Turkey Bolognese: Nutritious and Delicious

Prep Time10 minsCook Time20 minsDifficultyBeginnerYields6 ServingsCategoryDinner, Lunch, Sauce

Source: Food and Flair

Turkey Bolognese offers a variety of health benefits, making it a great choice for a nutritious and flavorful meal. It is lower in fat, a lean rich protein, and full of nutrients!

The use of 93% lean ground turkey has more flavor and moisture than 99% lean turkey. If using a parmesan rind and a store-bought marinara sauce please be cautious with the amount of salt you use. I usually season the mirepoix or onion, celery, carrot sofrito very carefully until I add these ingredients to the sauce. Then I add salt to taste if necessary. Please remember to remove the rind from the sauce once it has been cooked. We love to serve this sauce over pasta with pieces of burrata, fresh basil, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and red pepper flakes. It is simply divine!

1 lb ground turkeyI used 93% lean

24 oz tomato basil or marinara sauce

1 sweet onion, choppedabout 1 cup

1 small carrot choppedabout 3/4 cup

2 stacks of celery, choppedabout half a cup to 3/4 cup

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ cup basil leaves, julienne - divided

¼ tsp dry thyme

¼ tsp nutmeg, freshly ground

1 cup vegetable broth

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

½ tsp saltto taste

¼ tsp pepper

Directions

Place olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté for about 3 minutes, add the carrot, celery, thyme, and garlic. Stir for about 3-4 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Add the ground turkey, remove the turkey sausage from the casing (if using) and mix with the turkey, crumbling the meat with a spatula or fork, for 5 to 7 minutes, until the turkey has started to brown.

Pour the wine (if using) or just use 1/4 cup of the vegetable broth into the skillet and stir to scrape up any browned bits and deglaze the pan. Add the tomato basil or marinara sauce, salt, parmesan rind (if using), and pepper and stir until combined. Once it starts to boil, lower the heat.

Add the half and half, nutmeg, about 1/3 of a cup of basil - save the rest for serving, and the remaining 1/2 cup vegetable broth to the sauce and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened. Remove the parmesan rind and taste for salt and pepper and adjust if necessary.

Nutrition Facts

6 servings

Serving size

Amount per serving
Calories344

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 19g25%
Cholesterol 97mg33%
Total Carbohydrate 13g5%

* The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.