Description
A healthy twist on the classic Italian Bolognese, featuring zucchini noodles instead of traditional pasta for a lighter, nutritious meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 medium zucchini, spiralized
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 sweet onion, diced
- 1 celery stalk, diced
- 1 carrot, diced
- 1.33 lbs. 93% lean ground turkey (or beef)
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 20 oz canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/3 cup chopped basil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Sauté the vegetables: Add the olive oil to a large pan over medium heat. Once it shimmers, add the diced onion, celery, and carrots. Cook for 4-5 minutes until they soften, stirring occasionally.
- Brown the meat: Add the ground turkey (or beef) and garlic, followed by the red pepper flakes. Cook, breaking the meat apart, until it is no longer pink—about 5-7 minutes.
- Season the mixture: Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Stir well to combine flavors.
- Add tomatoes: Pour in the crushed tomatoes and stir in the tomato paste. Bring it to a gentle simmer; cover and let it simmer for at least 15 minutes.
- Spiralize the zucchini: Use a spiralizer, mandolin, or peeler to cut the zucchini into noodles.
- Combine & cook noodles: Stir the zucchini noodles into the sauce and cook for 3-4 minutes until they are tender but still slightly firm.
- Final touches: Remove from heat and stir in the fresh basil. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary.
- Serve: Plate the Zucchini Noodle Bolognese and garnish with additional basil or freshly grated Parmesan if desired.
Notes
For extra flavor, let the sauce simmer longer—30 minutes is ideal. Avoid overcooking the zucchini; it should retain its crunch.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 70mg