An Italian classic gets a healthy makeover. This Turkey Bolognese delivers all the comfort and flavor of the original but with a lighter twist.
Turkey Bolognese: healthy, delicious, and as hearty as a traditional bolognese recipe. This is the pasta sauce I turn to when I want all the comfort without all of the calories. It’s so delicious it might find a permanent place in your pasta night rotation, too.
I seriously love this turkey bolognese recipe. I started making this healthier option because bolognese is my favorite Italian sauce, but I wanted something lighter.
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We are no strangers to pasta night at our house. We all love it, so having this healthier bolognese recipe on hand makes it easy to have one of our favorite comfort foods without breaking the bank in the calorie department.
Healthy Bolognese Recipe
I’ve been following a more macro-focused diet, experimenting and giving some of my classic recipes a healthy twist. I still want the things I love, but with less sugar, and this meat sauce hits the mark.
Bolognese is great for macro because it’s so meaty. All I needed to do was create a recipe cutting down sugar and calories. I am pleased to share that this recipe nails it, and my family loves it. I’ve made it multiple times, and it’s easy to pull together.
My husband loves the sauce’s texture—the ground turkey and carrots still have just a little chew. I love how they stand out in the sauce and add a natural sweetness. We love it with pasta, but you can spoon this sauce over so many other things – regular rice, cauliflower rice, mashed potatoes or cauliflower mash, baked potatoes… there are many options, so it never gets boring.
My husband and kids usually team up with Alfredo sauce, but we can all agree that this easy turkey bolognese is a winner. I’m sure you will love it, too.
Ingredients
Recipe Tips
There are a couple of ways to make this sauce with more or less texture, depending on your tastes.
- I prefer a sauce with a lot of texture, so I usually wait to add the carrots until I add the tomatoes and tomato sauce. This shortens their cooking time, making them crisper and more noticeable in the sauce.
- If you prefer softer carrots, follow the recipe and add them with the onions and garlic. They will cook longer and not be as noticeable in the sauce.
- You can also control this with the type of carrots you use. Pre-shredded carrots are thicker and hold their shape better. If you prefer softer carrots, you can shred them so they are not as thick.
- This is a beautiful recipe to make ahead. You can make a batch over the weekend and pop it in the refrigerator or freezer for an easy meal later. The sauce will stay in the fridge for three to four days or up to three months in the freezer.
- Serve this turkey bolognese with your favorite pasta – penne, spaghetti, rigatoni, or linguini. You can also use it to make lasagna.
So, here’s to lighter dishes that don’t skimp on the flavor and fill us up when we need a little comfort. I hope you try this turkey bolognese – it’s a favorite at our house, and I think it will be at yours, too. Enjoy! XOXO San
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Turkey Bolognese
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 pounds lean ground turkey
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 10 ounces shredded carrots
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 28 ounces tomato sauce
- 56 ounces chopped tomatoes two 28 ounce cans
- 1/2 cup italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon fennel
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/4 cup milk
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot on medium high heat.
- Add ground turkey and saute until cooked through and brown. Remove from pot and drain, then set aside.
- In the same pot, heat another tablespoon of olive oil and saute carrots, onion, and garlic until the onion is transluscent and tender.
- Stir in tomato sauce, chopped tomatoes, Italian seasoning, fennel, and salt. Add the cooked turkey back to the pot and simmer for 30 minutes. Cover with a lid, leaving a slght crack for steam to escape. Stir occasionally so that it doesn't burn and stick to the pot.
- Before serving, add the milk and stir. Serve with noodles of your choice and enjoy!
So great for those busy weekday nights. Thanks!
This looks like a perfect comfort meal for a chilly evening!
Such a great dish! It’s definitely a favorite!
Surprising how delicious this was. The carrots gave such a great texture contrast.
This Turkey Bolognese looks incredibly delicious!
What a great idea to use turkey! My kids will love this sauce!
I’ve made it and now it’s our favorite recipe! It’s so flavorful!
1/2 cup Italian seasoning, is that right? Not a typo?
That is correct, not a typo! You can adjust to taste of course, but it does make a large batch so it doesn’t end up being too much.
I love using ground turkey! It’s such a great way to make a tasty dish healthier. This looks like a great one!
This sounds incredibly delicious! My family would love it!!
Such a great recipe and a favorite of mine
No doubt, this is really amazing! Definitely a must make!
This is so good! My family and I enjoyed it!
Everyone at the table loved it! Will be making again next week!
This is definitely lighter than a traditional Bolognese , but it’s still incredibly satisfying! You’re right, it has secured its spot in my regular pasta rotation!
I tried your Turkey Bolognese recipe last night and it was a total winner. Such a hearty and healthy alternative to beef. It was rich in flavor and the kids didn’t even notice the switch to turkey!
So I’ve never made a bolognese before and this one turned out great. My whole family scarfed it down. Super tasty!
This was delicious!
I forgot how much I love this recipe. Had to make it again