Delicious EASY Ground Turkey Meat Sauce Recipe
This homemade, delicious, and EASY Ground Turkey Meat Sauce Recipe is flavorful and simple to make! The secret is basil, rosemary, and oregano, combined with onions, garlic, and Italian tomatoes. This family-favorite meat sauce recipe is chunky and full of rich classic Italian flavor, making it the perfect, simple recipe for busy weeknights.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 Minutes
- Total Time: One Hour
- Yield: 10 Cups
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean Diet
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Organic Ground Turkey – 2 – 16 oz. packages
Olive Oil – 6 Tablespoons
Yellow Onion – 1 Whole Large Onion Small Dice (1 Cup)
Leeks – 2 Medium Dice (1 Cup) If you don’t have leeks, add an extra chopped onion. The leeks add a unique flavor that we love.
Carrots – 2 Large Medium Dice (1 Cup)
Celery – 2 Spears Medium Dice (1 Cup)
Crushed Italian Tomatoes in Puree – 2- 28 oz. cans
Tomato Puree – 2 – 10 oz. cans (alternately, you can use a jar of plain tomato sauce)
Bay Leaves – 2
Fresh Garlic Cloves – 8-10 large cloves minced (fine chop)
Fresh Basil – 1 cup chopped and some for garnish
Dried Rosemary – 2 Tablespoons
Dried Oregano – 1 Tablespoons
Fresh Parsley – 1/2 Cup Garnish
Dry White Wine (optional) – 1/8 cup
Salt – 1/2 Teaspoon
Cracked Black Pepper – 1 Teaspoon Fresh Cracked
Instructions
Step 1—Heat 2-3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven. Add 8-10 large cloves of finely chopped Garlic. Stir for 1–2 minutes with a wooden spoon until fragrant.
Step 2 – Add chopped Leeks and Onion and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.
Step 3 – Add diced Carrots and Celery and cook for approximately five minutes, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until onions are translucent.
Step 4—Add Tomato Sauce, Crushed Tomatoes, Oregano, Basil, Bay Leaves, and Rosemary. Season with Salt and Pepper. Optionally, add 1/2 cup of good dry white or red wine (such as Cabernet).
Step 5 – Turn Heat to a low simmer, loosely covered, and cook for 30 minutes until vegetables are tender. If you like a smoother sauce, puree it with an immersion blender before adding the ground turkey. If you stop right here, you have a wonderful homemade marinara sauce.
Step 6—Heat a large skillet over medium heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add Ground Turkey Meat and saute until cooked all the way through. The turkey should turn grey rather than brown. Make sure there is no pink.
Step 7—Mix well with cooked Ground Turkey in the Marinara Sauce in the Dutch oven. Cook on a very low simmer, covered with a splash screen, for 30 minutes or until the desired thickness is achieved. Turn off the flame and enjoy this quick turkey meat sauce with your favorite pasta or zucchini noodles.
Notes
Serving Suggestions
- Serve turkey meat sauce with a bowl of grated parmesan cheese
- Perfect over penne pasta, rigatoni, or spaghetti.
- It also is a great layering base for Lasagna.
Storage Suggestions
1. Let sauce cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container.
2. I often mix all the leftover sauce with a bowl of cooked penne pasta and store it for the next meal.
3. Re-heat on low simmer on the stovetop.