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Rustic Turkey-Vegetable Marinara

Say goodbye to the “what’s for dinner” blahs when you serve your family this colorful veggie- packed dish! Consider enjoying this simple meal for Sunday supper, then use the yummy leftovers for time-crunched week nights. And because this dish “makes a bunch,” think about freezing the extras when you need to get a hearty dinner on the table-FAST. This meal in-a-pot will also look elegant on your company table and will travel easily to family gatherings and social events. Feeding a smaller crowd? No worries- this recipe halves easily. (Look HERE for MPM’s Freezer-Friendly Collection.)

Yield: about 6 servings
Author: Linda Shapiro, © Meal Planning Maven

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion coarsely chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic chopped
  • 2 pounds ground turkey (a mix of dark and light is recommended-may also use lean ground beef)
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil additional
  • 8 ounces mushrooms quartered (any variety)
  • 3 carrots sliced
  • 1 medium zucchini sliced and halved
  • 1 medium yellow squash sliced and halved
  • 2-3 medium bell peppers any color, seeded and cut into chunks
  • 1 medium eggplant peeled and cut into chunks
  • Vegetable or chicken broth if needed to prevent sticking
  • 1 32 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped (shown in photo)

Or

  • 8 plum tomatoes coarsely chopped (or 4 medium-any variety)
  • 1 32 ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 28 ounce jars all-natural marinara sauce (with no sugar or preservatives such as Muir Glen, Mezzetta or Paul Newman’s)
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
  • 2 teaspoons each dried basil and thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
  • Coarse pepper or cayenne as desired

Optional

  • About 6 cups hot cooked spaghetti squash 1 large (*see Notes for preparation tips)
  • Sautéed spinach or other greens, if desired (*see Notes for calculating quantity needed)
  • Freshly grated Parmesan cheese if desired

Instructions

  • In a large stockpot, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium setting. Sauté onion and garlic for about 5 minutes until softened.
  • Add ground turkey to stockpot. Continue sautéing for about 7 minutes or until no pink color remains. Drain and reserve.
  • Heat remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil in the same stockpot over medium setting. Stir in mushrooms, carrots, zucchini, yellow squash, peppers and eggplant.
  • Sauté for about 10 minutes or until vegetables are softened. (If vegetables begin to stick, stir in a few tablespoons of vegetable or chicken broth.)
  • Stir in reserved ground turkey mixture, canned whole (or fresh if using) and crushed tomatoes, marinara sauce, tomato paste and spices (including salt and pepper)
  • Simmer, covered for about 15 minutes or until vegetables are cooked through and mixture is hot, stirring occasionally. Taste; adjust seasonings as needed.
  • Serve over hot cooked spaghetti squash and/or sautéed spinach or other greens.
  • Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Notes

Make Ahead and Storage Tips: may be made up to 3 days ahead; cover and refrigerate. Freezes well for up to 4 months.