Pesto Turkey &
Zucchini Skillet
A lighter, brighter take on the weeknight turkey skillet — fresh zucchini, cherry tomatoes, and sweet onion sautéed with ground turkey and finished with a generous spoonful of pesto. No canned anything, no long ingredient list, ready in 20 minutes. This is the summer version of an easy weeknight dinner.
- 1 lb lean ground turkey
- 2 zucchini, sliced into rounds
- 1 cup cherry or yellow tomatoes, halved
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp pesto
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- — cooking spray
- — fresh basil, to garnish (optional)
- — shredded Parmesan (optional)
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1
Brown the turkey
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat lightly coated with cooking spray. Add the ground turkey and cook, breaking it apart, until fully browned — about 6–7 minutes. Add the garlic in the last minute and stir. Drain any excess liquid.
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2
Sauté the vegetables
Add the diced onion to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes until starting to soften. Add the zucchini and season with oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is just tender with a slight bite — pull it off the heat before it goes soft and watery.
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3
Add the tomatoes
Add the halved cherry and yellow tomatoes and stir gently. Cook for just 1–2 minutes — enough to warm them through and let them release a little juice without completely breaking down. The tomatoes should still hold their shape.
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4
Stir in the pesto & serve
Remove from heat and stir in the pesto until everything is evenly coated — the residual heat is enough to warm it through without dulling the bright basil flavor. Taste and adjust seasoning. Garnish with fresh basil and a sprinkle of Parmesan if desired and serve immediately.
- Add pesto off the heat: Stirring the pesto in after removing the skillet from the heat preserves its bright, fresh basil flavor — cooking pesto dulls it significantly. The residual heat from the pan is all it needs.
- Don't overcook the zucchini: Tender with a slight bite is the goal — once zucchini goes past that point it releases water and goes soft and watery. Pull the skillet off the heat while the zucchini still looks vibrant.
- Homemade or store-bought pesto both work: A good quality store-bought pesto is perfectly fine here — look for one made with olive oil and real basil. Three tablespoons is a starting point; taste and add more if you want a stronger pesto flavor.
- Try it over zucchini noodles: The pesto sauce coats zucchini noodles beautifully — serve this over a bed of spiralized zucchini for a completely grain-free bowl that feels genuinely indulgent.
- Love this formula? The Easy Turkey and Veggie Skillet uses the same technique with a tomato base and Italian seasoning for a heartier, more savory version — two totally different meals from the same 20-minute formula.