Turkey Bolognese

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This turkey Bolognese is made with ground turkey and turkey sausage, and is a variation on the classic Italian Bolognese sauce.

Prep Time5

Cook Time1 25

Total Time1 30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings: people

Calories: 702kcal

2 tablespoons olive oil Or use duck fat
1 large carrot, shredded
1 onion, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 teaspoon Italian herb mixture
¼ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
1 pound turkey sausage Or omit and use 2 pounds ground turkey
1 pound ground turkey I used a 93/7 lean ground turkey. If using extra-lean (99/1) turkey, add extra tablespoon oil.
1 cup dry red wine Optional
24 ounce jar tomato puree Or use 28-ounce can
4 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup chicken broth Or use turkey broth
½ cup heavy cream Optional
1 pound tagliatelle Or use fettucine. I also like this sauce with a short-grain pasta such as rotini or penne.

Add the oil to a large heavy pot and heat on medium. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the carrot, onion, celery, herbs and ¼ teaspoon sea salt. Cook until veggies soften, about 5 minutes.
Add the sausage and ground turkey, and cook until the meat begins to brown.
If using, add the wine and simmer about 2 minutes.
Add the tomato puree, tomato paste and broth. Reduce the heat to low and allow to simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally.
Tip: If you have the time, let the sauce simmer even longer, around 2 hours. Add more broth if the sauce begins to dry out.
If using, add the cream and stir. Taste, seasoning with more salt if desired.
Allow sauce to simmer over low heat while pasta cooks.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions.
When pasta is al dente, scoop out about 1 cup of pasta water into a measuring cup. Drain the pasta and toss directly into the pasta sauce, adding a ladle or two of pasta water if the sauce seems dry.
Serve immediately, garnishing with Parmesan cheese if desired.

Make Ahead:

Freezer: Stop after step 3 (after simmering the tomato sauce but before adding cream). Cool to room temperature and store in a freezer-safe container for up to up to 6 months. Thaw before using, reheat and add cream.
Fridge: After step 4 (adding the cream), stop and allow the sauce to cool to room temperature. Store in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat before serving with freshly cooked pasta.