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    Urban Bliss Life » All Recipes » Tri-Pepper Turkey Pasta

    Published: January 28, 2019 / Updated: May 10, 2022 by Marlynn Jayme Schotland · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Tri-Pepper Turkey Pasta

    354 shares
    Jump to Recipe

    This Turkey Pasta with three kinds of peppers is sure to become a family favorite! Perfect for busy weeknight dinners and also hearty Sunday suppers.

    Tri-Pepper Turkey Pasta on UrbanBlissLife.com

    When we're in the middle of a busy week, and it's cold and dreary outside, pasta is always a good idea.

    I love pasta. Do you, too?

    Pasta is something that I could eat every night, if my body would let me. Now I make it about once or twice a week. And I love how there are so many great options now for pastas: gluten-free pastas, whole grain pastas, zoodles - options galore!

    Tri-Pepper Turkey Pasta

    In my many years of cooking, I've got a LOT of favorite pasta recipes. This Taco Mac & Cheese pasta recipe has become a friend & family fave, a dish that I will now often bring to parties and potlucks at friends' requests.

    When we're feeling a little fancy, I break out the Shrimp Fettuccine with Vodka Tomato Sauce recipe. And my Vegan, Dairy-Free Alfredo is my go-to comfort food that helps me still enjoy creamy pasta sauces.

    Tri-Pepper Turkey Pasta in pan

    But even older than all of those favorite pasta recipes is this one for Tri-Pepper Turkey Pasta. It's one that I have been making for my husband since before we got married, and I first shared here on Urban Bliss Life way back in 2008 (more than a decade ago!!).

    It's been with us for a LONG time. We love it so much, that I make it about once a month now for my family. I finally decided to update the recipe with more recent photos from one of the last times I made this dish.

    This recipe makes enough for my husband and me, our two kids, one hungry dinner guest, and lunch leftovers for all.

    Ingredients and substitutions

    ground turkey with peppers in pan

    As with most of my recipes, this tri-pepper turkey pasta recipe is so easy to customize to your own family's taste preferences.

    Here are some ideas for substitutions:

    • Use Italian sausage instead of lean ground turkey
    • If you want a "meatier" richer pepper flavor, use all red peppers and skip the slightly sweeter orange and yellow peppers
    • Don't like basil? Substitute with thyme, oregano, or rosemary.
    • You can use any pasta shape you like, but the ones that go best with this recipe are the ones that can act like vessels for the pepper sauce: think fusili, rotini, gemelli.
    Tri-Pepper Turkey Pasta

    Baked pasta option

    If you can tolerate dairy and love it, try adding ricotta cheese to the mix of ground turkey and peppers, add cooked pasta, place into a baking dish, sprinkle with generous amounts of mozzarella cheese, and bake in 375 degree oven until set for a super tasty baked pasta dish.

    OH MY GOODNESS, you guys, this way of preparing my tri-pepper turkey pasta recipe is amazing! I love it, and if I could enjoy it this way more often, I would. If you try it, let me know how you like it!

    You may also like this Pasta with Sausage, Peppers, and Corn recipe.

    Best wine pairing for this pasta dish

    glass of red wine

    This tri-pepper turkey pasta goes beautifully with an Italian Barbera or Nebbiolo. The bright acidity in Barbera wines make it a great match for the hearty pasta and sauce, especially if you decide to use Italian sausage instead of ground turkey. Nebbiolo wines also go famously with tomato-based sauces and if you decide to add the dairy options I've included with this recipe, a Nebbiolo will help bring out the flavors of the cheeses.

    Tri-Pepper Turkey Pasta full photo in skillet

    Tri-Pepper Turkey Pasta

    5 from 10 votes
    Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time: 20 minutes mins
    Total Time: 30 minutes mins
    Recipe by Marlynn Schotland
    This hearty pasta dish is easy to customize to your family's taste. It comes together fast, and is an amazing weeknight dinner that is sure to become a family fave - as it is in mine!
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 764kcal
    PRINT PIN RATE 🤍 SAVESaved!

    Ingredients

    • 1 lb rotini, fusili, or gemeli pasta (or any corkscrew-shaped pasta)
    • 3 Tbs olive oil, divided - plus more for sauce if necessary
    • ½ cup or so sliced onion
    • 1 garlic clove, minced
    • 2 de-stemmed, cored, sliced red bell peppers
    • 1 de-stemmed, cored, sliced orange bell pepper s
    • 1 de-stemmed, cored, sliced yellow bell pepper
    • ½ cup half & half or coconut milk for a dairy-free option
    • 1 lb lean ground turkey
    • 2 tbsp basil - either dried or fresh chopped
    • salt & pepper to taste
    • 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
    • ¼ cup grated romano or parmesan cheese, or nutritional yeast for dairy-free optional
    Get Recipe Ingredients

    Instructions

    • Prepare pasta according to package directions. 
    • In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Do a little dance, because the people who make olive oil deserve it.
    • Add sliced onions, all three peppers, and minced garlic to the skillet and sauté until slightly tender.  
    • When peppers are just tender enough, add peppers, onions, and garlic mix into a food processor to cool for a bit. Make sure you've got a medium or large food processor. Sprinkle your dried basil or your finely chopped fresh basil on top of the pepper mix.
    • While pepper mix is cooling, add a tablespoon of olive oil to the same skillet and start to brown the ground turkey.
    • While meat browns, blend the pepper mixture plus your half & half or coconut milk in the food processor for about a minute, just until you get the consistency you prefer. 
    • Add the blended pepper mixture to the ground turkey as soon as the turkey is cooked enough. Stir the pepper mixture and the ground turkey until the pepper mixture is distributed evenly throughout.
    • The pasta should be done by now. Drain pasta water and add cooked pasta to the ground turkey pepper mixture. Add salt & pepper to taste, plus fresh parsley and/or grated romano cheese and voila!

    Notes

    PORTION NOTE: the more peppers you use, the heartier the sauce, so feel free to add more peppers if you wish. We usually stick to 1 to 1.5 of each type of pepper, with more of the red pepper than the orange and yellow. If you want a sweeter sauce, go with more yellow or orange pepper. Just be aware of the shift in flavor and texture of sauce based on your portions of peppers.
    To make this dairy-free, I use Thai Kitchen Organic Coconut Milk and Bragg Nutritional Yeast. 
    Tried this recipe?Please leave a star rating and comment! Then snap a pic of your dish and share it on social media. Tag @UrbanBlissLife and #UrbanBlissLife!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 764kcal | Carbohydrates: 96g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 184mg | Potassium: 959mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 3158IU | Vitamin C: 174mg | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 4mg

    Nutrition information is a general estimate. Actual nutrition details may vary depending on the exact foods & brands you use to make this recipe. It does not take into account any substitutions, toppings, or optional ingredients.

    PIN IT:

    Tri-Pepper Turkey Pasta

    This post was originally published on this blog on October 12, 2008. It has been updated with new photos and current content. 

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      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Lisa Rice says

        November 16, 2022 at 5:48 pm

        5 stars
        I used skim milk and some low sodium chicken broth in place of the cream. Added in sautéed mushrooms at the end. Delicious!

        Reply
      2. Nene says

        January 30, 2019 at 3:18 pm

        This looks delicious!!!! Must have to try it!!!

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          February 04, 2019 at 11:31 pm

          Thank you, Nene!

      3. Brianne says

        January 30, 2019 at 2:34 pm

        This looks so good! I love new takes on pasta and this seems like a quick and delicious alternative to my usual spaghetti or bolognese.

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          February 04, 2019 at 11:31 pm

          Thanks, Brianne! It's always nice to try out new pastas!

      4. Lauren says

        January 29, 2019 at 11:06 am

        Love this! My mom works at a facility that get a lot of donated ground turkey. So I am always looking for ground turkey recipes! This looks great! Thanks for sharing! I will try this soon and let you know what we thought!

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          February 04, 2019 at 11:30 pm

          How cool! There's so many ground turkey options! I hope you love it! :)

      5. Patricia @ Grab a Plate says

        January 28, 2019 at 10:02 pm

        This looks wonderful! I'm a pasta lover, and I really like the combo of the peppers! I can't wait to try this!

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          February 04, 2019 at 11:29 pm

          Peppers and pasta are a match made in heaven! Thanks, Patricia! :)

      6. Geeky Daddy says

        January 28, 2019 at 5:32 pm

        This sounds great! Always looking for something new beyond the typical grilled turkey breast for dinner!

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          February 04, 2019 at 11:28 pm

          Thanks so much! :)

      7. Tessa Christianson says

        January 28, 2019 at 3:55 pm

        As the weather is colder I find myself making more and more pasta dishes. Sometimes I can get stuck in a rut so this recipe is just what I am needing to spice things up! It looks so delicious and I love the ideas for using different herbs and spices.

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          February 04, 2019 at 11:27 pm

          Thanks so much, Tessa! It's always nice to mix things up!

      8. Autumn (Biscotti and a Ph.D.) says

        January 28, 2019 at 2:56 pm

        This looks so tasty! I love comforting pasta dishes in the winter, especially when they include red peppers! Can't wait to try this one out!

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          February 04, 2019 at 11:27 pm

          Pasta is one of my favorite winter dishes as well! Quick and helps you warm up! Thanks, Autumn!

      9. Morgan Eisenberg says

        January 28, 2019 at 2:45 pm

        5 stars
        I see there is a cheese-lover's option, thank you for thinking of me :)

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          February 04, 2019 at 11:26 pm

          Cheese is always a must! :)

      10. Catherine @ To & Fro Fam says

        January 28, 2019 at 2:30 pm

        5 stars
        We make pasta on average once a week, in part because it's so easy and quick - and it's one of the only meals everyone in my picky family likes! Thanks for the updated photos. They're delicious-looking, as always!

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          February 04, 2019 at 11:25 pm

          Who doesn't love pasta?! Thanks, Catherine! :)

      11. Andrea @ Cooking with Mamma C says

        January 28, 2019 at 2:25 pm

        5 stars
        Pasta is my life! I make something similar with sausage and peppers, but love that you added the creamy factor. Great recipe!

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          February 04, 2019 at 11:25 pm

          Yum! I love adding sausage to pasta! Thank you, Andrea!

      12. Heidy L. McCallum says

        January 28, 2019 at 2:23 pm

        5 stars
        This looks like a lovely pasta dish, can't wait to try it out. Pinned for later.

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          February 04, 2019 at 11:24 pm

          Thanks, Heidy! :)

        • Sheri says

          March 21, 2022 at 4:04 pm

          4 stars
          I just made the recipe for my husband and I. The things I did differently from the recipe was that I used 1/2 lb of organic fusilli brown rice pasta, I used 1 orange pepper and 1 yellow pepper, but did not put them in the food processor. I just sliced them. I used green onions and unsweetened almond milk. I also used nutritional yeast and Italian flat leaf parsley and fresh basil. It was good. Thanks!

      13. Sabrina says

        January 28, 2019 at 2:19 pm

        5 stars
        Pasta is always a winning idea for dinner in our house. This looks delicious and so easy to make!

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          February 04, 2019 at 11:24 pm

          Same here! Can't go wrong with pasta! Thank you! :)

      14. Danielle Wolter says

        January 28, 2019 at 2:02 pm

        5 stars
        This looks so delicious! I love the idea of using ricotta cheese - ricotta really is the best. Great flavor combo here :-)

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          February 04, 2019 at 11:23 pm

          I love ricotta, too! Thanks, Danielle! :)

      4.91 from 10 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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      Marlynn Jayme Schotland 2021 profile pic

      Hi! If you're looking for easy, fast, delicious family-friendly recipes, wine pairings, and travel tips, you've come to the right place! I'm Marlynn - a cookbook author, writer, photographer, and mom of two teenagers + a lovable lab retriever. I hold a WSET 2 with Distinction in wine, and am a member of Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and the International Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA).

      More about me →

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