This Tuscan white bean ground turkey skillet is a high-protein, family-friendly dinner that comes together in one pan. Lean ground turkey, creamy white beans, spinach, and pasta simmer in a rich Italian-seasoned sauce — picky eater approved and packed with protein and fiber. It’s hearty, flavorful, and ready in about 35 minutes with minimal cleanup. If you love easy one-pot pasta dinners, try my Creamy Ground Turkey Pasta next.
Why You’ll Love This One Pot Tuscan Ground Turkey Skillet
- Quick & easy – Simple ingredients and minimal prep make this perfect for busy weeknights.
- One pot meal – Everything cooks in a single skillet, so cleanup is easy.
- High in protein & fiber – Lean ground turkey, white beans, and protein pasta keep this dish filling and nutritious.
- Family-friendly – Mild, comforting flavors that both kids and adults love.
- Easily customizable – Swap the protein, add extra veggies, or adjust the spice to fit your family’s taste.
Ingredient Notes for Tuscan Ground Turkey and White Bean Skillet
Ground turkey – A lean, high-protein alternative to sausage or beef that keeps this dish hearty but lighter.
Garlic – I use jarred minced garlic for convenience, but 3 fresh cloves, finely chopped, work just as well.
Sun-dried tomatoes – The key to that Tuscan-inspired richness.
Tomato paste – Concentrates the sauce and adds a touch of natural sweetness.
Chicken broth – Cooks the pasta and builds the flavor base of the sauce.
Protein pasta – Or regular pasta. I fell in love with the Brami brand of protein pasta, so I’ve been using that a lot lately. It has way more protein and fiber than regular pasta and doesn’t taste any different. (This is NOT a sponsored post! I genuinely love this brand and want to share it with you guys. I’ve tried many different brands of protein pastas and haven’t liked any until this one.)
Seasoning – Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper.
Butter – Adds richness and balances the acidity of the tomatoes.
White beans – Cannellini or great northern beans work great here.
Fresh spinach – I love adding spinach wherever I can. It’s mild, takes no prep, and adds extra nutrients without taking away from the flavor.
Heavy cream – Smooths out the sauce and gives it a richer flavor.
Cheese – Freshly grated Parmesan and mozzarella for creamy, melty deliciousness and extra protein.
Tips for the Best Tuscan Ground Turkey Pasta
Toast the tomato paste – After you add the tomato paste, mix it into the turkey and let it cook for 1–2 minutes until it darkens and smells slightly sweet. Raw tomato paste tastes flat. Toasted tomato paste tastes like it simmered all afternoon.
Drain and rinse the beans well – Canned bean liquid is starchy and salty and will throw off both the texture and seasoning of the sauce. Quick drain and rinse, then in.
Grate your own Parmesan – Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents that keep it from melting smoothly into the sauce. A block of Parm grated fresh makes a noticeable difference in creaminess.
Add the spinach last – Stir it in right at the end with the cream. It’ll wilt in under a minute from the residual heat and stay bright green instead of sad and gray.
FAQ’s
Yes! Ground chicken works very well as a substitute in this skillet recipe. It has a similar texture and mild flavor, so it will absorb the Tuscan seasonings just like ground turkey.
Yes. This recipe reheats very well, making it great for meal prep. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and warm gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
It can be! The recipe itself is naturally gluten-free aside from the pasta. Swap in your favorite gluten-free pasta or a chickpea-based pasta and adjust the cook time according to the package directions. Just keep an eye on it, since gluten-free pastas can go from firm to mushy quickly.
Absolutely. This recipe is easy to load up with extra veggies. Diced zucchini, mushrooms, or cherry tomatoes all work well — add them with the onion so they soften as everything cooks together.
One Pot Tuscan Pasta with Ground Turkey
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb ground turkey
- ½ white onion (diced)
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes (chopped)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 8 oz uncooked spiral protein pasta about 2 cups uncooked (regular pasta works too)
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 4 tbsp butter
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 can (15 oz) white beans (cannellini or great northern, drained & rinsed)
- 1 cup fresh spinach (chopped)
- ½ cup freshly grated mozzarella
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat.
- Add the onion and ground turkey and cook until no longer pink, about 5 minutes or so. Add the garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and tomato paste. Mix the paste into the turkey and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth, pasta, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Stir well. Turn heat up and bring to a gentle boil.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10-12 minutes, or until pasta is soft and tender. This is when I like to grate the cheese, to save on prep time. (If you're using a different pasta, check the cook time and use that. Check for doneness after the recommended time on the box.)
- Once pasta is done, turn the heat down to low. Add the butter, heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. Stir until butter is melted and everything is well combined. Then, gently stir in the white beans and spinach.
- Turn off the heat, sprinkle the top with mozzarella, cover and let sit for 5 minutes to let the cheese melt and sauce thicken. Enjoy!
- If you make this and could take a quick second to scroll down to the stars and give it a rating, I would greatly appreciate it! It helps my little website so much. Thank you!
Nutrition
How to Store and Reheat
Refrigerator – Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The flavors actually deepen overnight, so this makes great leftovers.
Freezer – I don’t recommend freezing this one. Cream-based pasta sauces tend to separate when thawed, and the pasta texture suffers. If you want to meal prep, make a fresh batch and refrigerate.
Reheating – Warm leftovers in 30-second intervals in the microwave, stirring between.
More One-Pot Ground Turkey Pasta Recipes
If you enjoy easy one-pot ground turkey pasta dinners, here are a few more recipes to try:
- Creamy Ground Turkey Pasta – a simple and comforting pasta with spinach and a delicious, citrus-cream sauce.
- One Pot Creamy Cajun Pasta with Ground Turkey – a bold, flavorful pasta with Cajun spices and a rich sauce.
- Creamy Ground Turkey Tortellini Skillet – a cozy pasta dinner made with tender tortellini and ground turkey.
- One Pot Creamy Corn and Turkey Pasta – a creamy pasta with sweet corn and ground turkey.
- One Pot Cheesy Taco Orzo Skillet – a fun taco-inspired pasta made with ground turkey and cheesy orzo.
Pretty good recipe and simple to make. I did sub the heavy cream for fat free evaporated milk to reduce fat content and use cotija cheese on top since my husband has issues with stringy cheese and turned out really well. Would make again.
We make this every other week!
Thank you so much for taking the time to rate the recipe Katelyn! I’m so glad you like the pasta. :)
Made my kitchen smell incredible and easy to make while my baby played!
I’m so glad it was easy for you! Especially as another mom – I know how much it helps when something is both easy AND delicious. Thank you so much for taking the time to give the recipe a rating. I really appreciate it! :)