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If you’ve been following the blog for a while you may notice that I love to remake childhood favorites a lot on here. Like my Homemade Pop Tarts, Tuna Noodle Casserole or Salmon Patties.
Well, I had to add another classic favorite from childhood to that list with this Healthy Hamburgerless Helper. Don’t worry, this dish isn’t meat free, it’s made with turkey instead of beef!
The Healthy Swaps I Made to this Dish:
- First, like I mentioned above, I swapped the beef for a super lean ground turkey.
- Second, I swapped the traditional elbow macaroni for Banza Chickpea pasta’s Gemelli pasta, though they have all sorts of pasta shapes, so you can also use the classic elbow noodle too!
- Third, I swapped the cream that is usually in these recipes for a Nutpod non-dairy creamer.
Recipe Tips:
The actual directions for this recipe are below, but I do want to note a couple things before you get going on making this dish.
- Since I used the Banza chickpea pasta, the liquid ratio is important to note. If you try and swap this pasta for another type of pasta, like a wheat pasta, you will probably have to adjust the liquid. Same for a regular white pasta, you would possibly need to reduce the amount of liquid. You’ll have to play with it if you go this route!
- I love the Banza brand, but sometimes their pasta is a bit more delicate, which is why I didn’t use the elbow macaroni in this dish. This Gemelli shape holds together better in a thicker sauce. It still tastes the same if you use the elbow macaroni, but just note that it may fall apart more.
- You can make this completely dairy free if you wish. Though the cheese addition is definitely a treat, it isn’t completely necessary.
For Weight Watchers Followers:
For all my fellow WW followers out there, I measured out this recipe and for 3/4 cup it is 7 points. Which is perfect because then you can have a little side salad or vegetable with it and feel completely full and satisfied from this meal! Not to mention that it makes a large portion, so you’ll be able to easily enjoy some leftovers throughout your week too.
AuthorAshleyDifficultyBeginner
In a 3-qt saute pan with a lid, heat your pan over medium heat. Once heated, toss in your bell pepper, onion, garlic and oil. Saute them until fragrant and soft - 4-5 minutes is all this usually takes. Next, add in the ground turkey and spices to the pan. Stir together to make sure the spices get distributed evenly and ensuring the turkey crumbles and cooks completely.
Once you've cooked the turkey all the way through, it's time to add in the liquids, pasta and tomato paste. Over medium heat, stir it all in together and bring to a boil, stirring frequently to make sure noodles don't stick to the bottom of your pan. Then you will reduce heat to a simmer, cover and let simmer for 12 minutes. During the 12 minutes, stir 2 - 3 times to prevent anything from sticking.
Once the sauce has thickened and the noodles are softened after 12 minutes, you can sprinkle in the cheese, give it one last stir and serve!
Ingredients
Directions
In a 3-qt saute pan with a lid, heat your pan over medium heat. Once heated, toss in your bell pepper, onion, garlic and oil. Saute them until fragrant and soft - 4-5 minutes is all this usually takes. Next, add in the ground turkey and spices to the pan. Stir together to make sure the spices get distributed evenly and ensuring the turkey crumbles and cooks completely.
Once you've cooked the turkey all the way through, it's time to add in the liquids, pasta and tomato paste. Over medium heat, stir it all in together and bring to a boil, stirring frequently to make sure noodles don't stick to the bottom of your pan. Then you will reduce heat to a simmer, cover and let simmer for 12 minutes. During the 12 minutes, stir 2 - 3 times to prevent anything from sticking.
Once the sauce has thickened and the noodles are softened after 12 minutes, you can sprinkle in the cheese, give it one last stir and serve!