This Turkey Butternut Squash Skillet with creamy white beans and kale is the perfect weeknight dinner for the fall months! It's a simple recipe made in one large skillet for easy clean-up, and full of nutrition including lean protein, fiber, and healthy fats.
Quick Look: Turkey Butternut Squash Skillet
- 🧁 Serves: 6
- ⭐ Features: Fresh ✓ Healthy ✓ One-Pot ✓
- ⌛️ Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🍪 Cook Time: 25 minutes
- 🕑 Total Time: 35 minutes
- 👩🍳 Skill Level: Beginner
- 🏆 Why make THIS version? It's a balanced meal in one pan made with healthy ingredients, and the end result is total comfort food!
SUMMARIZE AND SAVE THIS POST ON
Some of my most popular recipes are one-pan dinners! And this turkey butternut squash skillet is seriously the best for cooler months when sweet butternut squash is in season. It's a complete meal on its own, amazing comfort food, and great for busy weeknights because it comes together quickly.
What I love so much about it is that it uses some of the best produce of the season (butternut squash and kale) along with pantry staples for what I hope is one of your new favorite recipes!
If you love easy one-pan dinners like this, you'll also want to try my one-pan turkey skillet with sweet potatoes and black beans. If you're looking for a fall sheet pan dinner with butternut squash, my Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Meatballs is a cozy way to use seasonal squash. Or make my stuffed acorn squash with ground turkey and apple for another fall seasonal meal.
Jump to:
Key Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
This turkey butternut squash skillet is made with healthy ingredients. Below are some notes and substitution ideas. Check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post for measurements.
- Ground Turkey - I use lean ground turkey for this recipe. You could substitute with a different ground meat if you want. Lean ground beef or ground chicken would work great. If you enjoy cooking with lean ground turkey, try this ground turkey skillet with zucchini and white beans for a Mediterranean-inspired variation.
- Butternut Squash -butternut squash is the sweetest winter squash variety and goes great with turkey. This recipe calls for cubed butternut squash so you can either peel and dice it yourself, or save time by purchasing pre-cut butternut squash. If you have extra butternut squash on hand, you can also use it to make this roasted butternut squash soup with ginger and carrots.
- Kale - to add antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins C & K. You can substitute with spinach if you prefer.
- Cannellini Beans - white beans provide dietary fiber for gut health and important nutrients like magnesium. They also add plant-protein and flavor. I suggest cannellini beans (white kidney beans), but Great Northern beans or chickpeas work too.
- Yellow Onion - you can use a red onion or white onion instead. Feel free to add in green bell pepper if you want more veggies.
- Garlic
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil - I use extra-virgin olive oil to add heart-healthy fats.
- Chicken Broth
- Shredded Mozzarella Cheese - or another mild, melty cheese like Monterey jack
- Shredded Parmesan Cheese - to add umami flavor. For the best flavor, get a block of parmesan and grate it yourself.
- Lemon - lemon juice helps to brighten up the flavors at the end so you don't need as much salt. If you don't have a lemon, a splash of apple cider vinegar will do the trick.
- Seasonings - this recipe is seasoned with dried thyme, dried oregano, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper.
- Recipe Variations
- Sweet Potatoes - use sweet potatoes in place of butternut squash for a heartier meal.
- Creamier - if you like a creamier cheese, replace the parmesan with goat cheese or add in a scoop of Greek yogurt with the parmesan.
- Tomato - add a tablespoon of tomato paste and a 15 oz can of diced tomatoes to the cooked turkey before adding the squash if you want a tomato flavor base.
- Black Beans - use black beans if you want a more sturdy bean. Black beans would pair great with some fresh cilantro added at the end.
- Spicy - add red pepper flakes or chili powder to the seasoning mixture for a bit of spice.
Recipe Variations
- Sweet Potatoes - use sweet potatoes in place of butternut squash for a heartier meal.
- Creamier - if you like a creamier cheese, replace the parmesan with goat cheese or add in a scoop of Greek yogurt with the parmesan.
- Tomato - add a tablespoon of tomato paste and a 15 oz can of diced tomatoes to the cooked turkey before adding the squash if you want a tomato flavor base.
- Black Beans - use black beans if you want a more sturdy bean. Black beans would pair great with some fresh cilantro added at the end. For a faster option, this 20-minute high-protein turkey skillet is loaded with black beans, corn, peppers and salsa.
- Spicy - add red pepper flakes or chili powder to the seasoning mixture for a bit of spice.
- Pumpkin - for a similar healthy fall dinner with less chopping, make this Turkey Pumpkin White Bean Dinner.
How to Make Turkey Butternut Squash Skillet
Below are the directions for how to make this perfect one-pot fall meal with photos that I hope are helpful. Check the recipe card at the bottom for the full recipe.
- Step 1: Heat a large skillet on medium heat to medium high heat. Add olive oil. Once olive oil is heated, add the diced onion and sauté until soft, ~3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Step 2: Add the ground turkey, dried thyme and oregano, garlic powder, kosher salt and black pepper. Break apart the meat and cook until it's nearly done, 5-7 minutes.
- Step 3: Add the cubed butternut squash and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes, until the squash is fork tender.
- Step 4: Add the drained and rinsed white beans and kale with stems removed and chopped. Give everything a stir and let it simmer for another 3-5 minutes until the kale is softened.
Step 5: Remove from the heat and stir in the mozzarella and parmesan cheese until it's melted. Add a squeeze of lemon.
Hint: If you like it to be soupier, add more broth as needed.
Mallory's Dietitian Tip!
Adding white beans to a healthy dish like turkey skillet dinners is a simple and budget-friendly way to add dietary fiber, plant-based protein, and iron. White beans have a creamy texture so they also make the meal feel more decadent without adding empty calories. For another healthy turkey dinner with beans and vegetables, try my Turkey Vegetable Chili, which is especially cozy during the colder months.
Expert Tips
- Cube the butternut squash into small pieces to help it cook faster.
- Don't forget to drain and rinse the beans before adding them.
- Let the turkey brown for 1-2 minutes before breaking it apart. This will add more flavor.
- If it looks like it's too much liquid, simmer it for an extra few minutes uncovered to let some of the liquid evaporate.
- If it looks like it's not enough liquid, add more broth or even some water to thin it out.
- Remove the skillet from the heat before stirring in the cheese.
Turkey Butternut Squash Skillet FAQs
Absolutely! This recipe actually works really well for meal prep because it keeps well in the fridge and tastes just as delicious the next day.
- Refrigerator - store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
- Freezer - place cooled leftovers in a freezer-safe airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, let it thaw in the fridge overnight and heat in a skillet over medium heat or in the microwave.
Absolutely! You can substitute with either ground beef or chicken.
Yes! You'll need to cook it for an extra couple of minutes but that will totally work. The frozen squash will release more water than fresh so you may need less broth or you can simmer it uncovered for longer to let some of the liquid cook off!
More Healthy Turkey Skillet Dinners
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram. Your reviews help support me and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love. 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian
📖 Recipe
Turkey Butternut Squash Skillet with White Beans
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ yellow onion, diced (or 1 small onion)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb lean ground turkey
- 1½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (start with ½ teaspoon if using fine table salt or if your'e sensitive to salt, more to taste)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cups butternut squash, cubed into small pieces
- ½ cup chicken broth (more as needed)
- 3 cups kale, removed from stems and chopped (I use curly kale but lacinato kale works too)
- 1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (or Great Northern beans)
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- squeeze fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet on medium heat to medium high heat. Add olive oil. Once olive oil is heated, add the diced onion and sauté until soft, ~3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the ground turkey, dried thyme and oregano, garlic powder, kosher salt and black pepper. Break apart the meat and cook until it's nearly done, 5-7 minutes.
- Add the cubed butternut squash and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes until the squash is fork tender.
- Add the drained and rinsed white beans and kale with stems removed and chopped. Give everything a stir and let it simmer for another 3-5 minutes until the kale is softened.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the mozzarella and parmesan cheese until it's melted. Add a squeeze of lemon.
Notes
- You can substitute the turkey with ground chicken or lean ground beef.
- Cube the butternut squash into small pieces to help it cook faster.
- Don't forget to drain and rinse the beans before adding them.
- Let the turkey brown for 1-2 minutes before breaking it apart. This will add more flavor.
- If it looks like it's too much liquid, simmer it for an extra few minutes uncovered to let some of the liquid evaporate.
- If it looks like it's not enough liquid, add more broth or even some water to thin it out.
- Remove the skillet from the heat before stirring in the cheese.
- You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days or in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Comments
No Comments