bite-sized texture.
- Cook the squash: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the zucchini and squash chunks. Let them cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes until the bottom side browns nicely. Flip the squash pieces and cook for another 1-2 minutes on the other side. Remove the squash from the skillet and set aside.
- Cook the turkey and aromatics: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the ground turkey, diced onion, and pressed fresh garlic to the skillet. Cook for 5-8 minutes, stirring and breaking apart the turkey until it is fully cooked and no longer pink, reaching an internal temperature of 165˚F. Drain any excess liquid before returning the skillet to the stove.
- Add spices and tomatoes: Stir in the garlic powder, salt, dried oregano, pepper, and paprika to coat the turkey mixture evenly. Pour in the entire can of fire-roasted tomatoes with their juices. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer to meld the flavors.
- Combine vegetables and finish cooking: Stir the browned zucchini and squash back into the skillet. Add the fresh baby spinach last and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes until the spinach is fully wilted and incorporated.
- Serve: Serve the skillet warm as is for a nourishing bowl meal, or over pasta or roasted spaghetti squash. Optionally, top with grated Parmesan cheese and serve with crusty garlic bread for a complete Italian-inspired dinner.
Notes
- This recipe is an easy and fast Italian ground turkey skillet packed with lean protein and healthy vegetables perfect for a wholesome family-friendly one-pan meal.
- You can substitute the fresh spinach with kale or Swiss chard if preferred, but adjust wilting time accordingly.
- If you like a bit of heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes along with the other spices.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days and can be reheated on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- For a lower sodium option, use no-salt-added canned tomatoes and adjust seasoning to taste.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 247 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 555 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
