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Cozy up with a comforting bowl of White Bolognese (Ragù Bianco) with Pappardelle — a lighter, tomato-less take on the classic Italian meat sauce. Featuring ground turkey, sausage, white wine, and fennel in a dish that feels both elegant and rustic.
This recipe post is proudly sponsored by DeLallo. All opinions are my own.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love this White Bolognese
- Lighter take on the classic. If you love a hearty pasta dish but crave something lighter than traditional red sauce, this recipe is for you. It delivers the same slow-cooked richness of classic bolognese, yet is unexpectedly delicate.
- Ready in 1 hour. You’ll get the depth and comfort of a ragù that’s been simmering all day long in a fraction of the time. Perfect for cozy nights in or low-effort entertaining.
- Restaurant-quality flavor. A blend of Italian sausage, white wine, rosemary, and Parmesan build layers of complex flavors.
- Pairs with any pasta. I LOVE using ribbons of pappardelle pasta, which cling to the sauce like a dream. However, any pasta shape–bucatini, rigatoni, spaghetti–all work beautifully.
What is White Bolognese?
Classic Bolognese originates from Bologna, Italy and is tomato-based with milk or cream for richness. The white version (Ragù Bianco) takes inspiration from the Tuscany area of Italy, and is prepared with white wine, veggies, and herbs instead of tomato. This creates a luscious sauce that is lighter in color, yet just as savory and satisfying.
Many white bolognese recipes feature veal or pork, however we’re leaning on ground turkey for a leaner, more approachable twist.
And while you can serve this sauce with any pasta shape, there’s something so enticing about golden ribbons of DeLallo Pappardelle Pasta. (They make the dish truly feel restaurant-worthy!)
For more Italian-inspired pasta recipes, check out this Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake, Italian Pasta Salad, and Creamy Gnocchi Soup next.
The Ingredients
- Ground turkey: A leaner base that still provides plenty of heft and richness. Just be sure to use 93% lean (rather than ground turkey breast) for the best texture.
- Italian Sausage: You can use pork or turkey sausage that’s either mild or spicy. Just remove the casings before adding the sausage to the pot.
- Fennel: The secret weapon for adding subtle anise flavor that beautifully complements the turkey and herbs. If you dislike the flavor of fennel, you can swap it for celery, however I promise it works real magic in this sauce.
- Onion + Carrot: Adds subtle sweetness and an aromatic base.
- Garlic + Rosemary: This duo creates a deeply savory, herbaceous backbone that adds warmth and complexity to each bite.
- White wine: Deglazes the pan and adds brightness and acidity. I suggest a dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio.
- Broth: You can use either chicken, vegetable, or turkey broth.
- Heavy cream: A splash of cream adds extra body and richness to the sauce.
- Parmesan: Adds nutty depth and helps emulsify the sauce, making it silky and glossy. (Pro tip: if you happen to have a Parmesan rind on hand, I suggest adding it to the sauce while it simmers!)
- Pappardelle pasta: I love using DeLallo Egg Pappardelle, which is made from durum wheat and farm-fresh eggs. The wide, flat noodles are the perfect accompaniment to hugging robust sauces like bolognese.
For a complete list of recipe ingredients and quantities, see the recipe card below.
The Directions
Step 1: Prepare veggies. Either finely dice the onion, carrot, or fennel by hand, or place the veggies in a food processor and pulse until finely diced. Set aside.
Step 2: Brown meat. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium. Add ground turkey and sausage and cook, breaking apart the meat with the back of a wooden spoon, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
Step 3: Sauté veggies. Add remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil to the pot along with minced veggies. Sautè until softened, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and fresh rosemary; cook 1 to 2 more minutes, until fragrant. Add meat back to the pot and season everything with salt and black pepper.
Step 4: Deglaze pan with white wine. Simmer until almost fully reduced, about 7 to 8 minutes.
Step 5: Add broth, cream, bay leaves, and Parmesan rind (if using); bring mixture to a simmer. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, until reduced.
Step 6: Stir in Parmesan; simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes. (Note: this is a good time to boil your pasta.)
Step 7: Remove bay leaves and Parmesan rind.
Step 8: Add pasta directly into the sauce using a set of tongs and toss well coat. Simmer, adding a splash of pasta water as needed until the pasta is al dente and the sauce lightly clings to the pasta, another 2 to 3 minutes.
Serve with extra parmesan cheese, a drizzle of olive oil, and a few cracks of black pepper.
Recipe Variations
- Use different meat. In place of turkey, ground pork or beef also work in this recipe. Alternatively, you can add some diced, sautéed pancetta for extra richness. For a lighter, leaner sauce, use ground chicken or lean turkey breast.
- Make dairy-free. Swap the heavy cream for cashew cream or full-fat coconut milk. You can also replace the Parmesan with 1/4 cup of nutritional yeast for similar savory flavor.
- Add mushrooms. Ragù Bianco is amazing with the addition of cremini or porcini mushrooms. They deepen the umami and add more meaty texture to the sauce.
- Herb variation. If you’re not a fan of fresh rosemary, swap it for fresh thyme, sage, or parsley.
- Go gluten free. This white bolognese recipe can easily be made gluten free by using your favorite gluten free pasta. I personally love this Gluten Free Pappardelle by DeLallo.
- Add spice. Use spicy Italian sausage for extra heat, or add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce.
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
- Make-Ahead: The sauce can be made up to 2 days in advance. The flavors actually deepen as it sits, making it even better the next day. Just refrigerate until ready to reheat and toss with your pasta of choice.
- Store: Transfer leftovers to airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. The sauce will thicken as it chills, so you may need to loosen it with a splash of broth or water.
- Freeze: White bolognese freezes exceptionally well. Let the sauce cool completely before transferring it to a freezer-safe storage bag or container and freezing for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating on the stovetop and tossing with fresh boiled pasta.
- Reheat: You can rewarm individual portions of pasta in the microwave or larger portions on the stovetop. Place in a skillet or medium saucepan and heat over medium, adding a splash of broth, wine, or cream to help restore the silkiness of the sauce.
Meal Prep Tip
I suggest cooking the pasta fresh for the best consistency, however you can portion the sauce into individual containers for easy weekday meals. Simply warm the sauce on the stovetop and toss with fresh boiled pasta when ready to eat.
More Italian Pasta Favorites
Pasta e Ceci (Italian Pasta and Chickpea Stew)
Tuscan Sun-Dried Tomato Gnocchi
Weeknight Mediterranean Pasta
If you give this White Bolognese recipe a try, post a photo and tag #dishingouthealth so I can see your beautiful creations. I also really appreciate readers taking the time to leave a rating and review! Lastly, follow along on Facebook and Pinterest for the latest recipe updates.
White Bolognese (Ragù Bianco)
Equipment
- Large Stock Pot or Dutch Oven
- Food processor (optional)
Ingredients
- 1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed and cored
- 1 medium yellow onion, peeled
- 1 large carrot, peeled
- 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 lb. ground turkey (85-93% lean) (avoid ground turkey breast)
- 8 oz. (or 2 links) mild Italian sausage (pork or turkey), casings removed
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. cracked black pepper
- 1 cup dry white wine (such as Pinot Grigio)
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 bay leaves
- A pinch of freshly grated or ground nutmeg
- 1 Parmesan rind (optional)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for garnish
- 1 lb. DeLallo Pappardelle Pasta (tagliatelle or rigatoni also work well)
Instructions
- Prepare veggies. Either finely mince the fennel, onion, and carrot by hand with a chef’s knife, or cut them into large chunks and place in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely minced. Set aside. (I prefer the food processor method.)
- Brown meat. Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium. Add ground turkey and sausage and cook, breaking apart the meat with the back of a wooden spoon, until the meat is almost fully cooked, about 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.Sauté veggies. Add remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil to the pot along with minced veggies. Sautè until softened, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and fresh rosemary; cook 1 to 2 more minutes, until fragrant. Add meat back to the pot and season everything with salt and black pepper.
- Pour in white wine to deglaze the pan. Simmer until almost fully reduced, about 7 to 8 minutes.
- Add broth, cream, bay leaves, nutmeg, and Parmesan rind (if using); bring mixture to a simmer. Gently simmer, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes, until the liquid is slightly reduced.Stir in Parmesan cheese and continue simmering, uncovered, for another 5 minutes. Remove bay leaves and Parmesan rind. Taste and season with additional salt and/or black pepper, if needed. (Turn heat to low until the pasta is ready.)
- Boil the pasta. About 15 minutes before the Bolognese is ready, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is just shy of al dente.
- Use a set of tongs to transfer the cooked pasta into the pot of Bolognese; toss well coat. Turn the heat up to medium-high and continue tossing the pasta, adding splashes of pasta cooking water until the noodles are al dente and the sauce is nicely thickened and clinging to the noodles, another 3 or so minutes. (Note: if you choose to drain your pasta instead, reserve ~3/4 cup of pasta cooking water before draining, and use as needed. The starchy pasta water is key for thickening and binding the sauce.)Portion into bowls and garnish with extra freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, cracked black pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil, if desired.
Notes
- Make-Ahead: The sauce can be made up to 2 days in advance. The flavors actually deepen as it sits, making it even better the next day. Just refrigerate until ready to reheat and toss with your pasta of choice.
- Store: Transfer leftovers to airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. The sauce will thicken as it chills, so you may need to loosen it with a splash of broth or water.
- Freeze: White bolognese freezes exceptionally well. Let the sauce cool completely before transferring it to a freezer-safe storage bag or container and freezing for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating on the stovetop and tossing with fresh boiled pasta.
- Reheat: You can rewarm individual portions of pasta in the microwave or larger portions on the stovetop. Place in a skillet or medium saucepan and heat over medium, adding a splash of broth, wine, or cream to help restore the silkiness of the sauce.
Nutrition
I calculate these values by hand to ensure accuracy, however expect up to a 10% variable depending on food brands.
WOW is this good. It’s so light for being so calorie-dense, and so comforting. Certainly a very special meal!
Amazing!!