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Turkey and vegetable ragu

This turkey and vegetable ragu is an easy, tasty alternative to traditional spaghetti bolognese. Lean turkey mince is combined with plenty of vegetables, including onion, celery, carrot, red pepper,courgette and cabbage, then slowly cooked with tomatoes and Italian herbs tomake a rich, flavourful sauce. It’s agreat way to add extra vegetables to a family meal without making the dish feel overly “healthy”. Perfect for a quick and nutritious midweek dinner - simply serve it with your favourite pasta. You can also make a large batch ahead of time, as the ragu reheats well and the flavour develops further the next day.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 500 g turkey mince
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion finely sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves finely sliced
  • 2 celery sticks finely sliced
  • 1 large carrot finely chopped
  • ½ red pepper finely chopped
  • 1 tsp mixed Italian herbs
  • ½ tsp chilli flakes
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 1 tin chopped tomatoes
  • 1 chicken stock cube
  • About 1 cup water
  • 1 courgette chopped
  • 1 cup chopped cabbage such as cavolo nero or Savoy cabbage
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 handful fresh herbs such as basil or parsley, chopped

Method
 

  1. Thinly slice the onion, garlic and celery. Finely chop the carrot and red pepper.
  2. Heat half the olive oil in a large frying pan or casserole. Add the turkey mince and cook over medium heat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until it has changed colour and is lightly browned.
  3. Drain off any excess liquid and transfer the turkey to a bowl.
  4. Add the remaining oil to the pan. Add the onion, garlic, celery, carrot and red pepper and gently sauté for about 8 minutes, until the vegetables have softened.
  5. Add the chilli flakes, Italian herbs and thyme. Stir for about 1 minute, then add the tomato purée and stir to coat the vegetables.
  6. Add the chopped tomatoes and return the turkey mince to the pan. Pour in enough water to cover the mixture generously, then add the stock cube.
  7. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  8. Add the courgette and cabbage and cook for a further 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and the sauce has thickened.
  9. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper if needed.
  10. Serve with your favourite pasta and scatter with the fresh herbs.