TBC's Spicy Turkey Bean Ragu
I am always trying new ideas for Ragu. While my favorite is an old Sicilian Beef & Pork, this Turkey & Bean is an amazing alternative and much healthier as well. You can increase the heat by adding some additional red pepper flake, including all the seeds from the Serrano and even an extra pepper if you like.
I am always trying new ideas for Ragu. While my favorite is an old Sicilian Beef & Pork, this Turkey & Bean is an amazing alternative and much healthier as well. You can increase the heat by adding some additional red pepper flake, including all the seeds from the Serrano and even an extra pepper if you like.
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound elbow macaroni noodles or small shells
- 1/2 pound fresh green beans trimmed, washed, cut in half
- 2 serrano chiles diced
- 1 (28 oz) can tomatoes with basil
- 1 cup tomato sauce any brand
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- 1/2 cup peccorino romano cheese shredded
- Carbohydrate 77.4916865830545 g
- Cholesterol 68.7951734166667 mg
- Fat 9.76471178916957 g
- Fiber 8.64847110291539 g
- Protein 37.1226343055464 g
- Saturated Fat 4.36738448119868 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (518g)
- Sodium 2173.62528831614 mg
- Sugar 68.8432154801391 g
- Trans Fat 1.20318170794714 g
- Calories 540 calories
Step-by-step
- Cook pasta according to boxed or bagged directions. Strain, set aside
- While pasta is cooking, heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat add evoo (extra virgin olive oil)
- Once the oil is hot, add the onion saute for 2 minutes, then add the garlic, saute for 2 minutes, then add the Serrano pepper and saute for 1 minute. Add the ground turkey and green beans, and continue to cook breaking the meat up into small bits.
- Once the meat has lost most of the pink color, add the black pepper, salt, red pepper flake, oregano and parsley, stir well and cook for 1-2 minutes, then add the chopped tomatoes and tomato sauce. Stir well, reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer for 15 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Taste adjust spices,stir, and remove from heat
- Add serving of cooked pasta to a bowl, and top with ragu, some Pecorino Romano cheese and some fresh parsley for garnish if wanted.
Bright crimson tomatoes and sharp pecorino cheese coat tender macaroni tubes while fiery serrano chiles leave a lasting warmth on the palate. Lean ground poultry presents a specific textural hurdle because it lacks the heavy intermuscular fat found in beef or pork. Without sufficient fat content, ground turkey dries out rapidly if subjected to aggressive, prolonged high heat.
To prevent this dryness, introduce the aromatics and meat in a specific sequence that protects moisture levels. Sautéing onions for precisely two minutes initiates translucency without browning, releasing moisture into the skillet. Adding garlic and serrano peppers sequentially prevents the minced alliums from burning and turning bitter, which happens if they hit hot oil simultaneously with longer-cooking vegetables. Ground turkey and green beans enter the pan together, steaming slightly in their own released juices before the meat browns fully.
A twenty-eight-ounce can of tomatoes provides the necessary liquid environment for a fifteen-minute low simmer. Covering the skillet traps steam, allowing the green beans to soften uniformly while the tomato solids break down into a cohesive sauce. Acid from the canned tomatoes tenderizes the poultry proteins gently.
A standard ten-inch or twelve-inch skillet works well for browning the meat, though a wide braiser prevents overcrowding and ensures even heat distribution across all ingredients. If a wide skillet is unavailable, brown the turkey in two separate batches to avoid steaming the meat instead of searing it.
