Turkey Bolognese

Ingredients

• 1¼ lb ground turkey
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 2 medium carrots
• 2 celery stalks
• 4 cloves garlic
• 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• ½ cup dry red wine (optional)
• ¾ cup chicken broth
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ cup milk (optional)
• 12 oz pasta (e.g., pappardelle, fettuccine)
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

Steps

1. Finely dice the onion, carrots, and celery (this is your soffritto). Mince the garlic.
2. Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned. Drain any excess fat and set turkey aside.
3. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Sauté over medium heat for 8-10 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and tomato paste, cooking for another 2 minutes until fragrant.
4. Deglaze the pot with red wine (if using), scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Let it simmer until almost evaporated. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Return the cooked turkey to the pot.
5. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for at least 30 minutes, or up to 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally. For a richer sauce, stir in milk during the last 15 minutes of cooking (optional).
6. While the sauce simmers, cook your preferred pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain, reserving some pasta water.
7. Remove the bay leaf from the bolognese. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water. Serve the turkey bolognese over the cooked pasta, garnished with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley, if desired.