An easy turkey mince bolognese recipe that can be made with low-fat turkey mince or leftover roast turkey.
Ready in just 45 minutes, it's the perfect dinner for busy weeknights and a recipe the whole family will love.
Bolognese is a favourite dish in our household, and this turkey bolognese recipe is a winner.
Not only is it low in fat and simple to prepare, but it's also incredibly tasty! The kids always request seconds when I serve it for dinner.
It's also an excellent way to incorporate extra veggies for fussy eaters.
👩🍳 Love bolognese? Try my easy lamb bolognese, pork bolognese and chicken bolognese recipes too!
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✔️ Why should you try it?
- Turkey mince bolognese is a healthier alternative to traditional beef bolognese as it is lower in fat and calories.
- This recipe is versatile and can be made using leftover roast turkey or fresh turkey mince. It's a great way to use up leftover turkey after Christmas or Thanksgiving.
- The flavours in this recipe are mild and kid-friendly, making it a great option for families with picky eaters. Plus, the addition of vegetables is a great way to sneak in some extra nutrition for your little ones.
- The recipe is quick and easy to make, making it a great option for busy weeknights.
🥘 Ingredients
Olive Oil - a light olive oil is best for this recipe.
Onion - 1 onion finely chopped.
Garlic - we like things garlicky so I used 3 garlic cloves.
Carrot - 1 large carrot, finely chopped.
Celery - 1 stick of celery, finely chopped.
Turkey Mince - 500g of fresh turkey mince, or alternatively use leftover roast turkey, chopped into small pieces.
Streaky Bacon - 3 rashers of streaky bacon help give the bolognese a flavour boost.
Tomato Puree - 2 tablespoons.
Worcestershire Sauce - 2 teaspoons.
Dried Italian Herbs - 3 teaspoons help give the bolognese sauce a herby flavour boost.
Passata - 500g is needed for this recipe. Alternatively, use tinned chopped tomatoes.
Chicken Stock Pot or Cube - 1 stock pot or cube (no need to dilute with water)
Milk - helps to tenderise the meat.
Sugar - helps balance the acidity of the tomatoes.
Basil - gives the sauce a lovely fresh flavour at the end of cooking.
Parmesan - essential for any bolognese!
Salt & Pepper - for seasoning purposes.
🔪 Instructions
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post
One: In a shallow casserole, heat up some oil and gently fry the onion, garlic, carrot, and celery until they become soft. This should take around 3-4 minutes.
Two: Increase the heat and add the chopped bacon and turkey mince. If you're using leftover cooked turkey, add it towards the end of cooking. Cook until the mince changes colour and the bacon is cooked.
Three: Stir in the tomato puree, Worcestershire sauce, dried Italian herbs, passata, and chicken stock pot or cube. Mix well, then add the milk and sugar.
Four: Simmer the mixture on low heat for 20 minutes until it's cooked. If you're using leftover cooked turkey, add it for the final 5 minutes of cooking. Season the mixture and sprinkle some basil and grated Parmesan before serving.
🍴 Serving suggestions
One popular option is to serve the bolognese over your favourite pasta, such as spaghetti or linguine. If you're looking for a low-carb and gluten-free option, try swapping out traditional pasta for courgette noodles.
Additionally, serving the bolognese with some garlic bread on the side is a great way to soak up the delicious sauce.
Another option is to serve the bolognese with a side salad of mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, and cucumber for a fresh and healthy meal.
Finally, roasted vegetables, such as carrots, broccoli, or sweet potatoes, make a great side dish.
Leftovers can be used as a topping for jacket potatoes or made into a pasta bake.
📖 Variations
- Add some heat to your bolognese by adding a pinch of chilli flakes or cayenne pepper to the sauce.
- Add more vegetables to the bolognese. Chopped mushrooms, courgettes (zucchini) and peppers all work well.
- Make it vegetarian by using Quorn mince instead of turkey.
- Swap the turkey mince for lamb or chicken mince.
🥡 Storage
Store - Place leftover turkey mince spag bol in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Reheat - Heat it up in a saucepan over low heat until it's heated through. You can also reheat it in the microwave or oven.
Freeze - You can freeze turkey mince bolognese for up to 3 months. Allow it to cool completely before transferring it to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag.
❓ FAQS
Milk helps to tenderise the meat and give the bolognese a richer depth of flavour.
Turkey bolognese is lower in fat than normal beef bolognese. Serve with wholewheat spaghetti for extra health benefits.
If your sauce requires a bit of thickening, you can simply simmer (without a lid) on a low heat for 10 more minutes. You could also add a tablespoon of thickening granules (which can usually be found in the baking aisle at the supermarket).
Yes, you can use leftover roast turkey in this recipe. Simply add it towards the end of cooking to avoid overcooking it.
Yes, you can make this recipe in advance and store it in the refrigerator or freezer for later. It's a great option for meal prep or batch cooking.
😋Related recipes
Some more delicious pasta recipes to try!
- Pork Bolognese - another lighter alternative to traditional beef bolognese.
- Chorizo Bolognese - smoky and rich, this delicious chorizo bolognese packs a punch in flavour and elevates the humble (but still very tasty) bolognese to the next level.
- Quorn Bolognese - a tasty vegetarian Quorn Bolognese, perfect for a meat-free weeknight dinner. Easy, quick and oh so tasty!
- Easy Chorizo and Pepper Pasta - easy, tasty and made in just 30 minutes.
- One Pan Chicken Penne Arrabbiata - tender cooked chicken, in a garlicky tomato sauce with pasta, spiked with red pepper flakes and chilli.
- Caramelised Shallot Pasta - sweet caramelised shallots, tangy tomatoes and salty anchovies.
- Easy Cheesy Pasta - using a cheat’s crème fraiche cheese sauce pepped up with smoked paprika and Dijon mustard. Best of all it only takes 15 minutes to make and 15 minutes to bake.
More turkey mince recipes
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Recipe
Easy Turkey Mince Bolognese Recipe
Equipment
- Kitchen Scales
- Chopping Board
- Knife
- Shallow Casserole
- Wooden Spoon
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Onion finely chopped
- 3 Garlic Cloves finely chopped
- 1 Carrot finely chopped
- 1 Celery Stick finely chopped
- 3 Streaky Bacon rashers chopped
- 500 g Turkey Mince or use leftover roast turkey
- 2 tablespoon Tomato Puree
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 3 teaspoon Dried Italian Herbs
- 1 Chicken Stock Pot or cube (no need to mix with water)
- 500 g Passata
- 100 ml Milk full-fat
- 1 teaspoon Sugar
- 2 tablespoon Basil chopped
- 75 g Parmesan grated
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions
- In a shallow casserole, heat up some oil and gently fry the onion, garlic, carrot, and celery until they become soft. This should take around 3-4 minutes.1 tablespoon Olive Oil, 1 Onion, 3 Garlic Cloves, 1 Carrot, 1 Celery Stick
- Increase the heat and add the chopped bacon and turkey mince. If you're using leftover cooked turkey, add it towards the end of cooking. Cook until the mince changes colour and the bacon is cooked.3 Streaky Bacon rashers, 500 g Turkey Mince
- Stir in the tomato puree, Worcestershire sauce, dried Italian herbs, passata, and chicken stock pot or cube. Mix well, then add the milk and sugar.2 tablespoon Tomato Puree, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce, 3 teaspoon Dried Italian Herbs, 1 Chicken Stock Pot, 500 g Passata, 100 ml Milk, 1 teaspoon Sugar
- Simmer the mixture on low heat for 20 minutes until it's cooked. If you're using leftover cooked turkey, add it for the final 5 minutes of cooking. Season the mixture and sprinkle some basil and grated Parmesan before serving.2 tablespoon Basil, 75 g Parmesan, Salt and Pepper
Katherine
Such a great seasonal (and healthier!) twist to use turkey!
Natalie
What a lovely dinner idea. I will definitely give your recipe a try. Bacon makes this dish really interesting. 🙂
Traci
Easy and delicious! I love it that this has turkey instead of beef...it's a lighter flavor...thanks for sharing!
Maria
I am happy that I have just found this! I really love pasta <3 will try this at the weekend
Lizet Bowen
I bought ground turkey last week, I haven't cooked much with it before. We'll give your recipe a try this week. It looks easy and it sounds delicious!
Cat | Curly's Cooking
I like using turkey mince in place of beef to lighten up meals. I love the idea of using leftover Christmas turkey; what a great and tasty idea!
Janice
You've packed so many lovely flavours into this dinner and turkey mince is the ideal vehicle to allow them to shine.
Debbie
I made this in the slow cooker tonight using minced chicken and it was absolutely lovely. Full flavoured and perfect with the macaroni we put with it. I am now thinking of batch cooking some more and using some of this in a lasagne too. A welcome change from the beef mince recipes, so thank you!