For the bolognese sauce:
1 medium yellow onion, diced small
1 large carrot, diced small
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey or chicken
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup red wine
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce or puree
1 tablespoon balsamic
To serve:
1 pound spaghetti
Fresh basil, thinly sliced, to top
Shaved parmesan, to top
Warm a few teaspoons of olive oil in a wide, high-sided skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and a half teaspoon of salt, and cook until the vegetables are softened and the onions are translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and oregano and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the ground turkey and other half teaspoon of salt to the pan. Cook, breaking up the turkey with your spoon, until the meat is browned and no longer raw in the middle. Break up the turkey as much or as little as you like as you cook — personally, I like leaving it a bit chunky.
Add the tomato paste and stir to coat all the ingredients. Pour the wine into the pan and stir until it's been mostly absorbed and has turned the turkey an alarming shade of purple. Stir in the tomato sauce. Let the sauce come to a rapid simmer, then turn the heat down to low and let the sauce cook while you make the pasta.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a generous amount of salt and the spaghetti. Stir occasionally until the spaghetti softens and is no longer sticking above the water. Cook until the spaghetti is al dente. Before draining, scoop out a cup or so of the starchy pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta.
Stir the tablespoon of balsamic into the sauce and taste. If the sauce is thicker than you'd like, add a little of the starchy pasta water. Add salt or pepper as you like.
Serve plates of the spaghetti with the sauce spooned over top. Add a sprinkle of basil and parmesan.
Recipe Notes
- Leftovers will keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. The sauce can also be frozen for up to 3 months.