Best 5 Slow Cooker Hearty Turkey Ragu Recipes

EASY TURKEY RAGU

Steps:

• 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.

TURKEY RAGU WITH FONTINA AND PARMESAN

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the macaroni, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain well in a colander set in the sink.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir onions until translucent and slightly brown, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir in garlic. Cook for 1 minute, then add the ground turkey. Cook and stir until the turkey is no longer pink. Mix in the diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, parsley, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Combine pasta with the tomato sauce in the skillet. Toss pasta with the fontina cheese and 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese until the cheese is melted. Serve pasta in a large bowl with 3 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.

SLOW-COOKER PORK RAGU

Steps:

• Spray 5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray.
• In 5-quart Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium-high heat 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp. With slotted spoon, remove bacon to small bowl.
• Season pork with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Add half of the pork to bacon drippings in Dutch oven, and cook 4 to 6 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned. With slotted spoon, remove pork from Dutch oven to slow cooker. Repeat with remaining pork.
• Add onions, carrots, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to Dutch oven; cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened. Stir in garlic and oregano; cook 30 seconds. Add broth; heat to simmering, stirring to remove brown bits on bottom. Transfer mixture to slow cooker with pork. Stir in tomatoes and bacon.
• Cover; cook on Low heat setting 8 to 10 hours or until pork is tender and easily falls apart. Before serving, shred pork with two forks. Serve over cooked pasta. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh herbs.

SLOW COOKER HEARTY TURKEY RAGU

Steps:

• Pat turkey dry with paper towels; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat until hot. Cook turkey thighs 8 to 10 minutes or until browned, turning once. Place turkey in 5- to 6-quart slow cooker.
• Cook onions, carrots, celery, garlic and rosemary in same skillet over medium heat 10 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add to slow cooker, along with tomatoes, mushrooms, water and remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Cook, covered, on low 8 to 9 hours or until turkey is tender and pulls away from bones. Remove turkey, leaving cooker on. Cut into bite-size pieces; discard skin and bones. Return turkey to slow cooker; cook 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Serve ragu over pasta.

TURKEY RAGù

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring, until golden and most of the fat has rendered, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate.
• Add the oil to the skillet. Stir in the carrot, celery, onion, garlic and bay leaf. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft and a little golden in spots, about 7 minutes. Scrape the mixture onto a plate.
• Add the turkey to skillet and cook, breaking up meat with a fork, until golden and cooked through, 7 to 10 minutes. Return pancetta and vegetables to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Pour in the wine; cook, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet, until it is mostly evaporated. Add the crushed tomatoes. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the butter until melted. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Serve over pasta, topped with a dollop of ricotta.