10 Easy Ground Turkey and Italian Sausage Recipes

These ground turkey and Italian sausage recipes are perfect for an easy weeknight meal.

From classics like spaghetti and meatballs to more unique dishes like Italian sausage stuffed peppers, there’s something for everyone.

And with ground turkey being a leaner alternative to ground beef, you can feel good about serving these healthier versions of your favorite Italian comfort foods.

Read Also:

• Italian Sausage Wine Pairing: Best Wines for Italian Sausages
• Sausage Wine Pairing – The Best Wines for Sausages
• How Long To Cook Italian Sausage

10 Easy Ground Turkey and Italian Sausage Recipes

You have more options than you think when it comes to what to do with ground turkey and Italian sausage.

These two ingredients can be used in a variety of dishes, from pasta to pizza to soup.

Here are 10 recipes that use ground turkey and Italian sausage:

Easy Turkey Meatballs

Tasty, juicy meatballs that are easy to make and freeze well.

Ingredients

• ground turkey
• Italian sausage
• parmesan
• milk
• bread
• parsley
• cooking spray
• garlic

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a bowl, mix together ground turkey, italian sausage, parmesan, milk, bread, parsley, and garlic.
3. Shape mixture into balls.
4. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
5. Place meatballs on baking sheet.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Cooking Tips

• You can substitute the ground turkey for ground beef if you prefer.
• Add some red pepper flakes to the recipe if you like a little heat.
• These meatballs freeze well, so make a big batch and save some for later!

Instant Pot No-Bean Turkey Chili

We all know true chili uses beef and no beans, but this Instant Pot No-Bean Turkey Chili is a delicious exception!

Ingredients

• ground turkey
• italian sausage
• cumin
• garlic powder
• tomato soup
• smoked paprika
• chili powder
• canned tomato

Instructions

1. Brown the turkey and sausage in the Instant Pot.
2. Add all the other ingredients and give it a good stir.
3. Set the Instant Pot to chili mode and let it do its thing! In about an hour, you’ll have a delicious pot of chili that the whole family will love.

Here are a few tips to make this dish even better

• Top with shredded cheese, diced onions, and sour cream
• Serve with a side of cornbread or tortilla chips
• Add a can of black beans or kidney beans if you want more of a traditional chili flavor

Italian Sausage, Spinach and Tomato Soup

This soup is a full of healthy, hearty ingredients that will warm you up on a cold day.

It’s packed with protein and fiber, and is a great way to use up leftover marinara sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1/2 pound Italian sausage
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 shallot, diced
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 cup marinara sauce
• 1 cup baby greens
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Instructions

1. In a large soup pot, brown the ground turkey and Italian sausage over medium heat.
2. Add the chicken broth, shallot, extra virgin olive oil, cannellini beans, carrot, marinara sauce, baby greens, and Italian seasoning.
3. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, or until the greens are wilted.
4. Serve in bowls and enjoy!

Cooking Tips

• If you don’t have any marinara sauce on hand, you can substitute with tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes.
• Feel free to add other vegetables to the soup, such as zucchini, kale, or spinach.
• If you want a thicker soup, you can add a cup of cooked rice or quinoa.

Zucchini Soup

Ah, soup season.

There’s nothing like a bowl of warm, comforting soup when the weather gets colder.

This recipe for zucchini soup is the perfect mix of hearty and healthy, and it’s sure to become a new family favorite.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1/2 pound Italian sausage
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 2 zucchini, chopped
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 can stewed tomatoes
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon tarragon
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Instructions

1. In a large pot, brown the ground turkey and Italian sausage over medium heat.
2. Add the chicken broth, Parmesan cheese, celery, zucchini, garlic powder, stewed tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, tarragon, and Italian seasoning.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Enjoy!

Cooking Tips

• Try adding a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt for an extra creamy soup.
• If you’re looking for a vegetarian option, you can omit the ground turkey and sausage and just use vegetable broth.
• Add some crusty bread on the side for dipping. Yum!

Crockpot Lasagna Casserole

All the deliciousness of lasagna flavor without spending all afternoon in the kitchen?

Sign me up!

This easy Crockpot Lasagna Casserole is perfect for a busy weeknight meal.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1/2 pound Italian sausage
• 1 cup ricotta
• 1 cup mozzarella
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 10-12 lasagna noodles, uncooked
• 3 cups tomato sauce
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, mix together ground turkey, Italian sausage, ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, salt, black pepper, parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning.
2. Spread 1 cup of tomato sauce in the bottom of a slow cooker.
3. Layer uncooked lasagna noodles over the sauce, breaking them to fit as necessary.
4. Spread half of the meat mixture over the noodles.
5. Top with a layer of sauce.
6. Repeat layers of noodles, meat mixture, and sauce.
7. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until the noodles are cooked through.
8. Let the casserole sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Cooking Tips

• If your slow cooker doesn’t have a removable liner, line it with foil before adding the ingredients to make cleanup a breeze.
• To make this dish ahead of time, assemble the casserole as directed through step 6. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When ready to cook, add an extra 1/2 cup of tomato sauce to the slow cooker and cook as directed.

Italian Meatball ‘n’ Bean Soup

This is a taste sensation – a hearty and filling soup that’s packed with flavor.

It’s easy to make, too.

Just gather the following ingredients

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1/2 pound Italian sausage
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 scallion, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Instructions

1. In a bowl, mix together the ground turkey, Italian sausage, bread crumbs, milk, egg, and tomato sauce.
2. Shape into meatballs and brown in a large soup pot over medium heat.
3. Add the beans, tomatoes, garlic, scallion, chili flakes, and Italian seasoning. Simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Ladle into bowls and enjoy!

Tips

• If you want a thicker soup, add a tablespoon of tomato paste when you add the beans.
• For extra flavor, top each bowl with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
• This soup freezes well, so make a big batch and enjoy it all winter long!

Keto Pumpkin Meatballs

If you’re on the keto diet and missing pasta, try these keto pumpkin meatballs!

They’re full of flavor and low in carbs.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1/2 pound Italian sausage
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup pork rinds
• 1/4 cup parmesan
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1 teaspoon erythritol
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon sage
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup pumpkin

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a bowl, mix together ground turkey, Italian sausage, chicken broth, pork rinds, parmesan, egg, butter, cream cheese, garlic powder, basil, erythritol, tomato paste, sage, and cinnamon.
3. Shape mixture into meatballs and place on a baking sheet.
4. Bake for 20 minutes.
5. Serve with pumpkin sauce.

Cooking tips

• You can make the pumpkin sauce ahead of time and reheat it when you’re ready to eat.
• If you don’t have all the spices on hand, you can omit the sage and cinnamon and the meatballs will still be delicious.

Meatball Subs

Meatball subs are so much easier to make at home than you might think!

This recipe yields delicious, flavorful meatballs that are perfect for stuffing into a toasted sub roll.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1/2 pound Italian sausage
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup shredded fresh mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1 egg
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup marinara sauce
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Cooking spray
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, mix together ground turkey, Italian sausage, Worcestershire sauce, mozzarella cheese, milk, bread crumbs, egg, and black pepper.
3. Shape mixture into 1-inch meatballs.
4. In a small bowl, mix together ketchup, marinara sauce, and Dijon mustard.
5. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil.
6. Add meatballs and cook until browned on all sides.
7. Add bell pepper, onion, and Italian seasoning.
8. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
9. Add the ketchup mixture to the skillet and stir to combine.
10. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the sauce is heated through.
11. Serve meatballs on toasted sub rolls.

Cooking tips

• Try using ground beef or pork in place of the ground turkey.
• If you don’t have Italian sausage, you can use ground beef or pork.
• Add some shredded cheese to the top of the meatballs before serving.

Slow Cooker Lasagna

Fire up your slow cooker and get ready for an amazing lasagna dinner!

This recipe is packed with flavor, and relatively easy to make.

Here’s what you’ll need

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1/2 pound Italian sausage
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/2 cup ricotta
• 1 package lasagna noodles
• 1/2 cup mozzarella
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1 jar marinara sauce
• 1/2 onion

Here’s how to make it

1. In a large skillet, cook the ground turkey and Italian sausage over medium heat until browned.
2. In a bowl, mix together the Parmesan, ricotta, mozzarella, and garlic powder.
3. Spread a layer of the meat mixture, followed by a layer of noodles, and then a layer of the cheese mixture in the slow cooker. Repeat these layers.
4. Pour the marinara sauce over the top and sprinkle with basil.
5. Chop the onion and sprinkle over the top.
6. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until the lasagna is cooked through.

Here are a few tips to make this recipe even better

• Try using ground beef instead of turkey for a richer flavor.
• Add some green peppers or mushrooms to the meat mixture for even more veggies.
• If you want a really cheesy lasagna, you can add an extra layer of mozzarella cheese in between the meat and noodle layers.

Cheesy Pasta Bake

As a cheese lover, I was elated to find this recipe for a cheesy pasta bake.

It features both parmesan and mozzarella cheese, and it’s absolutely delicious.

This dish is also hearty and filling, thanks to the ground turkey and Italian sausage.

It’s the perfect comfort food for a chilly evening.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1/2 pound Italian sausage
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 pound ziti
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Cooking spray
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon chili flake

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large pot, cook the ground turkey and Italian sausage over medium heat until browned.
3. Drain the fat and set the meat aside.
4. In the same pot, cook the ziti according to the package directions.
5. Drain and set aside.
6. In a large bowl, mix together the cooked meat, cooked pasta, parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, red wine, marinara sauce, olive oil, onion, garlic, and chili flake.
7. Spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Pour the pasta mixture into the dish and bake for 30 minutes.

Cooking Tips

• If you’re not a fan of spice, you can omit the chili flake from the recipe.
• If you want a little extra flavor, try adding some chopped mushrooms to the pasta mixture.

Related:

9 Easy Ground Turkey and Orzo Recipes

17 Easy Ground Turkey and Quinoa Recipes

9 Easy Ground Turkey and Shrimp Recipes

10 Easy Ground Turkey and Tortellini Recipes

10 Easy Ground Turkey and Tomato Recipes

10 Easy Ground Turkey and Yellow Squash Recipes

20 Easy Ground Turkey and Zucchini Recipes

20 Easy Ground Turkey and Potato Recipes

17 Easy Ground Turkey and Spinach Recipes