Turkey Bolognese with Zucchini Noodles (Printable)

Seasoned turkey in rich tomato sauce over spiralized zucchini for a light, satisfying meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Turkey Bolognese Sauce

01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 1 medium carrot, diced
05 - 1 celery stalk, diced
06 - 1.1 lb ground turkey
07 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
08 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
09 - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
10 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
11 - 14 oz crushed tomatoes
12 - 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
14 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish

→ Zucchini Noodles

15 - 4 medium zucchini
16 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
17 - Salt and pepper, to taste

# Directions:

01 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, carrot, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables are softened.
02 - Add ground turkey, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook until browned and no longer pink, about 6–8 minutes.
03 - Stir in oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, and tomato paste. Cook for 2 minutes to develop flavor.
04 - Add crushed tomatoes and chicken broth. Stir well and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and let sauce simmer gently for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt, pepper, and fresh parsley.
05 - Spiralize zucchini to create noodles.
06 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini noodles and sauté for 2–3 minutes until just tender. Season with salt and pepper.
07 - Serve zucchini noodles topped with turkey Bolognese sauce. Garnish with extra parsley if desired.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The sauce develops incredible depth without hours of cooking, making it perfect for busy weeknights when you still want something special
  • Zucchini noodles soak up all that savory sauce while keeping the meal light and fresh, so you can go back for seconds without the post pasta nap
02 -
  • Resist the urge to skip the carrot and celery because they create that authentic Italian soffritto base that makes the sauce taste restaurant quality
  • Do not overcook the zucchini noodles or they will release too much water and turn your beautiful thick sauce into soup
03 -
  • The most important lesson I learned is to pat the zucchini noodles dry with paper towels before cooking them, which removes excess moisture
  • Letting the tomato paste cook for those full 2 minutes removes any raw taste and creates that deep restaurant style flavor

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