Turkey Bolognese

A lighter version of the Italian classic, this delicious Turkey Bolognese is a rich, meaty pasta sauce that’s loaded with roasted tomatoes, ground turkey and herbs. Toss it over spaghetti for a crowd-pleasing meal that's hearty, nutritious and protein-packed!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 5

Total Time 5 15

Servings servings

Calories 253

Author Kim

Ingredients

6 large tomatoes
6 cloves garlic peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt & pepper
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb. ground turkey 93/7
1 medium onion diced
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 heaping teaspoon Italian seasoning
salt & pepper to taste
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons sugar
1 lb. spaghetti or other pasta

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly spray baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Wash tomatoes and slice into thick slices. Place onto baking sheet with peeled cloves of garlic and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and basil. Bake 30-35 minutes or until nice and roasted.
While tomatoes and garlic are baking, heat olive oil in large pot and brown ground turkey and onions together. Add in bay leaves, basil, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and stir. Reduce heat to low and simmer until tomatoes are done cooking.
When tomatoes and garlic are finished cooking, spoon into a food processor or blender and pulse until mostly smooth (a few chunks are fine).
Pour tomato and garlic mixture into meat along with the can of tomato sauce and the sugar. Stir and bring to boil, then reduce to a low simmer and cook 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly. You will more than likely need more salt. Remove the bay leaves. Serve over al dente pasta, such as spaghetti.

Notes

*Nutritional information includes sauce only, not pasta.

This sauce can be made ahead and stored in the fridge or freezer. Because it takes a bit longer to cook, we like to double or triple the recipe and freeze it for later.

Refrigerator. Store in an airtight container, in the fridge for up to about 4 days.
Freezer. This sauce will expand when frozen, so keep that in mind when storing. Place it in an airtight container or a ziplock bag and freeze for up to 3 months. (Don’t forget to write the date on your container so that you know when you put it in the freezer.)
Reheat. Let frozen sauce thaw in the fridge. Then, simply cook it on the stovetop or in the microwave, stirring every 20 seconds, until heated through.

Nutrition