Ground Turkey & Zucchini Skillet

Name: Ground Turkey & Zucchini Skillet
Yield: 4
Ingredients: For the Skillet; 1½ lb 93% lean ground turkey; 2 medium zucchini, diced; 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained well; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 2 tsp Italian seasoning; 1 tbsp olive oil; ½ tsp sea salt; ¼ tsp black pepper; For the Family; 8 oz penne pasta, cooked per package directions and reserved

A one-pan ground turkey skillet with zucchini, diced tomatoes, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Browning the turkey properly before adding the vegetables is the step that makes the biggest difference to the final flavour. Your portion comes from the skillet as is. The family gets penne stirred in at the end. About 30 minutes, start to finish.

Family Table

Dinner

Lunch

Poultry

High Protein

Low Carb

One Pan

30 Minutes or Less

Add-on: Sides

Batch friendly

Servings

28g

Protein

Fiber

7/10

Nutrition Score

Ingredients

For the Skillet

1½ lb 93% lean ground turkey
2 medium zucchini, diced
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained well
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp black pepper

For the Family

8 oz penne pasta, cooked per package directions and reserved

Ingredient notes:

Ground turkey - 93% lean is the first choice. It’s lean enough to be GLP-1 appropriate without being so lean it dries out. Break it apart finely as it cooks - smaller pieces distribute better through the sauce.
Diced tomatoes - Drain well before adding. Excess liquid from the can dilutes the sauce and extends cook time. Press gently with the back of a spoon in the strainer to remove as much liquid as possible.
Zucchini - Dice into small even pieces so they cook through in the same window as the turkey. Larger chunks will still be firm when the rest of the skillet is done and adds moisture to the dish.
Italian seasoning - A pre-mixed blend of oregano, basil, thyme, and rosemary. If you don’t have it, 1 tsp dried oregano + ½ tsp dried basil is a reliable substitute.

Recipe Instructions

Brown the turkey - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey. Break apart finely with a spoon. Cook for 5–7 minutes until browned and no longer pink. Don’t rush this step - properly browned turkey is the foundation of the recipe.
Add garlic and seasoning - Add minced garlic and Italian seasoning to the turkey. Stir and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Add vegetables - Add drained diced tomatoes and diced zucchini. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
Simmer - Reduce heat to medium. Cook for 8–10 minutes until zucchini is tender and the sauce has reduced slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Serve - Plate her portion directly from the skillet. Stir the cooked penne into the remaining skillet for the family and toss to coat.

Recipe notes:

On browning the turkey Turkey that’s properly browned has depth and savouriness that carries the rest of the dish. Cook it over medium-high heat and don’t stir too often - let it develop colour before breaking it apart.

Family add-on 8 oz dry penne makes approximately 4 cups cooked - enough to stir into the remaining skillet after her portion is served. Cook the pasta while the skillet simmers.

Nutrition Per Serving

Serving Size: 1.5 cups skillet

	Per serving
Calories	245
Protein	28g
Total Fat	11g
Total Carbohydrate	8g
Dietary Fiber	2g
Sugars	5g
Sodium	380mg

Based on 93% lean ground turkey, 2 medium zucchini, and one 14.5 oz can of drained diced tomatoes. Pasta not included. Nutritional information is estimated and provided for general guidance.