This Veggie-Loaded Turkey Skillet Lasagna is your new go-to comfort weeknight dinner. It’s packed with 4 cups of added veggies (grated zucchini, carrot, and onion), full of protein from lean ground turkey, and loaded with flavor from your favorite jarred tomato sauce and simple seasonings. Finished with ricotta, mozzarella, and Parm for those classic lasagna flavors (just no fussy layers). And it’s ready in 40 minutes…start to finish.

A skillet filled with Turkey Skillet Lasagna. A spoon sits in the pasta in the skillet and the skillet sits on a countertop. A cloth napkin, a small dish of salt, and a small dish of grated Parmesan cheese all sit on the counter next to the skillet. Some sprigs of fresh basil sit on the plate of Parmesan cheese and are also sprinkled on the counter in addition to garnishing the cooked turkey skillet lasagna.

You know when you’re craving lasagna but also… it’s a Tuesday and you have zero interest in playing layering Tetris or waiting an hour for dinner to bake? Yeah. Same.

That’s where this Veggie-Loaded Turkey Skillet Lasagna came from. My own cravings on a Tuesday night after working a full day, taxi-momming my kid all around and not getting home to start dinner until it was dark. It’s all the cozy lasagna energy… just far less of the effort. It was totally inspired by Turkey Butternut Squash White Skillet Lasagna (that I just loooovvvveeee) but this version leans more into that classic, red sauce, cheesy, traditional lasagna flavor. Except way easier …and veggie-loaded (because I am me and that’s why you are here).

It’s cozy, hearty, veggie-loaded magic that scratches that lasagna itch without wrecking your kitchen…or taking over your evening.

Let’s make dinner together. Just you and me….

Jump to Recipe Instructions
All ingredients for Turkey Skillet Lasagna sitting on the counter prior to cooking.
Okay, first…get everything out and ready!
A measuring cup filled with pasta water being held by hand above a large pot filled with cooked pasta in water. The pot sits on a single burner sitting on a countertop. On the counter next to the burner is a uncooked ground turkey on a plate, a small container of olive oil, and a glass measuring cup of pasta sauce.
Cook pasta, but be sure to grab some pasta water before draining.
Grated zucchini, grated carrots, and diced onions sit unmixed in a skillet on a single burner on a countertop. One hand holds a wooden spoon in the skillet prior to mixing the vegetables. On the countertop next to the burner sits a small dish of ground black pepper, uncooked ground turkey on a plate, and a measuring cup of tomato sauce.
While the pasta cooks, cook the onions, grated zucchini + carrots.
Uncooked ground turkey topped with seasoning being broken up in a skillet using a wooden spoon. Pushed to the side of the skillet is a cooked vegetable mixture of diced onions, grated zucchini, and grated carrots. The skillet sits on a single burner on the countertop and is surrounded by a glass measuring cup of tomato sauce, a small glass dish of grated Parmesan cheese, and a small container of crushed garlic.
Push the veggies to one side of the skillet and add the ground turkey into the empty side. Season and cook, breaking up the meat.
A small container of Worcestershire sauce is being held above a skillet filled with cooked ground turkey, crushed garlic, and a cooked vegetable mixture. The ground turkey, garlic, and vegetable mixture are not yet mixed together. The skillet sits on a single burner on a countertop. Next to the burner sits a used wooden spoon, a small dish of grated Parmesan cheese, and a glass measuring cup of tomato sauce.
When the meat is nearly cooked through, add in the garlic and Worcestershire sauce.
Ground turkey, garlic, and vegetable mixture are being mixed in a skillet by hand using a wooden spoon. The skillet sits on a single burner on a countertop. Next to the burner sits a small dish of grated Parmesan cheese and a glass measuring cup of tomato sauce.
Stir the meat and vegetables together and cook for a few more minutes, or until the turkey is fully cooked through.
A measuring cup filled with pasta water being held by hand above a skillet of cooked pasta, tomato sauce, cooked ground turkey, and a cooked vegetable mixture, all unmixed. The skillet sits on a single burner on the countertop. Next to the skillet on the countertop sits a used wooden spoon, a measuring cup with some remaining tomato sauce, and a small dish of grated Parmesan cheese.
Add the pasta sauce, reserved pasta water, and cooked pasta to the skillet. Stir together.
Shredded mozzarella and Grated Parmesan cheese being mixed by hand using a wooden spoon into a mixture of cooked pasta, ground turkey, and vegetable mixture in a skillet. Next to the skillet on the counter sits a glass measuring cup with some remaining tomato sauce and a glass dish filled with shredded mozzarella.
Add 1/2 the mozzarella and the Parmesan to the skillet. Stir together.
Ricotta is being dropped in dollops using a spoon onto a skilled filled with the cooked, mixed, remaining ingredients for turkey skillet lasagna. A bowl with the remaining ricotta is being held by hand near the skillet. The skillet sits on a single burner on the countertop. Next to the skillet sits a used wooden spoon, a glass measuring cup with some remaining tomato sauce, and a glass dish with shredded mozzarella cheese.
Remove from heat and stir in the ricotta and sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese on top.
A spoon taking a helping of turkey skillet lasagna from a skillet. The skillet sits on a counter. Next to the skillet sits a striped kitchen towel.
Cover the pan to melt the cheese, or broil in the oven until the cheese is bubbling. Serve.
5 from 17 votes

Turkey Skillet Lasagna (with added veggies!)

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Cuisine: American, Italian
Course: Main Course
Author: Taesha Butler
This Veggie-Loaded Turkey Skillet Lasagna is your new go-to comfort weeknight dinner. It’s packed with 4 cups of added veggies (grated zucchini, carrot, and onion), full of protein from lean ground turkey, and loaded with flavor from your favorite jarred tomato sauce and simple seasonings. Finished with ricotta, mozzarella, and Parm for those classic lasagna flavors (just no fussy layers). And it’s ready in 40 minutes…start to finish.
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Ingredients
 

  • ½ pound penne or rigatoni pasta, Use gluten-free if needed. I find chickpea pasta or brown rice pasta works best.
  • ½ cup reserved pasta water
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small onion, finely diced. About 1 cup.
  • 1 medium zucchini, grated. About 1½ cups loose packed after grating. Do not squeeze out the moisture.
  • 1 large carrot, peeled and grated. About 1½ cups
  • 1 pound ground turkey, I used 93%
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, sub with coconut aminos for gluten-free
  • 32 ounces jarred pasta sauce , I like Rao's
  • ¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • ¾ cup part-skim ricotta cheese
  • minced fresh basil, optional garnish

Instructions
 

  • Cook pasta in a pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions until al dente.  Once done cooking, reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, drain and set aside.
  • While the pasta cooks, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the onions, grated zucchini, and grated carrots. Season with ½ teaspoon of salt and cook for about 5 minutes or until the veggies start to soften.
  • Push the veggies to one side and add the ground turkey into the empty side of the skillet. Add the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Cook, breaking apart the meat with a large wooden spoon, until almost cooked. About 5 minutes.
  • Once the meat is almost cooked through, add the garlic and Worcestershire sauce and stir the meat and veggies together. Let the mixture cook for another 4 minutes or until the turkey is completely cooked through.
  • Add the pasta sauce, ½ cup pasta water and cooked pasta into the skillet. Stir everything together and let it simmer for 3 to 5 minutes to let the pasta soak up some of the flavors.
  • Add ½ cup of the mozzarella and the grated Parmesan cheese to the skillet and stir together until the cheeses are melted and mixed in.
  • Remove the skillet from heat and dollop the ricotta over the hot lasagna and gently mix it in. Top with the remaining ¼ cup mozzarella cheese. Cover the top of the pan to melt the cheese or place under the broiler until the cheese is bubbling and brown.
  • Serve and enjoy garnished with extra Parmesan or chopped fresh basil.
Serving: 1/6 the recipe or about 404g, Calories: 429kcal, Carbohydrates: 44g, Protein: 30g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 78mg, Sodium: 888mg, Potassium: 935mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 3018IU, Vitamin C: 19mg, Calcium: 307mg, Iron: 4mg
Nutritional information provided here is only an estimate shared for convenience and as a courtesy. Information will vary based on ingredients + brands used to create the recipe.