This One Pot Rigatoni is a weeknight wonder that effortlessly combines ground turkey with earth mushrooms and Italian seasoning. This dish is crafted to satisfy and tantalize while saving you precious time in the kitchen.
Made in one pot for easy prep and cleanup, you'll love that this satisfying pasta dinner is on your table in just 40 minutes!
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💚 About This Recipe
A classic pasta dish is a guaranteed hit for the whole family any night of the week! This rigatoni with meat sauce only requires 5 ingredients and can be made in one pot for super simple prep and cleanup.
Easy to customize to your taste, this one pot pasta dish is the ideal solution for a healthy and filling dinner, even on the busiest nights! Feel free to add more veggies, change the kind of meat or pasta, or add more seasonings to make this easy rigatoni recipe your own.
If you love rigatoni, I recommend using it to make this Chickpea Pasta Salad as well! And for more easy dinners, check out this list of 12 Instant Pot One Pot Recipes.
🧂 Ingredients Needed
- ground turkey - this lean ground meat is perfect for a slightly healthier meat sauce.
- mushrooms - buy your mushrooms pre-sliced to cut down on prep time.
- marinara sauce - use the best marinara you can find for best results, or even make your own.
- Italian seasoning - feel free to use a store bought spice blend, or use my Homemade Italian Seasoning.
- rigatoni - another kind of pasta can be used, but rigatoni is the perfect shape and has a great bite to it.
🔪 Instructions
- Add the ground turkey to your pot and cook for a few minutes.
- Before the turkey finishes, add the mushrooms and cook until soft and the turkey is just about done.
- Add marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, and 4 cups of water, then bring to a simmer.
- Pour in the rigatoni and return to a simmer, then cook uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, or until pasta is tender and the liquid has cooked down.
❔ FAQs
The name of this pasta comes from the Italian word "rigato," which means ridged. This pasta is known for its rounded shape and external ridges, which contrast the smooth inside. Rigatoni is a great pasta for thicker or chunkier sauces, as the wide interior allows the pasta to scoop up lots of the sauce.
Yes, this rigatoni with meat sauce is cooked with turkey instead of beef for a leaner meat, and the addition of mushrooms provides some important nutrients. You could even add more vegetables for even more nutrition!
It is possible to overcook rigatoni, so be sure to start checking around the 20-minute mark. I recommend cooking just until al dente, but if you prefer a softer cook on your pasta feel free to give it a couple minutes extra.
💭 Expert Tips and Tricks
- A lot of the flavor in this easy rigatoni recipe comes from the marinara sauce, so be sure to use a sauce you really like.
- Because the pasta isn't cooking in strictly water, it will take longer to cook than indicated by the box instructions. Be sure to keep an eye on it to prevent it from going mushy.
- Drain off any excess grease after browning the meat. (This is more likely to happen with ground beef.)
📌 Making this turkey rigatoni only requires a few minutes of prep and super easy cooking! You'll love serving this easy rigatoni recipe as a time-saving weeknight meal.
💡 Substitutions and Variations
- Instead of ground turkey, use ground beef or even ground chicken.
- Jarred mushrooms can be used instead of fresh.
- Other kinds of pasta like penne, rotini, or even macaroni could be used in this dish. Just be sure to adjust the cooking time appropriately.
- Feel free to add extra seasonings like oregano, thyme, or some red pepper flakes for a little kick of heat.
- Garnish with fresh chopped parsley or a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
🥫 Storage and Reheating
Store your turkey rotini in an airtight container in the fridge. It should last 4-5 days, and can easily be reheated in the microwave. You can also transfer it back to a pot and heat it over the stove.
Extend the life of this pasta by storing it in the freezer instead. It can last up to 3 months when frozen. Before reheating from frozen, thaw for a few hours in the fridge or overnight if possible.
🍴 What To Serve With This Dish
This one pot rigatoni can be served all on its own, but if you'd like an additional vegetable on the side, try it with one of these reliable and healthy side dishes: Air Fryer Frozen Vegetables, Crispy Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts, Cucumber Salad, or Garlic Butter Microwave Broccoli.
✔️ More One Pot Recipes You'll Love
- One Pot Chicken and Rice - This one pot meal is easy enough for a quick weeknight meal but has enough flavor and sophistication for a Sunday dinner!
- One Pot Cheesy Taco Skillet - You'll love this unique take on tacos that only requires one dish to make. Serve with your favorite fix-ins for the perfect meal.
- Pan Fried Chicken Thighs with Green Beans - Fans of chicken thighs will fall in love with this pan fried chicken recipe with a healthy veggie built right in.
- Easy Dumpling Soup - This delicious soup from Budget Bytes is a fantastically flavorful take on dumpling soup that's beyond easy to make in one pot!
Easy Rigatoni with Meat Sauce
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📋 Recipe Card
One Pot Rigatoni
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
- 24 ounces marinara sauce (1 jar)
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 12 ounces rigatoni (uncooked)
Instructions
- Brown the ground turkey in a large pot over medium-high heat, breaking it up as it cooks.1 pound ground turkey
- When the turkey is almost done, add the mushrooms and cook for another 1-2 minutes until the turkey is done and the mushrooms start to soften.8 ounces sliced mushrooms
- Mix in the marinara sauce and Italian seasoning, and then add 4 cups of water. Heat until it starts to simmer.24 ounces marinara sauce, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- Add the rigatoni and continue to heat until it starts to simmer again.12 ounces rigatoni (uncooked)
- Reduce the heat to medium-low so that it is gently bubbling and cook uncovered for about 25-30 minutes, stirring periodically, until the pasta is tender and the liquid has thickened.
- Taste and season with additional Italian seasoning and salt/pepper as needed. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese and chopped basil, if desired.
Notes
- You can substitute ground beef for the ground turkey if desired, however you may need to drain the grease from the pot after browning the meat if it isn't extra lean.
- You can substitute jarred mushrooms if you don't have fresh on hand.
- You can use any type of pasta, but you may need to adjust cooking time accordingly.
- The flavor of the marinara sauce has a big impact on this dish, so choose a good quality sauce or use additional seasonings if needed.
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Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.
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Happy cooking!
Justine says
This was delicious and soooo easy to make!
Jill says
You had me at easy prep and cleanup! Going to put this on our dinner menu for this week.
Sara Welch says
Enjoyed this for dinner last night and it was a savory success! Easy, hearty and delicious; the perfect recipe for a busy weeknight!
rebecca says
what an easy recipe! I can't believe how simple and tasty it is!
Wendy says
All of my favorite flavors in a delicious and easy recipe! Thanks so much!