I love crockpot meals because they are usually low lift in the dishwashing department (but, in full transparency, TJ washes the dishes…)… it’s usually the dishes we ate on, maybe a cutting board for some small side, but that’s about it. But when we make, say, tacos… the dishes somehow just pile up… and even more so when it’s a pasta dish. On the weekend, no big deal. During the week, when we’re wanting to move through the post dinner routine fairly quickly (so we can move onto the girl’s bath and bed routines…) it’s more of a challenge….

So this past Monday I decided to try my hand at a one pot pasta dish… and it was a win. Hearty, full of flavor, it was an easy, complete meal (even snuck in some veggies)… all in one pot. And since we’re just a family of four we had enough leftovers for the next day’s lunch (for two people… so I think this would comfortably feed six).

I shared this over on instagram, but I know there are people here who are not on social media, so I wanted to give it a spot on the blog as well. I hope it makes the weeknight meals a bit easier if you end up giving it a try!
____

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp EVOO
2 lbs ground turkey 
2 tbsp Italian herb seasoning
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp salt (I start small here, I can always add more if need be)
1 onion, diced
1 cup broccoli florets (cut off the stem)
1 cup frozen peas 
3 cloves garlic, minced
12 oz dried gluten free pasta
3/4 cup nutritional yeast (or parmesan cheese if you’re not DF)
4 cups chicken broth28 oz can of diced tomatoes 

DIRECTIONS

1. Warm a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. When the oil is simmering, add the turkey, salt, Italian spice blend and black pepper. Break the turkey apart and cook for about 5 minutes or until almost no pink remains.
2. Add the onion, broccoli, and garlic to the pan. Cook another 5 minutes or so until the meat is fully browned and the broccoli has softened. 
3. Stir in the pasta followed by the tomatoes and stock. Use the back of a spoon to smooth the turkey mixture down into an even layer so that the pasta is almost entirely covered in liquid.
4. Reduce to a medium or medium-low heat until you reach a gentle simmer. Cover with a fitted lid and cook for about 20-25 minutes (stir occasionally, checking on liquid level). When there is about 3 minutes left, add in the frozen peas and stir so they can cook.
5. Remove the lid and stir in the nutritional yeast (or parmesan if you’re not DF). Taste and season (if more salt is needed) as you see fit. Then serve.