Pasta Bolognese

Growing up, my aunt used to prepare a delicious sauce for lasagne for my birthday celebration meals. Today, this family recipe is my signature Turkey Bolognese and a favorite dish of many of my clients. This recipe is a base dish for many meals - you can serve it for breakfast, lunch, dinner and as a snack. It’s great served with an omelet, or with an egg cooked sunny side up over the sauce for breakfast. You can serve it as a sandwich between a toasted baguette or as a traditional sauce over pasta, brown rice, or quinoa. Enjoy it as a snack with crostini or baby potato!

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INGREDIENTS

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 1-1/2 cups diced yellow onion

  • 1/2 cup shredded carrots

  • 1 pound ground turkey

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste

  • 1/2 cup dry red wine

  • 2 diced roma tomatoes.

  • 2 cups of fresh tomato puree made with 1 pound of roasted roma tomatoes

  • 1/2 cup chicken broth

  • 1/2 cup Italian parsley, chopped

  • 2 bay leaves

  • 1 tablespoon fresh oregano

  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme

  • 3 fresh basil leaves

  • 1 tablespoon paprika

  • kosher salt

  • freshly-ground white pepper

  • cooked zucchini noodles, tagliatelle, pappardelle, fettuccini or your favorite pasta

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. In a large pan, over high heat roast 8-10 whole roma tomatoes until browned on both sides and blend the whole roasted tomatoes in a blender until it has pureed.

  2. In a large pot on high heat, saute the diced onions and minced garlic with olive oil until softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add 1 Tablespoon of chili sauce or Sriracha sauce and mix in with the garlic and onions.

  3. Add ground turkey to the pot with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon of freshly-ground white pepper. Breaking up the ground turkey with a whisker, sauté until lightly browned and most of the juices have evaporated.

  4. Add the tomato puree mixture from STEP 1 to the pot, along with 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, and mix into the ground turkey evenly, continuing to cook over high heat.

  5. Add 1 tablespoon of paprika and 2 whole dried bay leaves, mixing evenly into the sauce. Add your fresh chopped oregano and thyme and cover over medium heat.  

  6. Add 2 diced fresh roma tomatoes, 2 whole finely grated carrots, and about ½ cup of chopped fresh Italian parsley. Continue to stir the sauce until the mixture is even.

  7. Place the lid on the pot, sealing it to a simmer on low heat. Let it cook on the stove for about 2 hours or until the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency.  

  8. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

  9. Serve over cooked zucchini noodles or your favorite pasta with a sprinkling of parsley, if desired. 

  10. Enjoy!

RECIPE NOTES

For the best flavor and texture of this sauce, roasted roma tomatoes are key. and fresh tomato juice will yield to a tasteful sauce

Make ahead: Bolognese sauce can be stored in airtight containers for 3-4 days in the refrigerator, or 3-4 months in the freezer.

Rossana Radden1 Comment