A healthier yet authentic take on comfort food, Turkey Bolognese is lower in fat but still ultra rich, saucy, and flavorful.

This recipe was originally published October 25, 2021. It was updated with new photos on March 3, 2022.

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Article Summary:

In today's post we will be making Turkey Bolognese. This pasta sauce recipe is a easy and lighter take traditional bolognese sauce. With ground turkey instead of beef and pancetta and reduced amounts of cream, we have all the classic flavor without being too heavy or rich. Read on to learn how to make this recipe, common recipe FAQs, and more.

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Meet my new favorite pasta sauce.

Because, although I love to make Instant Pot Beef Bolognese for company and my chicken bolognese sauce is surprisingly rich and hearty, I probably most often buy and cook with ground turkey.

I mean, how did I not have a ground turkey bolognese on the site? Your guess is probably better than mine. Ground turkey is a perfect healthier meat for bolognese -- rich and fuller in flavor, yet still lighter in saturated fat and calories than ground beef -- it can bring us the mouth feel and flavor experience we desire without too much heft or heaviness.

Another way that we make this healthy bolognese flavorful but still light is with half & half. Part heavy cream and part whole milk, we get the richness characteristic of classic bolognese sauces (did you know they're usually finished off with milk or cream?) without using all cream. It's one of those split the difference type of situations that actually works!

This pasta sauce tastes like it simmered on the stovetop all day, but thanks to layers of tomatoes it has depths of flavors in under 50 minutes (start to finish!). Canned whole tomatoes, tomato paste, and sundried tomatoes in oil contribute various facets of tomato flavor in little time.

A time saving tip: double this recipe and enjoy it throughout the week for meal prep. It reheats like a dream and is great on everything from pasta and roasted potatoes to air fryer veggies. You could even dunk breadsticks in it.

And of course, you can always freeze this sauce for later. Nothing better than surprising your family with a favorite homemade meal you didn't have to cook.

Now I bet you see how this is my favorite sauce. Now I just hope it becomes yours, too. 🙂

This turkey pasta sauce recipe is...

• Rich
• Saucy
• Meaty
• Savory

If you're looking for a healthier authentic Italian food experience, this turkey bolognese recipe is for you!

Ingredients:

• Ground turkey - 93% or less lean is best. Ultra lean -- like 95% lean or more -- doesn't add enough fat or flavor for this recipe.
• Carrots
• Celery
• Onion
• Garlic - fresh minced garlic is best, though prechopped garlic also works in a pinch.
• Olive oil
• Whole canned tomatoes
• Tomato paste
• Sundried tomatoes in oil - sliced sundried tomatoes will mix in the best. If your tomatoes are whole, just cut them into small slices or pieces before stirring in.
• Balsamic vinegar
• Half & half - true bolognese sauce is finished off with a splash of cream. We get the same richness with half & half (which is part cream, part whole milk).
• Salt
• Dried herbs - fennel seed, dried thyme, & dried rosemary

Substitutions:

• Ground meat - ground beef or ground chicken can substitute for the ground turkey. If using ground chicken, use a mixture of white and dark meat. All white meat will be too lean for the sauce.
• Canned tomatoes - crushed or diced tomatoes can substitute for the whole tomatoes, though you won't need to break the tomatoes down as they cook.
• Half & half - ¼ cup heavy cream or ½ cup whole milk can substitute for the half & half. If using whole milk, you may need to simmer the sauce down an additional 1-2 minutes.

How to make ground turkey bolognese...

1. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the celery, onions, and carrots. Sauté, stirring frequently, or until the carrots and celery are tender and onions are translucent.
2. Add the turkey to the pan. Sauté, crumbling as you cook, or until the turkey is cooked through and no longer pink.
3. Add the minced garlic, fennel seeds, dried thyme, and dried rosemary to the pan. Sauté until the garlic is fragrant.
4. Add the canned tomatoes, tomato paste, sundried tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, and salt to the pan. Stir well to combine. Simmer, stirring periodically, or until the sauce has thickened and turned a darker red color.
5. Reduce the heat to low. Once the sauce is no longer simmering, stir in the half & half. Stir until combined. Heat the sauce over low until the half & half liquid has evaporated.
6. Season the sauce with additional salt to taste. Serve tossed with hot pasta and garnished with grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Recipe pro-tips:

• Use quality canned tomatoes, if possible. Tomatoes are the star of this recipe show. So, if you can use a quality whole tomato product like San Marzano tomatoes, use it. If not, no worries, however. Most name brand canned tomatoes like Hunts or Contadina will also be just fine in this recipe.
• Simmer the sauce on moderate heat (not high). Authentic bolognese sauces cook over low heat for hours. So we can make this recipe in a reasonable amount of time while still developing luscious and rich flavors, we will simmer it over medium heat. Boiling it on high heat will rush the process, not developing the same flavor and potentially burning the sauce.
• Cook the pasta in heavily salted water. And by heavily salted, I mean at least 2 tablespoons salt for every gallon of water used to boil the pasta. The water should taste like the sea. Cooking pasta in salted water adds loads of flavor to the pasta.

Recipe FAQs:

Serving suggestions:

Serve this pasta for any occasion that you would serve pasta with meat sauce. The richness of this sauce will step up your pasta meal like you wouldn't expect!

I recommend serving this pasta with roasted broccoli or air fryer green beans and garlic bread. So delicious!

Storage directions:

Leftovers last covered in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. They can also be frozen in a freezer-safe container for 2-3 months.

Tools needed to make this recipe:

• Cutting board
• Chef knife
• Measuring cups & spoons
• Dutch oven
• Silicone spatula or heat safe turner
• Can opener
• Stock pot
• Colander

More pasta & Italian recipes:

• Chicken Bolognese Sauce
• Pesto Gnocchi
• Instant Pot Meatballs
• Pressure Cooker Beef Bolognese Sauce
• Lemon Ricotta Pasta with Peas
• Cheesy Baked Italian Sausage with Pasta
• Italian Lentil Soup
• Minestra Soup

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