This low fat turkey pumpkin pasta casserole recipe is created as part of the #IHeartDreamfields promotion, sponsored by Dreamfields.
Making dinner for a big family can be a challenge, but so can cooking for just two people. It might sound easy, when you think about the small amount of ingredients you’ll need, but that’s not where the problem lies. The toughest part about cooking for two is scaling the ingredients down to just two servings. Think about it for a minute. Packages of ground meat at the store are usually 1 pound (16 ounces) or larger. A typical serving size of meat is usually 4-5 ounces per person. What are you supposed to do with the other 8 ounces of ground turkey? This is where meal planning for the week can fit into the picture perfectly. Have a recipe close by that uses similar ingredients and freezes well and you’ll be on your way to tackling two meals in no time.
For example, when I made this low fat turkey pumpkin pasta casserole recipe, I took the remaining 8 ounces of turkey and created a batch of my baked turkey meatballs. It was super easy and convenient.
The recipes have more in common than the fact that they use turkey. They’re also both quick to make, and healthy, too. They’re both low in fat, and thanks to the Dreamfield’s pasta having 5 grams of fiber and 7 grams of protein per serving, this pumpkin pasta casserole is healthier than similar pasta recipes would be.
I love making healthier choices for Brian and I. This is a meal that I can feel good about making, and it’s so filling that I didn’t even feel the desire to overindulge in it. Preparing it as a 2-serving dish made it an even better choice, because there were no leftovers to worry about!
Low Fat Turkey Pumpkin Pasta for Two
Lean ground turkey is paired with a creamy pumpkin sauce and penne pasta, then baked up until golden brown. It's a comfort food dish for two!
Ingredients
- 4 ounces (1/4 pound) dry penne pasta (or similar pasta)
- 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
- 2 Tablespoons white or whole wheat panko breadcrumbs
- 8 ounces (1/2 pound) lean ground turkey
- 1 tablespoon grapeseed (or other heart healthy) oil
- 1 shallot, finely minced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon dried or 2 Tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 2 cups loosely packed kale, thick stems removed and leaves chopped into 1-inch pieces (measure AFTER cleaning)
- 1 pound fresh (or 18 oz canned) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 2 Tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1/8 cup shredded low fat cheddar cheese
- 2 ounces (1/4 liquid cup) lowfat milk (any variety)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (more or less, to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (more or less, to taste)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil, and cook the pasta to al dente, according to package directions.
- Melt butter in a small saute pan over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and saute for 2 minutes or until toasted, stirring occasionally to prevent breadcrumbs from burning. Remove from heat and set aside.
- As the pasta cooks, heat oil in a heavy bottomed 12-inch skillet over medium high heat.
- When the oil is shimmering, add the ground turkey. Cook for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to medium and add shallot; cook for 1 minute before adding the cinnamon, thyme, and kale. Continue cooking over medium heat for 3 minutes, or until turkey is browned and Kale is somewhat wilted.
- Add pumpkin puree, both cheeses, and milk to the skillet. Stir to combine and cook until warmed through (cheese should melt).
- Season generously with salt and pepper before tossing the (drained) pasta with the pumpkin mixture.
- Pour into a serving dish and garnish with toasted breadcrumbs.
Nutrition
For more of my yummi pumpkin recipes, LOOK HERE
For more of my delicious pasta recipes, TAKE A PEEK HERE!
Birdiebee says
October 23, 2014 at 6:10 pmMy favorite recipe from Dreamfields website is the Angel Hair With Spicy Shrimp.
Annette says
October 23, 2014 at 10:45 amMy favorite recipe from Dreamfield’s site is Angel Hair With Spicy Shrimp.
Gigi Cuccaro says
October 22, 2014 at 7:05 pmLinguine carbonara has all of my favorite ingredients!
megan tilley says
October 22, 2014 at 6:04 pmI love the asparagus pasta.
Stevie says
October 22, 2014 at 11:05 amYum! This looks so good- I love anything with chic peas in it! Mediterranean Pasta, Chickpea
Higinio Calderon Jr says
October 22, 2014 at 10:17 amI love the Mediterranean salad! Shrimp is my favorite.
Erin M. says
October 22, 2014 at 8:41 amMmmm the Bahama Penne & Seared Mahi-Mahi sounds delicious
Angela Arthur says
October 22, 2014 at 8:21 amI Love The Asparagus Chicken.
Heather Hayes Panjon says
October 21, 2014 at 5:21 pmI Like The Artichoke, Walnut & Prosciutto Angel Hair Recipe.
Kendal Barriere says
October 21, 2014 at 10:20 amwe love their penne pasta
lori clark says
October 20, 2014 at 7:12 pmI would like to try the dreamy creamy asparagus chicken rotini
Liz says
October 20, 2014 at 7:09 pmI want BOTH your pasta and your meatballs! There’s been good eating around your place recently!!!
Chef Becca says
October 20, 2014 at 7:26 pmThank you so much, Lizzy!
Zenetta says
October 20, 2014 at 1:58 pmI love the Shrimp & Pasta Cheddar-Alfredo it is my favorite, I can’t wait to try it.
Monica Jertson Cateron says
October 20, 2014 at 1:25 amThis recipe looks delicious !!!! I’m planning on cooking a lot with kale and this will probably be #1
Chef Becca says
October 20, 2014 at 7:19 amI can’t wait to hear what you think of the recipe, Monica!
HS says
October 19, 2014 at 11:21 pmI like Easy Pantry Tuna Penne recipe.
Liz says
October 19, 2014 at 7:02 pmI’ve never made a pumpkin sauce for pasta, but I’m willing to try…as your dish looks marvelous!!!
Chef Becca says
October 20, 2014 at 7:24 amThanks, Lizzy! It was my first time using pumpkin in a sauce, too. I was pretty happy with the results 🙂
janetfaye says
October 19, 2014 at 12:15 amI like the recipe for Stir-fry with Linguine, Beef and Vegetables.
janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com
Rachael Smith says
October 18, 2014 at 6:58 pmI love pumpkin but never thought to put it in pasta! Can you taste it or is a very subtle taste?
Chef Becca says
October 19, 2014 at 6:28 amYou can definitely taste the pumpkin in this dish, but I think the spices help to tone it down and compliment it. If you try it sometime, I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Kay Z says
October 17, 2014 at 5:29 pmI love the Chicken Caprese Salad
Sara says
October 17, 2014 at 1:48 pmI love pasta! This looks very festively Fall-ish Becca! xoxo
Chef Becca says
October 18, 2014 at 5:50 amThanks so much, Sara!
David says
October 17, 2014 at 9:17 amI must admit that I’ve never combined pumpkin and pasta before…but this looks absolutely delicious. My mouth is watering…and it’s only mid-morning. Talk about a fun (and seasonal) way to roll with dinner! Oh, and I love how you healthified this recipe, too. Happy National Pasta Day!
Chef Becca says
October 17, 2014 at 10:24 amHappy Pasta Day, Dave! I had never considered pumpkin sauce, but truthfully, it’s a much healthier and heartier meal than traditional marinara sauce. I pretty much fell in love with it.
Charlotte says
October 17, 2014 at 8:42 amTurkey pasta sounds great all by it’s self, but then I saw the kale and…triple yummi!! I know what you mean about cooking for two, but my husband (at 6’4″) is a big eater, so we often don’t have leftovers, but when we do that’s my lunch for the next day. Plus I love to cook ahead, so making two meals at a time works well for me. too.
Chef Becca says
October 17, 2014 at 10:25 amOh my goodness, Charlotte… I bet feeding a hubby that size can be a challenge! The great news is that this meal is really filling, so hopefully just a double batch should do it for your hubs 😉
Patty S says
October 17, 2014 at 7:03 amSherri’s pesto pasta recipe looks delicious!
Chef Becca says
October 17, 2014 at 10:26 amThat was one of my favorite recipes on the Dreamfield’s site too, Patty. It looks fabulous!
Elle says
October 17, 2014 at 2:53 amRoasted Corn & Roma Tomato Salad looks good.
Alison says
October 16, 2014 at 9:31 pmMy favorite recipe from Dreamfields is the Rotini Greek Pasta!
Sandy Headtke says
October 16, 2014 at 9:22 pmRotini Greek Salad looks like something my family would enjoy.
Sandy Headtke says
October 16, 2014 at 9:20 pmDreamfields is a pasta I can feel good about eating. The low fat turkey would make it even healthier
Jeffrey says
October 16, 2014 at 7:39 pmThe Chicken Caprese Salad sounds the best to me, nice and fresh!
Amanda says
October 16, 2014 at 3:56 pmSo pretty! Looks delicious!
Kim N says
October 16, 2014 at 2:54 pmFestive Lasagna Roll-Ups with Salsa Rosa Sauce
Elena says
October 16, 2014 at 12:40 pmI like the Sherri’s Pesto Pasta recipe
Chris says
October 16, 2014 at 10:57 amWhat a great savory application for pumpkin! Love this!!! And really, I could totally use some low fat recipes in my life right about now… at least that’s what my waistline is telling me!
Chef Becca says
October 16, 2014 at 12:28 pmThanks, Chris! It’s healthier, but you’d never know it from tasting it. My hubs went crazy for it. 🙂
Karen says
October 16, 2014 at 9:08 amWhat a perfect dish for this time of year. I’ve never made turkey meatballs before but I can think of a lot of other ways I’d use them as well.
I tend to make full recipes and freeze leftovers. My husband works late a few nights a week and I use the leftovers to leave him a plate of food for him to stick in the micro on those nights.
Chef Becca says
October 16, 2014 at 12:28 pmThere are some great recipes out there that call for small amounts of meat. I hope you enjoy the recipe, Karen!
Laura Phillips says
October 16, 2014 at 8:08 amI think the Festive Lasagna Rollups with Salsa Rosa sound yummy!