Slow Cooker Turkey Bolognese Sauce

A ladle scoops hearty chili with ground beef, tomatoes, and vegetables from a red slow cooker, much like the comforting process of preparing Slow Cooker Turkey Bolognese Sauce.

5 from 8 votes

Slow Cooker Turkey Bolognese Sauce

A lighter version of a classic recipe, Bolognese sauce. This Slow Cooker Turkey Bolognese Sauce is made with ground turkey and slowly cooks in the crockpot for maximum flavor! Serve over pasta, zucchini noodles, or polenta. The sauce can be frozen for up to three months.

Prep Time10

Cook Time6

Total Time6 10

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: ground turkey, meat sauce, slow-cooker

Servings:

Calories: 143kcal

Author: Lora

Equipment

Slow cooker

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 carrots peeled finely chopped (~ 1 cup)
2 celery stalks finely chopped (~ 1 cup)
1 medium onion finely chopped
1 pound ground turkey
½ cup red wine leave out for Whole30
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 bay leaf
1 28- ounce can San Marzano plum tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste
a few sprigs fresh basil-for garnish

Instructions

Heat oil in a large saute pan on medium. Add carrots, celery, onion. Saute until onions are translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
Add ground turkey to pan and cook until no longer pink, breaking up pieces. Add the spices.
Add red wine and continue cooking until there is no more liquid in the pan. Add the tomatoes breaking them up a little with your wooden spoon. Add salt and pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes.
Spoon the sauce into the crockpot. Add a bay leaf.
Cook for 6-7 hours on low. I always check my sauce and stir it a little. If after a couple hours it seems too thick, you could thin it out a little with a bit of water.
Serve with your favorite cooked pasta or veggie noodle (we love it with baked spaghetti squash and also gnocchi!).

Notes

Do not skip the skillet step — browning the turkey and reducing the wine before the slow cooker is where the depth of flavor comes from. A slow cooker alone cannot brown or reduce.
For Whole30 and paleo: omit the red wine or substitute ¼ cup chicken broth. The sauce is naturally dairy-free and grain-free.
To prevent a watery sauce in the crock pot: reduce the wine completely in the skillet before transferring. Slow cookers trap steam and cannot evaporate liquid.
For very finicky eaters: pulse carrots, celery, and onion in a food processor until very fine before sautéing — they will disappear entirely into the sauce.
Freeze in bags or containers for up to 3 months. The sauce tastes even better the next day — it is an excellent make-ahead recipe.

You can substitute red wine with white wine. You could also sub it with chicken or beef broth (and even veggie broth).

Nutrition