It's snowing here in Chicago but after having a beautiful, sunny, 60 degree day on Saturday, I have summer and fresh tomatoes on the brain, especially after getting to enjoy this recipe this weekend. So maybe the title of my recipe is a little premature, it's a wonderful way to use up those fresh tomatoes that will be here before we know it, I promise!
I make this from time and time again when I have a surplus of tomatoes. Lately I've been shopping the "ugly but good" fruit and vegetable selection at Caputo's and for 99 cents you can get a bag of vegetables that aren't suitable to be sold in the bins but taste great nonetheless. This time around it was about 2 lbs of fresh beefsteak tomatoes. They had a great flavor to them, were well-ripened and broke down perfectly to create a fresh bolognese sauce. With the addition of a few other vegetables and a hefty amount of ground turkey, this was the perfect meal for our family.
There may not be many things better than a fresh batch of summer tomatoes. I always end up with too many so I can them for fresh marinara to be used in the fall and winter when tomatoes go out of season. Every now and then I find some good ones at the store, but I find most the time that's a rarity. When I do though, you can bet I'm making a BLT or pasta sauce with them. These were beefsteak tomatoes, but with a bit of patience, they can be cooked down into a rich and flavorful sauce.
To get started, I got my tomatoes cleaned up a bit. Tops removed and quartered. That's it :). Next I got the rest of my vegetables ready for the base of the sauce. Onions, carrots, bell peppers and sun dried tomatoes (without oil).
Turn your InstantPot to the sauté function. Add in your oil, garlic, onions, carrots and bell peppers and cook for about 5-10 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften a bit. Next add in your turkey and begin cooking. Ensure to break up the turkey so that it can brown a bit. Add in your sun dried tomatoes and seasonings and cook for a few more minutes.
From there, add in your chopped tomatoes. I literally just threw them on top of the vegetables. Close the lid and turn on the pressure cook option. Cook for 8 minutes and allow for a natural release.
Once that part is complete, mix well and turn the sauté function back on to begin reducing the sauce. It will be watery at first, but while it sautés, the water will evaporate. Ensure to keep the lid off the pot so that the steam can evaporate some of the liquid. I cooked mine for 20 minutes, but depending on how juicy your tomatoes are, you may need to cook for longer.
Once the sauce has thickened, add in fresh basil and your heavy cream or mascarpone cheese. While the dairy element is not necessary, it does give it a richness that we absolutely loved.
We served this on top of a fun little pasta that the girls picked out at the store, but any type would do. We sprinkled with fresh parsley and a bit of parmesan cheese before serving and really enjoyed it! It reheated well too and lasted us a few meals due to how much it makes. Halve the recipe if you aren't feeding as many people! Enjoy!
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