This hearty, flavorful ground turkey Bolognese pasta sauce is made with ground turkey, carrots, garlic, and tomatoes. Easy, comforting, and family-friendly.
Pasta night is always a good night at our house. My husband loves it, my kids love it, and I love the fact that dinner is never more than 20 minutes away. One of my go-to pasta recipes is a healthier take on a classic sauce. Made with ground turkey, white wine, garlic, and mushrooms, my Ground Turkey Bolognese tastes delicious served over any pasta including spaghetti, penne, linguine or shells.
Ingredients
- Olive oil: Heart healthy oil to sauce the vegetables and cook the ground turkey.
- Onion: A white onion is mild and a little sweet to caramelize and add wonderful flavor to the sauce.
- Garlic: Pungent, aromatic, nutty and sweet taste in the sauce.
- Carrot: Hearty, sweet, and full of nutrients, they cook down and soften in the sauce.
- Turkey: Ground turkey breast is very lean and high in protein.
- White wine: Used to deglaze the pan, it adds a wonderful acidity. You can also use chicken broth if you’re serving to kids or don’t use alcohol.
- Fennel seeds: A bit warm, sweet, and similar in taste to anise.
- Oregano: An herb that is pungent, earthy, and a little spicy.
- Tomatoes: Whole peeled tomatoes cook down to be the base of this tomato sauce.
- Mushrooms: Button or cremini, I love the umami flavor and meatiness the mushrooms add to the sauce.
How to Make Ground Turkey Bolognese
Start your ground turkey Bolognese by preparing your veggies. Dice your onion and carrot, slice your mushrooms, and mince your garlic.
Put a deep skillet or large pot over medium high heat, add some olive oil, then sauté the onion, carrot, and garlic with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Once soft, add the ground turkey with fennel and oregano and cook until browned.
Once the turkey has formed a bit of a crust, add the white wine to deglaze the pan, then add the whole tomatoes and break down with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil, then add the mushrooms. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.
Serve over your favorite pasta. I love to garnish with parmesan cheese, parsley, or dried chili flakes for a wonderful kick of heat. Enjoy your Ground Turkey Bolognese!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between meat sauce and Bolognese?
What ground meat is best for Bolognese?
Can you freeze homemade pasta sauce?
Complimentary Sides
- Italian Stuffed Artichokes
- Za’atar Roasted Carrots and Green Beans
- Greek Village Salad
- Steamed Lemon Garlic Brussels Sprouts
- Cucumber Zucchini Salad
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An easy dish for anyone to make, but packed full of flavor for everyone to enjoy, my Easy Ground Turkey Bolognese is perfect for your next weeknight meal.
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Easy Ground Turkey Bolognese
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion (diced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 medium carrot (peeled and diced)
- 1 pound ground turkey breast
- ½ cup white wine (or chicken broth)
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 32 ounces whole peeled tomatoes
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- chili flakes (optional, to taste)
- parmesan cheese (optional garnish)
- minced parsley or basil (optional garnish)
- 2 cups sliced mushrooms
Instructions
- Heat a deep skillet over medium high heat and add olive oil. Saute onions, garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper, until onions are translucent, about 6-7 minutes. Add carrots and saute additional 5-6 minutes or until softened.
- Add ground turkey to the pan, along with fennel, oregano, and additional salt and pepper. Cook until turkey is browned and cooked through, using a wooden spoon to break into bite-sized pieces, about 7-8 minutes.
- Once the turkey is nicely browned and starting to form a crust, add white wine to the pan to deglaze using a wooden spoon to scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour in tomatoes, gently breaking them down using a wooden spoon.
- Add a pinch of salt and pepper then bring to boil. Add in mushrooms, stir once then reduce to low. Simmer for 20 minutes or longer until you're ready to serve. Serve over your favorite pasta if you wish.
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