Lighten up a bit with this Turkey Goulash recipe that is filled with vegetables. Comfort food that is better for you than the original – but it’s definitely not lacking on flavor!
Want even more ground turkey recipes? Try this Skillet Turkey Pot Pie or this Ground Turkey Chili.
It’s that time of year when everyone is looking to make healthier choices and get in shape. I originally wrote this post nearly 10 years ago, but I still live by the rule of moderation. It’s the only way for me to stay sane! But I try to make healthier dinner choices most nights so that I can splurge every once in awhile, and this Turkey Goulash is a great, easy, good for you dinner idea. Here’s to a healthy 2018!
Ingredients
- Egg Noodles: There are a lot of different egg noodles out there, so just choose one that you like. I typically will use extra large egg noodles that are easy to find at my grocery store.
- Oil: You can use any neutral oil, but I prefer olive oil or avocado oil.
- Vegetables: One of the reasons I love this recipe is because of how many vegetables there are! You need a mixture of onion, bell pepper, and zucchini. You can also sub in other veggies, if desired.
- Ground Turkey: You can use a super lean ground turkey for less fat, or I will typically use 85% lean turkey because it adds a little more flavor.
- Tomato Sauce: You will need 1 15-oz can of tomato sauce.
- Basil: A little bit of fresh basil at the end really brings it all together. If you don’t have basil, you could also use parsley.
How to Make Turkey Goulash:
STEP 1: Start by bringing a large pan of water to a boil for your noodles. This will take the most time, so it needs to be started first. Once boiling, add the noodles and cook according to the package directions.
STEP 2: Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and cook for a couple minutes, then add the bell pepper. Cook for another couple minutes, then add in the zucchini and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove the vegetables from the skillet.
STEP 3: To that same skillet, add the turkey and cook. Once browned, stir in the tomato sauce and cook until heated. Then stir in the cooked vegetables, as well as the cooked noodles. Stir it all together.
STEP 4: Serve topped with the basil.
More Healthy Dinner Recipes
Slow Cooker Turkey Meatloaf
Cottage Cheese Pasta
Easy Lemon Chicken with Butternut Squash
Cajun Chicken Pasta
Turkey Sloppy Joes
Ground Turkey Chili
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Turkey Goulash
Ingredients
- 8 oz uncooked egg noodles
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 bell pepper any color, chopped
- 1 medium zucchini sliced into half moons
- 20 oz ground turkey
- 15 oz can tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil chopped
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the egg noodles according to the package directions, then drain and set aside.8 oz uncooked egg noodles
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the bell pepper to the skillet and cook an additional 2 minutes. Add in the zucchini and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the skillet to a plate and set aside.2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, 1 small onion, 1 bell pepper, 1 medium zucchini
- Place the ground turkey in the skillet and cook until browned and cooked through, breaking it up as it cooks. Add the tomato sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through and slightly thickened. Add the reserved vegetables back to the skillet and cook until the vegetables are heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the cooked noodles and toss to coat.8 oz uncooked egg noodles, 15 oz can tomato sauce
- Serve the goulash topped with the fresh basil.2 tablespoons fresh basil
ERIN MCCOY says
I loved this idea! It was a little bland, so I added some garlic salt to the mix and… presto, a lovely dinner that helped me get those veggies and ground turkey in. Thanks so much for sharing!
Deborah says
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Tweety says
Thank you thank you! I love this recipe as well. I have the book eating for Life but packed it because we are getting ready to move. I wanted to make it for dinner because i love zucchini. So I looked it up and found your recipe. Thank you sooo much!
Rosie says
I’m with Happy Cook and you may call what ever you want, it looks gorgeous!
Rosie x
glamah16 says
Oh that looks good. Im like you in the diet attitude.
Amanda at Little Foodies says
I made it after the comment I left you. Well, a variation of it. I added lots of hot sweet smoked paprika – thank you for the inspiration. x
Darius T. Williams says
Hmmmm – looks good. I’m not a diet dude either. I’d eat this though – lol!
Joe Horn says
Moderation, hah, I wish I could. I’m all or none, so next time I’m in the eat better side of things, I will try this out. Thanks!!!
Joe
Cakespy says
Oh my that looks delish. I like the idea of comfort food but with some of the excess fat taken out–it doesn’t look like compromise at all! yea!
Mary says
I was looking at this book at Barnes and Noble. I just may bite and buy it. Your philosophy is right on, just remember your metabolism will change over time and that makes ‘all things in moderation’ more difficult.
Grace says
diet shmiet. i’m loving your goulash recipe. i tend to shy away from the typical versions, which is unfortunate because i really like to say its name. 🙂
Peabody says
I hate diets as you know and we actually cook a lot of our dinners from that book. We love the beef stew.
Jenny says
Mmmm, looks great to me! Pretty pics too!
noble pig says
Yeah, I agree with the diet thing, moderation is the best thing.
This recipe sounds perfect for helping to maintain weight.
Lisa says
This looks great and the fact that it is healthy is a bonus.