Easy Turkey Bolognese is perfect when you crave the richness of traditional bolognese, but want something lighter. Fresh and delicious, it is quick to prepare but still full of hearty flavour!
A Lighter Bolognese
Turkey is not just for Christmas! This light and tasty bolognese recipe uses turkey breast mince (or you could also use thigh mince or a mix of both). Turkey mince is lower in saturated fat than beef mince but still high in protein. It is also a great source of B Vitamins, selenium, zinc, and phosphorus.
A lot of people do say that they find turkey meat, especially the breast, tends to be dry and a bit tasteless but I think they just haven’t found the right recipe! This bolognese sauce is so juicy and full of flavour!
This is also a great recipe to use up extra vegetables hanging around the fridge – diced courgettes, mushrooms or sliced cherry tomatoes would be a great addition. Add some diced chilli in with the peppers for a nice kick if you love food with some spice!
Easy Weeknight Meal
Everyone has their favourite beef Bolognese recipe, but they normally require at least an hour of simmering to get that typical rich flavour.
This easy turkey bolognese can be on the table in 35 minutes – you only need to simmer it for 20 minutes! It is such a great recipe for meal prep too. You can easily double the batch and freeze in portions for a quick and easy midweek meal.
Serving Suggestions
Of course the obvious choice is spaghetti! But this bolognese works well with pretty much any type of pasta. You could use wholemeal, chickpea or lentil pasta for added fibre. Or go for courgetti noodles or a 50/50 mix for an even lighter meal. I have also used it to make lasagne which was absolutely delicious!
I love to serve bolognese with a sprinkle of parmesan or pecorino cheese. Cheddar or mozzarella are great too. I love to top my pasta dishes with fresh herbs – basil or parsley work best here.
I hope you like this recipe as much as I do! Please leave a comment or tag me on Instagram @carrieskitchen_ if you make it!
Looking for more easy pasta dishes? You will love these:
- Tuna Pasta Bake with Leeks & Cheddar
- Chilli Prawn Linguine
- Brussels Sprouts and Bacon Pasta
- Bacon & Mushroom Carbonara
Easy Turkey Bolognese
Ingredients
- 500 gram turkey breast mince
- 400 gram tin of chopped tomatoes
- 500 ml chicken stock made from 1 stock cube
- 1 white onion diced
- 2 carrots diced
- 1 red or yellow pepper diced
- 1 tbsp tomato puree
- 2 cloves garlic diced
- ½ tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 2 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
- fresh chopped basil or parsley to garnish
- 500 gram spaghetti or your preferred pasta shape
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add the carrots and onions. Cook for 3-4 minutes until beginning to soften. Stir in the dried basil and oregano.
- Add the turkey mince to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes until it is browned all over, breaking it up with a spatula or wooden spoon as it cooks.
- Add the diced pepper and garlic then stir in the tomato puree.
- Pour in the tinned tomatoes and chicken stock and stir well.
- Simmer, uncovered, for a minimum of 20 minutes.
- While the bolognese is simmering, cook the pasta to packet instructions.
- Toss the pasta with the bolognese to serve and garnish with fresh chopped basil or parsley.
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe has been linked to CookBlogShare
Luved this recipe, didnt expect it to be so good with the turkey
So happy you enjoyed it!
I love bolognese but what a great idea to lighten it up with turkey mince. A great flavour packed recipe.
Thank you!
I like swapping in turkey mince for a change. This looks delicious.
Yes it’s so good for a change to regular bolognese!
Turkey Bolognese is one of our favourite meals as Turkey mince is so low in fat and calories! This looks delicious 😋 Thank you for joining in with #CookBlogShare this week, Karen
Thank you! Yes turkey mince is such a good, healthy swap for beef mince!
I love how light and fresh this bolognese is, perfect for warm summer evenings.
Thank you!
I love the fact that this bolognese is so quick and easy to make. My kids always love bolognese but I haven’t ever made it with turkey mince so it would be lovely to try it one day for a change.
Yes it makes such a nice change and being quick to make is a great bonus!