Turkey Veggie Bolognese

Turkey Veggie Bolognese is a lightened up version of classic Italian bolognese. It’s still thick, rich and satisfying like the classic, but ground turkey and lots of veggies give it a delicious summer flair.

Bolognese is one of my very favorite Italian dishes. For those of you not familiar, bolognese is a thick and hearty meat sauce. It can consist of any combination of ground beef, pork and/or veal.

It’s combined with root vegetables, wine, tomatoes and heavy cream along with herbs and spices. Then it’s slow simmered until most of the liquid reduces and you’re left with a thick and delicious sauce that’s perfect over a plate of pasta.

As I said, bolognese is one of my favorite dishes, but it is a little heavy during the summer months. So, I decided to create lighter, healthier summer bolognese. What I came up with is this super yummy turkey veggie bolognese.

My lightened-up summer version starts with lots of veggies. Onion, mushrooms and red peppers step in for this. Instead of beef, veal or pork, lean turkey breast goes into the pot as a healthy, yet tasty alternative.

I really like to use cremini mushrooms along with red wine for this recipe. Both of these ingredients help to deepen the flavor and make it taste richer. While it simmers, I also add a parmigiano reggiano cheese rind for even more flavor.

Once the ingredients have all been combined, the bolognese gently simmers, uncovered, for anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour, until it’s nice and thick. Along with thickening the sauce, this allows the flavors to combine and deepen into something amazing.

This sauce is delicious served over spaghetti pasta or if you want to keep the dish even lighter, zucchini noodles are a great option. The choice is yours.

Ingredients Needed to Make Turkey Veggie Bolognese

Full instructions can be found in the recipe card below

• Onion
• Red pepper
• Cremini mushrooms – Also sometimes called baby bellas.
• Garlic
• Ground turkey breast
• Italian seasoning
• Crushed red pepper flakes
• Red wine
• Chicken stock
• Crushed tomatoes
• Parmigiano reggiano cheese rind – Really, any parmesan rind will work.
• Fresh basil
• Fresh Italian parsley
• Pasta – Zucchini noodles work well as a substitute.

Tips and Tricks for Making Turkey Veggie Bolognese

• Cremini mushrooms, also known as baby bellas, are my favorite choice. They have a deeper, richer flavor than white button mushrooms, which really helps the sauce achieve it’s rich flavor.
• If you don’t have a red pepper, an orange or yellow pepper also works. A green pepper is not going to give the same sweetness to the sauce.
• For the least amount of fat and calories, 98% lean turkey breast is your best bet.
• You don’t absolutely have to add the cheese rind while the sauce simmers, but I highly recommend it. It adds a bit of salty, cheesy flavor.
• Once all of the ingredients are mixed together, the sauce will be fairly thin. You want to bring it to a boil and then reduce the heat to a low enough simmer that the sauce is at a low bubble. Stir occasionally, uncovered, until the sauce has reduced by about a third to a half. You still want there to be sauce, but you don’t want it to be too saucy.

Try These Other Summer Pasta Recipes

• BLT Pasta
• Roasted Broccoli Summer Salad
• Pasta with Zucchini and Garden Veggies
• Grilled Shrimp with Garlicky Parmesan Orzo

ENJOY!

This recipe was originally posted on October 2, 2015. It was updated to improve user experience and re-posted on July 23, 2020.