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Zucchini Bolognese with Ground Turkey, zucchini pasta dinner recipe easy 30 minute meal
Brittany Stage

Zucchini Bolognese with Ground Turkey

Ground turkey and finely diced zucchini come together in a quick tomato-based bolognese that simmers while your pasta cooks. It is a lighter weeknight dinner that still tastes like real, stick-to-your-ribs comfort food.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian American
Calories: 510
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb ground turkey 93% lean works well here
  • 2 medium zucchini finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces
  • 1 small yellow onion finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes optional
  • 12 oz spaghetti or pappardelle
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated, for serving
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped, optional for garnish

Equipment

  • large deep skillet or wide saucepan
  • large pot
  • colander
  • wooden spoon or spatula

Method
 

  1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil while you start the sauce. This way, everything finishes at the same time.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes until it softens and the edges start to turn translucent. Add the garlic and stir for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
  3. Add the ground turkey to the pan. Break it apart with a wooden spoon and spread it out across the pan. Let it cook without stirring for 2 minutes so it can brown on the bottom, then stir and continue breaking it up. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes total until no pink remains.
  4. Add the diced zucchini to the pan along with the Italian seasoning, salt, and red pepper flakes if using. Stir and cook for 2 minutes until the zucchini starts to soften slightly.
  5. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and stir everything together. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low and let it cook uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes. The sauce will thicken a little and the zucchini will be completely tender. Taste and adjust salt.
  6. While the sauce simmers, cook the spaghetti in the boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Drain and add directly to the sauce, or divide the pasta into bowls and spoon the sauce over the top.
  7. Serve with a good amount of grated Parmesan and a sprinkle of parsley if you like. Pass extra Parmesan at the table.

Notes

The smaller you dice the zucchini, the more it melts into the sauce and the less it reads as a separate vegetable. A 1/4-inch dice is the sweet spot. Anything larger will stand out and change the texture of the bolognese.