A bit lighter than a classic bolognese, this Easy Turkey Ragu recipe comes together in under an hour and is plenty flavorful! My secret to making it work: turkey bacon!
In a large pot or dutch oven, add 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat and chopped turkey bacon. Allow to cook, stirring regularly, for 6-8 minutes until bacon crisps up nicely.
Add onions, celery, carrots, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper to the pot and continue to cook to allow veggies to soften, maybe another 3-4 minutes. Then remove the mixture from the pot.
Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pot as it will probably be pretty dry and add ground turkey. Cook, breaking up turkey as it cooks, until turkey is completely cooked through, about 6 minutes. Add red wine to deglaze pan and scrape up any bits.
Stir in turkey bacon/veggie mixture and add marinara sauce. Stir to combine.
Bring mixture to a slight simmer, turn heat down to low, and simmer ragu for about 8-10 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper to your liking.
Serve ragu over cooked spaghetti and garnished with fresh basil.
Leftover turkey ragu will store well in the fridge for 5 days or you can freeze it in an airtight container for 4-6 months. Thaw on the stovetop in a pot with a little water.