Courgetti Bolognese is a turkey mince ragù — built with onion, garlic, carrot, mushrooms, tomato, and a splash of soy sauce — served over spiralized courgette instead of pasta. It cuts carbs without cutting corners on the sauce. The honest reason to make it: one pan for the sauce, one pan for the courgetti, and dinner is done in under an hour.
The technique that matters
The sauce needs time to reduce properly. After you add the tomatoes, keep the heat at a steady low simmer and resist the urge to cover the pan — a lid traps steam and keeps the sauce thin. Let it cook uncovered so moisture evaporates and the flavors concentrate. The courgetti is the opposite: cook it fast and stop early. A minute or two in a hot dry pan is enough. Pull it off the heat while it still has a little resistance. Water pools at the bottom of the bowl if you overdo it, and that water will thin out the sauce you just spent an hour building.
Substitutions that actually work
- Turkey mince: Chicken mince works directly in its place — same lean profile, same cook time. Cook either to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C); neither should be served with any pink remaining.
- Low-salt soy sauce: Worcestershire sauce is a reasonable swap at the same quantity. It adds similar savory depth without making the sauce taste Asian-fusion.
- Fresh courgette: Pre-spiralized courgette from the supermarket is fine. Pat it dry with paper towels before it hits the pan — it holds more moisture than freshly cut.
- Parmesan: Pecorino Romano works and is sharper. Skip a specialty cheese entirely if it means an extra trip to the store — the sauce stands on its own.
Keeping and reheating
Store the sauce and courgetti separately — this is the one step worth the extra container. The sauce keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days and freezes well for up to 3 months; reheat it in a saucepan over medium-low with a splash of water to loosen it. Courgetti does not freeze well and goes watery in the fridge overnight, so spiralize or cook it fresh each time you serve. If you have leftover sauce, reheat it thoroughly until it reaches a full simmer before serving.
What can go wrong
- Sauce stays watery: Mushrooms and tomatoes both release a lot of liquid. If the sauce looks thin after 30 minutes, turn the heat up slightly and stir more frequently until it tightens. Don’t add flour — just give it time.
- Turkey mince clumps: Turkey has less fat than beef and can seize into chunks if the pan isn’t hot enough when it goes in. Make sure the pan is properly hot before adding the mince, and break it up immediately with a wooden spoon.
- Courgetti releases water into the bowl: Even a correctly cooked courgette will weep a little as it sits. Serve immediately after cooking, or drain the courgetti in a colander for 30 seconds before plating — skip the garnish plate and go straight to the bowl.
- Sauce tastes flat: The soy sauce and tomato paste are doing the heavy lifting on depth. If the sauce tastes one-dimensional, check that the tomato paste was cooked for at least a minute before liquid was added — raw paste tastes sharp and tinny rather than rich.
- Garlic burns before vegetables soften: Add garlic after the onion and carrot have had a couple of minutes in the pan, not at the start. Burnt garlic turns bitter and there is no fixing it short of starting the base over.
Delicious Courgetti Bolognese
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion - chopped
1 clove garlic - crushed
1 tablespoon tomato - puree
2 cubes chicken stock (chicken broth or chicken bouillon) - low salt 
400 ml water - boiling
1 tablespoon soy sauce - low salt 
4 medium courgettes also called zucchini (Courgettes French / Zucchini Italian) - spiralised or peeled
1 tablespoon basil - chopped
400 grams ground turkey (minced turkey)
150 grams mushrooms - closed cup and sliced- 2 cans tomato - chopped
30 grams Parmesan cheese - grated
2 medium carrots - chopped into small pieces
Instructions
- Make up the stock and set it aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large pan and fry the turkey mince.
- Scoop out and set aside once browned.
- Add onion and garlic to the pan and saute until soft.
- Add the carrot and cook for a few more minutes before adding the mushrooms.
- Cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the turkey meat back to the pan.
- Add tomato puree, chopped tomatoes and stock.
- Once the sauce is boiling, lower the heat and simmer for 45 to 60 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
- When the bolognese is nearly done, add the soy sauce.
- Add the remaining oil and add the courgette to a large frying pan.
- Cook the bolognese for 2 to 3 minutes until soft.
- Serve bolognese on top of the courgetti and top with basil and parmesan.
Nutrition
FAQ
Can I use beef or pork mince instead of turkey?
Yes, either works well in this sauce. Use a lean beef or pork mince and cook it to 160°F (71°C). The sauce will be richer and slightly fattier — drain off excess fat from the pan before adding the vegetables if needed.
Do I need a spiralizer, or can I buy pre-made courgetti?
Pre-spiralized courgette sold in supermarkets is perfectly fine. Just pat it dry before cooking — packaged courgetti holds more surface moisture than freshly cut and will steam rather than sear if you skip that step.
Can I make the sauce ahead of time?
Yes, and it actually improves after a day in the fridge as the flavors settle. Make the sauce up to 4 days ahead, refrigerate it in a sealed container, and spiralize the courgette fresh when you’re ready to eat.
How do I stop the courgetti from going soggy?
Cook it in a hot, dry pan for no more than 2 minutes and serve it straight away. If it sits in the bowl while you finish other things, it will continue to soften from residual heat and release water.
Is this dish gluten-free?
It can be, but check your soy sauce label — standard soy sauce contains wheat. Use a certified gluten-free tamari or a gluten-free soy sauce alternative to keep the whole dish gluten-free.
Can I freeze the whole dish, courgetti included?
Freeze the sauce only, not the courgetti. Courgette is mostly water and turns mushy after freezing and thawing. Portion and freeze the sauce for up to 3 months, then cook fresh courgetti when you reheat it.
If you liked this one
- Hearty Beef Mushroom Stroganoff
- Creamy Beef Spinach Pasta
- Hearty Beef Cauliflower Bake
- Savory Pork Noodle Stir-Fry
