Every home cook needs an easy bolognese sauce recipe on hand for quick weeknight dinners. This healthy version uses ground turkey & chicken sausage, and is packed with flavor! 129 calories and 3 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP
Bolognese Sauce Recipe with Turkey & Chicken Sausage
Bolognese sauce with spaghetti was my birthday dinner request every single year, from about ages 4 to 12. In particular, I hoped for the recipe, aptly named "Lady & the Tramp Spaghetti with Meat Sauce", straight from my Disney kids' cookbook. Every year, my mum came through, placing a big plate of perfectly slurpable spaghetti, topped with a ladleful of garlic and oregano-laced meat sauce.
These days, it's my younger son that is the spaghetti and meat sauce (or Italian meatball) aficionado in our house. While the whole family enjoys the meal, this recipe is definitely all about him because it's one of his favorites and, to my utter delight, it's one he can cook on his own!
This sauce takes about 30 minutes to make, is freezable (instructions below) and is a contender to snag a regular spot in your weekly healthy meal plans. Serve it with spaghetti (or your other favorite pasta shape), or over rice, quinoa or even cauliflower rice. We usually serve a green, kale or spinach salad on the side for an extra dose of dinnertime veggies.
What is bolognese sauce?
- Bolognese sauce is a classic Italian sauce that is typically served with spaghetti, but can also be served over rice or another kind of pasta.
- Admittedly, this is a cheater's version of bolognese sauce. A true bolognese sauce is typically made with red or white wine and broth, and is finished off with some milk.
- To add extra flavor, cook some onions, carrots and celery in olive oil to start the sauce.
- Since the crushed tomatoes are one of the most prominent ingredients, use the best canned tomatoes you can get your hands on. San Marzano canned tomatoes are sold in many supermarkets and their flavor can't be beat!
Can you freeze bolognese sauce?
- Absolutely! This recipe makes 7 cups of sauce, which can be divided into smaller portions and frozen for future dinners on the fly.
- Divide the sauce either into freezer-proof plastic containers container or into resealable freezer plastic bags. While the resealable bags aren't the best option for the environment, they do stack nicely in the freezer.
- If using plastic bags, label them first with the name and date, then divide up the sauce. Stack the bags flat on a baking sheet and freeze. Once frozen, the bags can be stored flat or on their sides in the freezer.
- For best results, freeze the sauce for a maximum of 4 to 6 months.
Other easy healthy dinner recipes:
Slow Cooker Hoisin Chicken {Cookin' Canuck}
Chicken & Rice Soup (Instant Pot) {Cookin' Canuck}
Easy Chicken Curry {Sweet Peas & Saffron}
Mexican Quinoa Stuffed Peppers {Simply Quinoa}
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Bolognese Sauce with Turkey & Chicken Sausage
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground turkey
- 1 pound raw Italian chicken sausage
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 28 ounce each cans crushed tomatoes
- 6 basil leaves
- ¼ cup minced flat-leaf parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Lightly coat a large, deep nonstick skillet (or a large nonstick saucepan) over medium-high heat.
- Add the ground turkey and squeeze the chicken sausage out of their casings into the skillet. Cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until the ground turkey and sausage are cooked through. Season with salt and pepper while cooking. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Decrease the heat to medium and add the olive oil to one side of the skillet. Add the garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes to the oil. Cook, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Take care not to burn the garlic.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and basil to the skillet and stir to combine with the garlic. Increase to medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Reduce the heat so that the mixture is simmering. Simmer for 20 minutes. If the sauce is splattering out the pan, cover partially with a lid.
- Stir in the cooked ground turkey and chicken sausage, and parsley. Season to taste. Serve, refrigerate or freeze.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Shirley Schuurman
It’s on the stove —1/2 recipe. ; looked up recipe to see if any comments about the garlic. No instruction to crush or chop so I did not?? Should I have used my own initiative. ? Using printed copy, did not see your suggestion to use onions etc. —usedsome onion, & thinking should use carrot also. Forgot intention to use bacon grease. Had a can of fire roasted tomatoes of Muir Glen — luxurious ingredient this side of border. Have red wine so will add a glub. Question is re garlic really (using Italian turkey sausage, ground chicken!)
Lauren S
I have the same question!