Easy Mac and Cheese with Meat

Everyone loves a great Mac and Cheese. My version takes it to the next level with the addition of broccoli and ground turkey. In this one little bowl you have everything you need- a vegetable (broccoli), a carb (pasta), and a protein (ground turkey). Best of all, this incredibly flavorful Mac and Cheese recipe will be ready in under 30 minutes.

Which ground turkey works best with this recipe?

You can use either white or dark ground turkey with this recipe, it’s totally up to your preference. I always use dark ground turkey because I feel it doesn’t dry out as much when it’s cooking. I also feel that dark ground turkey has more flavor.

What kind of cheese works best for this Mac and Cheese?

In this recipe I used white cheddar but you can use a whole lot of different cheeses. The most popular cheeses to use for Mac and Cheese is cheddar, gruyere, or guda. Ideally you want to use a cheese that has a low melting point so that you can get that delicious cheesy gooey-ness that Mac and Cheese is known for.

Top tips for this Mac and Cheese recipe:

1. You can cook this entire dish in one pot if you want to save time on the dishes afterward.
2. You can check to see if your broccoli is done by poking the stem portion with a fork. If it pokes through easily, it’s cooked and ready.

Print Recipe

Easy Mac and Cheese with Ground Turkey

Everyone loves a great Mac and Cheese. My version takes it to the next level with the addition of broccoli and ground turkey. In this one little bowl you have everything you need- a vegetable (broccoli), a carb (pasta), and a protein (ground turkey). Best of all, this incredibly flavorful Mac and Cheese recipe will be ready in under 30 minutes.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time30 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: hamburger helper, Healthy, mac and cheese

Servings: 2

Calories: 504kcal

Ingredients

• 1 cup gluten free fusili pasta dry
• 1/3 cup dark meat ground turkey
• 1/2 small onion diced
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 1/2 cup goat milk cheddar cheese shredded
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp grapeseed oil
• olive oil and salt to add to water for pasta

Instructions

• Boil water in pot and add in a splash of olive oil and salt. Add in dry pasta and cook according to instructions.
• Once pasta is cooked, drain water and set aside.
• Return pot to stove and bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Add in broccoli florets and cook for approx. 3 minutes or until tender. 
• Once broccoli is cooked, drain water and set aside.
• In same pot, heat on stove at medium high and add in grapeseed oil
• Add in onions and sauté until soft (approx 2 min).
• Add in ground turkey and cook for approx 3-5min, stirring occasionally. When turkey is almost done, add in garlic and salt & pepper and stir well.
• Add in butter and stir until melted. Then add back in pasta and broccoli and and cheese and mix well until cheese is melted.

Nutrition

Calories: 504kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 1463mg | Potassium: 294mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1045IU | Vitamin C: 43.1mg | Calcium: 107mg | Iron: 1.8mg