This easy high-protein recipe is my favorite health-conscious weeknight dinner

Smiling woman cooking in kitchen.

I enjoy cooking most of the time, but life gets busy and I don’t always have the time to whip up something that requires shopping for ingredients I don't have to hand and an hour of cooking time.

This protein turkey pasta with a twist has become my go-to weeknight meal when I'm in a hurry. It’s great for feeding a whole family, or meal prepping for the rest of the week.

This pasta dish has a great balance of healthy carbs, fats and protein. The ground turkey breast supplies the bulk of protein to the dish, but the protein noodles and cottage cheese takes the protein content to another level.

The addition of the cottage cheese may come off strange, but it gives the sauce a lasagne-esque vibe and adds creaminess without piling on the calories. It also adds a bit of calcium to the meal, making it even more nutritious.

I've listed all the veggies I like to include in the recipe below, but you can add or subtract to suit your tastes.

Protein Turkey Spaghetti Recipe

(Image credit: Amber Nelson)

This recipe makes six good-sized servings. Each serving is about 445 calories and has nearly 43g of protein and under 5g of fat.

Ingredients

• 1lb ground turkey breast
• 24oz jar of low sugar pasta sauce
• 14.5 oz box of Barilla Protein+ pasta
• 24oz container of low-fat cottage cheese
• 8oz white mushrooms, sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 6 cups spinach
• 2 cups broccoli, steamed and diced

Method

1. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil, then add a pinch of salt.
2. While you wait for the water to poil, brown the ground turkey in a skillet.
3. When your water is boiling, carefully add the pasta and cook according to the instructions on the box.
4. Once the turkey is browned and your pasta is cooking, add any additional ingredients to the skillet and sauté on medium heat for 5-7 minutes.
5. Add the jar of sauce to the skillet and cook on low until the pasta has finished cooking.
6. Once the pasta is finished cooking, drain and return to the pot.
7. Add the meat sauce and cottage cheese to the pot with the pasta and stir until the cottage cheese begins to melt into the sauce.
8. Plate into six portions and enjoy hot, or store for up to four days in the fridge for an easy grab and reheat meal.