Description
A healthy and delicious Courgetti Bolognese featuring lean turkey mince and a rich vegetable-packed tomato sauce served over fresh courgette noodles, topped with grated pecorino and fresh basil. This low-carb, flavorful dish is perfect for those seeking a lighter alternative to traditional pasta Bolognese.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Bolognese Sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 500g turkey mince (thigh or breast)
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
- 150g pack button mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
- 2 chicken stock cubes
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
For the Courgetti
- 4 large courgettes
- grated pecorino or Parmesan, to serve
- handful basil leaves
Instructions
- Brown the turkey mince: Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the turkey mince and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is browned and cooked through. Remove the turkey from the pan and set aside in a bowl.
- Cook the vegetables: In the same pan, add the chopped onion and cook on low heat for 8-10 minutes until softened and tender. Add the crushed garlic and stir for about 1 minute until fragrant. Then add the diced carrots and chopped mushrooms, stirring for approximately 3 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Combine and simmer the sauce: Return the cooked turkey mince to the pan. Stir in the tomato purée, and quickly combine all ingredients. Pour in the chopped tomatoes along with one emptied tomato can filled with water. Crumble the chicken stock cubes into the pan and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer and cook gently, uncovered, for about 1 hour until the sauce thickens and the vegetables are tender.
- Finish the sauce and prepare courgetti: When the Bolognese sauce is nearly ready, stir through the soy sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste. Meanwhile, spiralize the courgettes using a large noodle attachment to create courgetti.
- Cook the courgetti: Heat the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the courgetti and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened but still retaining some bite. Season lightly with salt.
- Serve: Divide the cooked courgetti among serving plates. Top with generous spoonfuls of turkey Bolognese sauce. Finish with grated pecorino or Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Use turkey thigh mince for a juicier texture or breast for a leaner option.
- To keep the dish gluten-free, ensure the soy sauce used is gluten-free.
- The long simmering time helps develop rich flavors and tender vegetables.
- You can substitute pecorino with Parmesan or a vegetarian hard cheese if preferred.
- For a vegetarian version, replace turkey mince with textured vegetable protein or lentils and use vegetable stock cubes instead of chicken.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: Courgetti Bolognese, turkey mince, low carb, healthy Italian, vegetable noodles, courgette noodles, healthy Bolognese
