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30-Minute Dirty Spaghetti (Cajun One-Pot Pasta)

Seasoned ground turkey, the holy trinity, and tomatoes simmer into a smoky Cajun sauce that the spaghetti cooks in directly — one pot, 30 minutes, about 28g protein per serving (estimated).
Print Recipe
Prep Time 8 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 lb ground turkey 93% lean
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 1 green bell pepper diced
  • 2 stalks celery diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 tbsp homemade Cajun seasoning see note; or store-bought
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes undrained
  • 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 12 oz spaghetti broken in half
  • 0.5 cup sliced green onions plus more for serving
  • Hot sauce for serving

Equipment

  • Large Dutch oven or deep heavy pot with lid (5-quart or larger)
  • Wooden spoon or spatula
  • Tongs

Method
 

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey and cook, breaking it into crumbles, until no pink remains, about 5–6 minutes. Drain off any excess liquid.
  2. Stir in the onion, bell pepper, and celery; cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and Cajun seasoning; cook 1 minute more, until fragrant and the vegetables are well coated.
  3. Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juices and the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a lively boil.
  4. Stir in the broken spaghetti, pressing it down so it's mostly submerged. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring twice to keep the pasta from sticking, until the spaghetti is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed into a thick sauce.
  5. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, 2 minutes — the sauce will thicken as it rests. Uncover and toss with tongs; if it looks dry, splash in 2–3 tablespoons of broth.
  6. Shower with the sliced green onions and serve hot, with hot sauce on the table.

Notes

Food safety: ground turkey must reach 165°F internally — the long simmer guarantees it. Stir the pasta twice during the covered simmer so it doesn't clump. Leftovers 4 days refrigerated / 3 months frozen; reheat to 165°F. Homemade Cajun seasoning: smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, cayenne, black pepper, kosher salt. Protein ~28g/serving estimated from USDA FoodData Central; not lab-tested.