This simple one-pot turkey bolognese is kid-approved, filled with protein, and ideal for busy weeknights.

One-Pot Turkey Bolognese
I’ve at all times liked an excellent bolognese sauce. It’s traditional consolation meals, and through the years I’ve shared a number of variations on Skinnytaste and in my cookbooks. This one-pot turkey bolognese cooks the pasta straight within the sauce, making a wealthy, cohesive dish with much less cleanup. Whereas conventional bolognese is made with beef (and sometimes pork), floor turkey works superbly right here, absorbing all of the tomato, garlic, and herb flavors because it simmers. It’s precisely the form of family-friendly dinner I depend on after I need one thing comforting but sensible for busy weeknights.
Bolognese is one in every of my all-time favorites—I’ve made it nearly each manner you may consider. I have already got Prompt Pot Beef Bolognese, Vegetarian Lentil Bolognese, and Gradual Cooker Bolognese on the location, however one model was nonetheless lacking: a lighter floor turkey take the place the sauce and pasta cook dinner collectively in the identical pot for final comfort. I really like meals like this as a result of they simplify each cooking and cleanup.
Substances You’ll Want
Listed here are some notes on the turkey bolognese substances. See the recipe card under for the precise measurements.

- 93% Lean Floor Turkey: Traditional bolognese makes use of pork and beef, however I went with turkey for a leaner choice.
- Salt to season the turkey
- Olive Oil to sauté the greens
- Soffrito: The Italian time period for chopped onion, carrot, and celery, generally known as “mirepoix” in French
- Tomato Paste for richness and depth
- Garlic: A traditional Italian ingredient
- Pasta: Any quick pasta form works, however I desire mezze rigatoni (a shorter rigatoni) or fusilli. If you happen to use a special kind, it’s possible you’ll want to regulate the cooking time.
- Crushed Tomatoes are the bottom of this sauce, so it’s important to make use of high-quality ones. Tuttorosso is my go-to.
- Hen Bone Broth offers further protein, however be happy to make use of common broth.
- Calabrian Chili Paste is elective, however I prefer it for a little bit of a kick.
- Parmesan Cheese: Grate the cheese into the sauce for richness, then high your bowl with further.
- Basil for freshness
- Ricotta to make it even creamier
How you can Make One Pot Turkey Bolognese
On this simple floor turkey pasta recipe, the meat, sauce, and pasta cook dinner in the identical pot. See the recipe card on the backside for printable instructions.



- Brown the meat in a big pot and season with salt. When it’s not pink, take away it from the warmth.
- Sauté the greens in olive oil till tender, then add the tomato paste and garlic. Prepare dinner the tomato paste for a few minutes to caramelize it and deepen the flavour.
- Stir within the remaining substances: pasta, cooked turkey, tomatoes, broth, and chili paste.
- Prepare dinner the pasta and sauce: Convey the pot to a boil, cut back the warmth to medium-low, cowl, and simmer till the pasta is tender and the liquid is absorbed. Ensure that to stir it sometimes so the pasta cooks evenly and doesn’t keep on with the underside of the pan.
- Garnish: Take away the pot from the warmth and stir within the parmesan. Serve the bolognese with parmesan, basil, and ricotta, if desired.



Testing Notes
I made this for my household and examined it with each floor turkey and floor bison, and each labored superbly. I’ve been growing one-pot pasta recipes for a number of years, right here’s a number of suggestions that will help you get the perfect outcomes:
- Use quick pasta that holds sauce nicely: Shapes like mezze rigatoni, penne, or rotini work finest. Cooking occasions could differ barely by model and form.
- Keep away from protein and bronze-cut pasta: Protein pasta doesn’t launch sufficient starch, which may go away the sauce too skinny. Bronze-cut pasta releases an excessive amount of starch in a one-pot recipe, which may make it gummy.
- Protein swaps work: Floor bison tasted nice for one more lean choice, and lean floor beef can be utilized if most popular.
- Regulate the sauce if wanted: If the pasta is cooked however there’s nonetheless further liquid within the pan, simmer uncovered for a couple of minutes till the sauce thickens and coats the pasta.
Serving Recommendations
Turkey bolognese pairs nicely with roasted greens, inexperienced salads, or bread. Listed here are some facet dish recipes for inspiration.
Storage
- Refrigerate leftover pasta for as much as 4 days.
- Freeze in an hermetic container for as much as 3 months. Thaw within the fridge earlier than reheating.
- Reheat within the microwave till heat. The noodles could take up a number of the sauce, so if it’s too thick, add a splash of broth, water, or jarred marinara to skinny it.

Extra One-Pot Pasta Recipes You’ll Love
For extra dinner concepts utilizing pasta, try these 5 scrumptious one-pot recipes to encourage your subsequent meal! If you happen to’re in search of less difficult, no-fuss methods to get dinner on the desk, try my Skinnytaste One and Performed cookbook.
Yield: servings
Serving Measurement: 1 ½ cups
- 1 pound 93% floor turkey
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ tablespoon further virgin olive oil
- ½ yellow onion, chopped
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
- 1 celery rib, chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 10 ounces raw mezze rigatoni, or fusilli pasta (or your favourite GF pasta)
- 1 ½ cups canned crushed tomatoes, Tuttoroso
- 2 ½ cups rooster bone broth, I used Swanson
- 1 teaspoon Calabrian chili paste, elective
- ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish
- contemporary basil, for garnish
- ricotta, elective for serving
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Warmth a big deep skillet over medium excessive warmth. Spray with olive oil and brown the meat with 1 teaspoon salt. Add the bottom turkey and break into small items. Prepare dinner till the turkey is not pink, 5-7 minutes. Put aside.
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Add the olive oil, onion, carrot, and celery. Prepare dinner, stirring sometimes, till the greens have began to melt, about 5 minutes.
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Add the tomato paste and garlic; stir it into the turkey combination. Prepare dinner for a couple of minutes, till absolutely coated. Add the pasta, cooked meat, crushed tomatoes, bone broth, and Calabrian chili paste, if utilizing. Stir to mix. Convey the combination to a boil, then flip the warmth right down to medium low to keep up a mild simmer.
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Cowl and cook dinner, stirring sometimes, till the pasta is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about quarter-hour. Take away from warmth and stir within the parmesan cheese.
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Serve topped with further parmesan cheese, basil, and ricotta if utilizing.
Final Step:
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- Any quick pasta that holds sauce could be good for this recipe, cooking occasions could barely differ.
- I discovered that protein pasta or bronze lower pasta doesn’t work as nicely for one pot pastas, protein pasta doesn’t have as a lot starch so the sauce finally ends up being a lot thinner. Bronze lower pasta has an excessive amount of starch and comes out gummy.
- Floor bison or lean floor beef will also be used.
Serving: 1 ½ cups, Energy: 509 kcal, Carbohydrates: 60.5 g, Protein: 37.5 g, Fats: 14 g, Saturated Fats: 3.5 g, Ldl cholesterol: 88 mg, Sodium: 946 mg, Fiber: 5 g, Sugar: 6.5 g





