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Italian

Turkey Bolognese Rigatoni

Ground turkey simmered with tomato, onion, and carrot into a thick sauce for rigatoni. It is lighter than beef but still hearty enough for dinner.

Prep
15 min
Cook
35 min
Total
50 min
Servings
4
Difficulty
Easy
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Rigatoni coated in turkey bolognese sauce with grated cheese

Photo: Leigh_Murrell (CC BY-SA). Source

Why you’ll love it

  • Turkey browns well and stays moist with milk in the sauce.
  • Carrot and onion add body without extra meat.
  • Long simmer concentrates tomato flavor.
  • Protein lands high per serving for a pasta night.

Ingredients

Servings4

Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.

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Instructions

  1. 1

    Heat olive oil in a wide pot over medium-high. Add turkey and break it up until no pink remains, about 6 minutes.

  2. 2

    Add onion and carrot; cook 5 minutes until soft. Stir in garlic for 30 seconds.

  3. 3

    Pour in crushed tomatoes, milk, oregano, salt, and pepper. Simmer uncovered 20 minutes, stirring now and then.

  4. 4

    Meanwhile boil rigatoni in salted water until al dente; drain, saving 1/2 cup pasta water.

  5. 5

    Toss pasta into the sauce with a splash of pasta water until coated.

  6. 6

    Serve topped with Parmesan.

Pro tips

  • Use 93% lean turkey so the sauce is not greasy.
  • Dice carrot small so it melts into the sauce.
  • A longer simmer, up to 40 minutes, deepens flavor if you have time.

Easy substitutions

ground turkey
ground chicken or lean beef
rigatoni
penne or ziti
whole milk
unsweetened almond milk

Storage and reheating

Storage

Refrigerate sauce and pasta together up to 4 days, or freeze sauce alone up to 2 months.

Reheating

Warm on the stove over medium-low with a splash of water, stirring until hot.

Nutrition

Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.

Calories
540
Protein
38 g
Carbs
58 g
Fat
16 g
Fiber
5 g

Moderate · Stovetop · High Protein

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From the kitchen

Kitchen tools we love

Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.

  • A heavy 12-inch skillet

    Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.

  • An air fryer with a real basket

    The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.

  • A half-sheet pan

    Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.

  • A sharp chef’s knife

    These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.

  • A large cutting board

    Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.

  • Dry cups and a liquid cup

    Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.

  • An instant-read thermometer

    Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.

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Ingredients