Sometimes I crave lighter meals, especially after a stretch of holiday treats and rich comfort food. I generally eat a balanced diet and love vegetables, but after a few weeks of indulgence I like to reset with bright, veggie-forward dinners. This slow cooker turkey bolognese is exactly that: full of flavor and family-friendly, but lighter than a traditional bolognese. I’ve been starting my days with green smoothies, planning healthy leftovers for lunch, and making dinners like this to get my energy back and shake off a few extra holiday pounds.
I like sauces that use whole peeled tomatoes because they break down slowly while cooking and leave soft, slightly sweet tomato chunks. I add a can of crushed tomatoes as well for a smoother, thicker texture. The mix of carrots, celery, onion and garlic builds a classic soffritto base that boosts both flavor and nutrition — and you can add bell peppers if you want even more vegetables in the sauce.
This recipe is easy to prep and mostly hands-off. If you have a multi-cooker with a sauté function you can brown the turkey right in the insert, then add the other ingredients and switch to slow cook; otherwise brown the turkey in a skillet and transfer everything to the slow cooker. After a long, gentle simmer the tomatoes and vegetables meld into a rich, comforting sauce that still feels light.
I love serving this over zucchini noodles for a lower-carb, veggie-packed meal. Zoodles are fast to make with a spiralizer and don’t overpower the sauce. You can serve them raw and spoon hot sauce over the top to warm them, or sauté the zoodles briefly in olive oil to soften them a little. But feel free to use traditional pasta if you prefer.
Slow Cooker Turkey Bolognese
Author: Jennifer Draper
Servings: 6
Calories: 151 kcal per serving
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 28 oz whole peeled tomatoes
- 14 oz crushed tomatoes
- 1 carrot, peeled
- 1 celery stalk
- 1/4 small yellow onion
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend
- Pinch of nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons milk or cream (use almond or coconut milk for dairy-free)
- 2 large zucchini squash (for zoodles)
- Fresh basil slivers, optional
- Freshly grated Parmesan, optional
Instructions
- Brown the ground turkey in a skillet over medium-high heat or use the sauté function of a multi-cooker. Once cooked through, add the turkey to the slow cooker.
- Pour in the whole peeled tomatoes and the crushed tomatoes.
- Finely chop the carrot, celery, onion and garlic; add them to the slow cooker.
- Stir in the Italian seasoning and a pinch of nutmeg.
- Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours. Stir occasionally if possible; after cooking, mash or stir to help break down the whole tomatoes into the sauce.
- Use a spiralizer to turn the zucchini into noodles (zoodles). If desired, sauté the zoodles in a skillet with 1 tablespoon olive oil for 1–2 minutes until slightly softened, or serve them raw and spoon the hot sauce over top to warm them.
- Serve the zoodles or pasta topped with the turkey bolognese, fresh basil and grated Parmesan if desired.
Notes
To make the recipe dairy-free, swap the cream or milk for unsweetened almond milk or canned coconut milk.
Nutrition (approximate per serving)
- Calories: 151 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Protein: 21 g
- Fat: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 41 mg
- Sodium: 334 mg
- Potassium: 902 mg
- Fiber: 3 g
- Sugar: 9 g
- Vitamin A: 2175 IU
- Vitamin C: 31.8 mg
- Calcium: 89 mg
- Iron: 3.1 mg
This sauce is an easy and satisfying way to enjoy a vegetable-rich meal that still feels comforting. The long, slow cook time allows the flavors to deepen and the tomatoes to break down into a hearty, but lighter, bolognese. It’s a great recipe to add to January meal plans when you want something nourishing and simple that the whole family will enjoy.
If you prefer a more classic version, try a traditional slow cooker bolognese recipe or use leftover sauce to make lasagna. Zoodles work especially well if you want extra vegetables without the heaviness of regular pasta.
