Turkey Bolognese Greek-Style (Low-Carb, Grain-Free)

This is a very tasty and healthy turkey Bolognese made Greek-style with the addition of extra vegetables, Mediterranean herbs, olives and feta. Serve it over zucchini noodles for a low-carb and grain-free meal or with your favourite gluten-free pasta. The sauce can be made ahead of time, making it a fabulous make-ahead meal. 


Turkey Bolognese Recipe Greek Style
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About Greek-Style Turkey Bolognese

Who doesn’t love a good Bolognese sauce? It’s one of those comforting dishes that everyone should master. In today’s recipe, I am taking this classic meat sauce for a spin and turning it into a Greek-style turkey Bolognese.

It’s inspired by a Greek salad: tomatoes, red onions, peppers, cucumbers (in this case I am using zucchini), Mediterranean herbs, lashings of olive oil, olives and feta.

It’s like a healthy Bolognese version loaded with veggies and using lower-calorie ground turkey mince. The sauce is topped with crumbled feta for that authentic Greek finish but cheese is optional here.

This turkey Bolognese is served over zucchini noodles and makes for a filling and balanced meal that is grain-free, gluten-free, low-carb and paleo or Whole30-friendly by omitting the cheese. This dish is perfect for those doing my free paleo plan, especially during the re-introduction phase.

Ground turkey bolognese with zucchini noodles (low-carb, gluten-free)
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How To Make Turkey Bolognese

To make the sauce, I am using ground turkey mince (about 5-7% fat) and the usual suspects of onions, garlic and tomatoes. But for my veggies, I am inspired by the Greek salad and using some zucchini (instead of cucumber) and sweet red peppers. This is instead of carrots and celery you would often find in a Bolognese sauce (at least in Australia).

Some lovely oregano is also added to the sauce. Olives and feta are added at the end and I also love a few cherry tomatoes on top. 

Greek Bolognese ingredients
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You will find the full list of ingredients, instructions and nutritional breakdown for this meal in the recipe card below but here is a handy video showing you how to make this delicious and healthy Bolognese sauce with ground turkey meat.

Healthy bolognese with ground turkey, feta and olives
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 More Ground Turkey Recipes


Full Recipe 

Find the full list of ingredients, instructions, and a nutritional breakdown below. If you have questions or cook this recipe, please let me know in the comments, and make sure to rate this recipe so it’s easy for others to find.

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Turkey bolognese greek style
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Turkey Bolognese Greek-Style (Low-Carb, With Video)

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Author: Irena Macri
Servings: 4
Course: Main
Cuisine: Mediterranean
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Calories: 296kcal
Learn how to make this healthy and delicious Greek-style turkey Bolognese served over zucchini noodles or your preferred pasta, rice or potatoes. Topped with olives and feta for that authentic Mediterranean finish.

Ingredients 

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 large red onion finely diced
  • 1/2 red bell pepper capsicum, diced into small cubes
  • 1/2 medium zucchini diced into small cubes
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1-2 small red chillies optional
  • 500 g ground turkey I used 7% fat mince (1.2 lbs.)
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 can chopped tomatoes with juice (plus 2-3 tablespoons water to rinse off the remaining juice in the can)
  • Extra 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 date chopped
  • 1/3 cup olives diced or sliced
  • 1/3 cup feta cheese crumbled
  • Fresh parsley or basil to garnish
  • A few sliced cherry tomatoes

Instructions

  • Heat a large, deep frying pan or a heavy pot over medium heat. Saute the onions, zucchini and peppers in 2 tablespoons of olive oil for 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper and dried oregano and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened and golden. Add the chili, if using.
  • Add the ground turkey and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring and breaking it apart with a spatula. Add extra 1/2 teaspoon salt, chopped date (not in the video above, can be omitted but I like that little extra sweetness here), balsamic vinegar and tinned chopped tomatoes. Stir through and once brought to a boil, cover with a lid, reduce heat to low and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Make sure to stir a few times along the way.
  • Serve over zucchini noodles topped with sliced olives, feta, cherry tomatoes and fresh herbs like basil or parsley.
    To make the zoodles, I recommend about 1 small to medium zucchini per serving. Spiralize or slice with into ribbons with a carrot peeler and heat in a frying pan in a little olive oil. You don't need to cook the zucchini, just warm it up briefly. Season with a little salt and pepper as you like.

Notes

Ground turkey can be replaced with chicken. Beef or pork or a combination can, of course, be used as well.
For a paleo or Whole30 version, omit the feta or use a dairy-free alternative.
The meat sauce can be made ahead of time. It will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer.

Nutrition

Calories: 296kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 824mg | Potassium: 725mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 774IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 126mg | Iron: 3mg
Keywords: Low-Carb, Gluten-Free, Bolognese, Ground Turkey, Turkey Recipes
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Turkey Bolognese Greek-Style (Low-Carb, Gluten-Free)
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Irena Macri
By Irena Macri

About the author: Hi, I’m Irena Macri. I share delicious recipes that I have cooked and loved. I am a published cookbook author, have been food blogging for over 10 years and have a Diploma in Nutrition. You will find many healthy recipes as well as my favourite comfort food. More about me here | Subscribe to my newsletter and freebies

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Comments

2 Comments
    1. Hey Sally, it should be on the page. I just added it inside the recipe card as well, so I hope it shows up for you now.

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