Turkey Bolognese with Zucchini (Print Version)

Lean ground turkey simmers with veggies paired with tender zucchini noodles for a fresh, low-carb meal.

# What You Need:

→ Meat & Protein

01 - 1 pound lean ground turkey

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 medium carrots, finely diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, finely diced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
07 - 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
08 - 4 large zucchini, spiralized into noodles

→ Liquids & Oils

09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

→ Herbs & Spices

11 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
13 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
14 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ For Serving

16 - 1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley
17 - Grated Parmesan cheese (omit for dairy-free)

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and bell pepper. Sauté for 5–6 minutes, until softened.
02 - Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently until fragrant.
03 - Add the ground turkey. Cook, breaking up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, 6–8 minutes.
04 - Stir in the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, oregano, basil, thyme, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer.
05 - Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and flavors meld.
06 - While the sauce simmers, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini noodles and sauté for 2–3 minutes, just until slightly tender but still crisp. Do not overcook.
07 - Serve the turkey Bolognese sauce over the zucchini noodles. Garnish with parsley and Parmesan cheese, if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The zucchini noodles stay perfectly crisp tender, giving you that satisfying slurp without the carb crash
  • This sauce actually tastes better the next day, making it ideal for meal prep or unexpected leftovers
  • You can trick anyone who thinks they only like traditional meat sauce this version holds its own beautifully
02 -
  • Zucchini noodles release a surprising amount of water, so cook them right before serving and avoid overcrowding the pan
  • Ground turkey can taste bland if under-seasoned, so be generous with salt and pepper when browning the meat
  • The sauce continues to thicken as it stands, so do not worry if it looks slightly thinner than traditional Bolognese while simmering
03 -
  • Fine dice your vegetables smaller than you think you need to so they melt into the sauce and create that authentic Bolognese texture
  • Let the turkey get really brown and almost crispy in spots before adding the tomatoes this creates depth of flavor that is hard to replicate any other way

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