Ground Turkey Bolognese Recipe

This easy turkey Bolognese recipe is a quick and tasty weeknight dinner, loaded with lean ground meat, tomatoes, fresh herbs, and spices!  With aromatic garlic, sweet tomatoes, white wine, and bold olive oil, this makes a fantastic pasta sauce.

Great with your favorite cooked pasta, this easy Bolognese sauce is a weeknight dinner the whole family will love. Serve with a thick slice of homemade garlic bread and a hearty chopped salad for a complete meal.

turkey bolognese recipe with ground turkey carrots tomatoes and white wine and light cream

This modern Bolognese sauce recipe uses healthy turkey instead of beef or pork.  It’s pure comfort food any time of year! There’s nothing more cozy than a big bowl of warm pasta, and it’s great for making for date night to serving to guests.

A creamy rich sauce that is a family favorite, and still lighter than traditional Bolognese sauce. It makes the perfect family dinner, as you can cook a bit batch on Sunday and enjoy with everyone at the table.

 This Turkey Bolognese Is:

  • Rich
  • Creamy
  • Bright
  • Garlicky
  • Hearty
  • Gluten Free
  • Easy to batch cook and freeze for later!
bolognese recipe with ground turkey and tomatoes and basil italian recipes with turkey

Ingredients for Bolognese with Ground Turkey

I cook with fresh produce from my garden and from Misfits Market– they sell fantastic fruit, vegetables, & pantry staples at a discounted price. We get Misfit boxes every other week and love picking out seasonal produce for delivery. Get $10 off your first box by clicking here!

  • Lean ground turkey – I like to use a lean 93/7 ground turkey. 
  • Extra virgin Olive Oil: I like to use this fruity olive oil which has a fantastic flavor and deep color.
  • Minced Garlic
  • Carrots – I love adding a little sweetness to this sauce. You can chop the carrots by hand, or use a food processor to do the work too!
  • Wine – I used a white wine for this recipe, but red wine would also made a great substitute.
  • San Marzano Tomatoes – I used diced tomatoes, but you can use tomato paste or tomato sauce too.
  • Light Cream, half & half or heavy cream, or even whole milk – the cream gives this sauce a fantastic depth of flavor.
  • Fresh herbs
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Parmesan cheese for topping

Substitutions

If you don’t want to use wine, you can substitute 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar instead. 

I used lean turkey, but if you wanted to use dark ground turkey, you can also use that in this meat-based sauce.

bolognese sauce with turkey easy lean bolognese without ground beef or pork Italian turkey recipes

Can you Freeze Bolognese Sauce?

Absolutely!  This leftover sauce freezes well – so if you have a lot leftover, you can freeze in a gallon bag or in mason jars for later. This recipe got a major 10/10 from both my husband and I!  It was absolutely delicious with a thick tagliatelle pasta.   

It makes a huge batch of meat sauce, so you can enjoy it for many meals, and freeze leftovers. When ready to enjoy, thaw frozen sauce, reheat, and serve with pasta.

How To Make Bolognese Sauce with Ground Turkey

  • In a large Dutch oven or large soup pot, begin by browning the turkey on medium heat.  Cook for 10 to 15 minutes until turkey is cooked all the way through, breaking up any larger chunks with a wooden spoon.  Remove from heat and transfer cooked turkey to a bowl and set aside.
  • In the same Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over low heat.  Add the garlic, onion, and carrots to the pot, and sauté on low from 5-7 minutes until the veggies begin to soften.
  • Add the wine and simmer for 5 minutes until the wine begins to reduce. Stir the wine around with the vegetables, scraping loose any browned bits of the bottom of the pan.
  • Add the crushed tomatoes, the cooked ground turkey, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 30 minutes until sauce begins to thicken.
  • Top off the sauce with the light cream, fresh basil, and red pepper flakes if using, and stir.
  • Serve over cooked pasta, and enjoy. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
the best turkey bolognese recipe with lean ground turkey and heavy cream and carrots

What To Serve with Turkey Pasta Sauce

You can serve this turkey Bolognese with pasta: fettuccine, linguine, even spaghetti squash for a low carb option. 

Alternatively, you can spoon this sauce on top of zucchini noodles too.

Browse more easy pasta dinners you’ll love:

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    Ground Turkey Bolognese Recipe

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Share this Turkey Bolognese Recipe

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bolognese sauce with turkey easy lean bolognese without ground beef or pork Italian turkey recipes

Turkey Bolognese Sauce

Kelly Jensen
This easy turkey Bolognese recipe is a quick and tasty weeknight dinner, loaded with lean ground meat, tomatoes, fresh herbs, and spices!  With aromatic garlic, sweet tomatoes, white wine, and bold olive oil, this makes a fantastic pasta sauce.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Dinner, Pasta, Sauce
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 12 1-cup servings
Calories 199 kcal

Equipment

  • Large Pot
  • Wooden Spoon

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 lbs lean ground turkey
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 sweet onion diced
  • 4 large carrots chopped
  • 2 cups white wine
  • 48 ounces diced tomatoes I used San Marzano
  • 1 cup light cream
  • 1/2 teaspoons each sea salt and black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes optional for heat
  • 1 cup fresh basil chopped

Instructions
 

  • In a large Dutch oven or large soup pot, begin by browning the turkey on medium heat.  Cook for 10 to 15 minutes until turkey is cooked all the way through, breaking up any larger chunks with a wooden spoon.  Remove from heat and transfer cooked turkey to a bowl and set aside.
  • In the same Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over low heat.  Add the garlic, onion, and carrots to the pot, and sauté on low from 5-7 minutes until the veggies begin to soften.
  • Add the wine and simmer for 5 minutes until the wine begins to reduce. Stir the wine around with the vegetables, scraping loose any browned bits of the bottom of the pan.
  • Add the crushed tomatoes, the cooked ground turkey, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 30 minutes until sauce begins to thicken.
  • Top off the sauce with the light cream, fresh basil, and red pepper flakes if using, and stir.
  • Serve over cooked pasta, and enjoy. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 199kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 15gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 53mgSodium: 152mgPotassium: 569mgFiber: 2gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 4477IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 78mgIron: 2mg
Keyword bolognese sauce with ground turkey, bolognese with turkey recipe, ground turkey pasta sauce, italian turkey sauce recipe, turkey bolognese recipe, turkey bolognese sauce recipe
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