Italian Turkey Bolognese with Penne

Description

Ground turkey simmers with tomatoes, carrots, celery, and Italian herbs into a rich sauce tossed with slightly undercooked whole wheat penne. This classic casserole-style meal offers balanced macros at about 530 calories per serving. Batch-cooked in large batches, it freezes well and reheats to al dente perfection.

Cultural Background

Bolognese sauce, known in Italian as ragù alla bolognese, originates from the city of Bologna in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. Its roots trace to the late 18th century with early documented meat-based ragù recipes served with pasta, evolving through Pellegrino Artusi's 1891 cookbook that popularized maccheroni alla bolognese. Traditionally made with a soffritto of onions, carrots, and celery plus ground meats and tomatoes, it reflects hearty, slow-simmered Italian home cooking traditions that emphasize balanced flavors from local ingredients.

Recipe Info

PREP TIME: 25 minutes
COOK TIME: 55 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 80 minutes
SERVINGS: 10
DIFFICULTY: Medium

Ingredients

• 2.5 pounds 93% lean ground turkey
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium yellow onions, finely diced
• 4 medium carrots, finely diced
• 4 celery stalks, finely diced
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 3 cans (28 ounces each) whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 pounds whole wheat penne pasta
• Grated Parmesan cheese for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until shimmering, about 1 minute.
2. Add the diced onions, carrots, and celery (soffritto) and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes until softened and lightly golden.
3. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
4. Increase heat to medium-high, add the ground turkey, and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, for 8-10 minutes until browned and no longer pink.
5. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes to caramelize slightly.
6. Pour in the white wine and simmer for 3-4 minutes until mostly evaporated, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
7. Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, oregano, basil, bay leaves, salt, and pepper; bring to a gentle boil.
8. Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and flavors meld; remove bay leaves.
9. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the whole wheat penne for 1-2 minutes less than package directions for al dente (slightly undercooked) to ensure it holds up during freezing and reheating; drain and set aside.
10. Stir the chopped parsley into the sauce, then toss the slightly undercooked penne directly into the sauce until evenly coated.
11. Remove from heat and let cool completely before portioning for freezing.

Tips

- Slightly undercook the pasta by 1-2 minutes so it retains texture and does not become mushy upon reheating from frozen.
- Cool the entire dish completely at room temperature or in the refrigerator before freezing to prevent ice crystals and maintain quality.
- For a dairy-free version, omit optional Parmesan; substitute ground chicken or lean beef for the turkey if preferred, adjusting simmer time as needed for similar texture.

Nutrition

Calories: 530
Protein: 35g
Carbs: 55g
Fat: 18g

Tags

Freezes well