Classic mac-n-cheese from the box has its time and place, but occasionally you need an upgrade. This mouthwatering and easy recipe will elevate your mac-n-cheese game to new heights.
Kids love this meaty mac too! If you don’t believe me, watch our YouTube Short linked below.
This recipe only takes about 35 minutes in total time, making it an ideal quick dinner recipe for those grueling mid-week days. Â It’s also perfect for lunch.Â
Turkey Mac-N-cheese elevates a classic dish
Turkey not only adds protein to classic mac-n-cheese, it brings extra flavor and texture. Instead of purely al dente pasta, the addition of turkey further stimulates the palate. Meat and noodles is a beautiful combination. Especially when mixed with cheese!Â
The best part about this recipe is that it elevates an already classic dish. Who wouldn’t want a version that’s fresher, not from a box, but almost as simple and easy to make!
It's Easy to Make!
You won’t want to return to the boxed versions again! This recipe only adds one main step: sautéing turkey meat. Once that’s done, it’s as if you’re making boxed Mac-n-cheese: boil noodles, add cheese, add herbs like parsley if you desire, and then mix in some milk before adding the turkey meat.Â
It doesn’t get much easier. Unless you have someone else making it for you.Â
You could try variations to turkey Mac-N-Cheese TOo
Next time I plan to try a baked version of this recipe. Â Same ingredients, but instead of finishing the recipe in a pot, I plan to finish it in the oven with a little extra cheese sprinkled on top. Â An oven finish will only enhance the flavors and really marry all of the ingredients together.Â
If you try this version, be sure to let me know in the comments. If you do any variations for that matter, let me know!
Have Easy Fun
This recipe is primarily designed for busy people who don’t have an hour plus to devote to cooking. It’s simple, fast, nourishing, and tasty. What more could you want?
As with all of our recipes, the goal is to have fun.  For this turkey Mac-n-cheese recipe, the goal is even more targeted.  Have easy fun!  So don’t overthink it and enjoy.
Bon appetit!Â
Turkey Mac-N-Cheese
Equipment
- Pot for boiling macaroni and mixing ingredients
- Skillet for sautéing ground turkey
- 1 Sieve for straining the macaroni
- 1 Spatula for sautéing the ground turkey and mixing all the ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 pound Organic ground turkey
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 package Macaroni noodles I used eggshell noodles in the picture and video, but traditional macaroni noodles work too.
- 1 cup Shredded cheese mix I used a Mexican quesadilla cheese mix from Costco that was pre-shredded. Add more cheese as desired!
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 cup Oat milk
- 1 tbsp Parsley Chopped
Instructions
- Sauté organic ground turkey until brown.
- While turkey is cooking, boil water for the macaroni noodles, adding 1/2 tsp of salt to the water.
- Boil noodles according to package instructions, strain through sieve once al dente, and return noodles to the pot.
- Add the milk and cheese to the pot, stirring while you add.
- Once cheese has started to melt, add the cooked turkey to the mix and stir (adding more cheese as desired).
- Add the parsley and continue stirring until mixed.
- Once you've plated the turkey mac-n-cheese, add more parsley for garnish.
