What to Do with Ground Turkey (Easy Ground Turkey Recipes) (2024)

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Is ground turkey healthier? What should I make with ground turkey? You’ll find the answers to those questions below! We’ve also rounded up 15 Easy Ground Turkey Recipes that are easy to make at home.

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Ground turkey is a convenient ingredient you can keep in your fridge or freezer. You can add them to tacos, chili, pasta, meatballs, and so much more. They are perfect for a quick and easy weeknight dinner.

Is Ground Turkey Healthier Than Ground Beef?

Ground turkey has slightly more calories, fat, cholesterol, and sodium than ground beef. And ground beef has more protein, iron, zinc, and B vitamins. The tie-breaker? It’s in the saturated fats – turkey generally gets more health points than beef on this one. The choice is yours!

What Can You Make with Ground Turkey?

The possibilities are truly endless! Basically, you can substitute ground turkey for ground beef in most recipes! This means you can use it for pasta, tacos, chili, meatloaf, enchiladas, and even meatballs!

How to Avoid Overcooking Ground Turkey?

When you overcook your ground turkey, there’s no turning back! It quickly gets dry and crumbly, and loses its flavor! To avoid this, you’ll need to keep a close eye on the dish as you cook!

If you have to step away from the stove, turn the burner down low and cook it slowly! If you’re really on top of things, then keep an instant-read thermometer handy – cook ground turkey until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

Healthy Ground Turkey Recipes

Healthy Ground Turkey Tacos

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Loaded with peppers, spices, and turkey, these ground turkey tacos come together in 30 minutes! It’s so delicious and full of flavors.

Healthy Ground Turkey Chili

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Now it’s time for some delicious chili. It’s packed with lean protein and veggies, and you can either make it a spicy turkey chili if prefer.

Ground Turkey Lettuce Wrap

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Are you a fan of P.F. Changs’ lettuce wraps? Then you will seriously LOVE this recipe.Not only are the flavors in this dish out of this world but the entire recipe only takes about 15 minutes!!

If you want to make it a bit more hearty, simply throw in some chopped shiitake mushrooms for added texture and flavor.

Ground Turkey Pasta with Spinach

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Looking for an easy ground turkey recipe? Then stop here! This is a one-pot pasta that comes together in just 30 minutes.

It’s packed with healthy ingredients from spinach to tomatoes, and ground turkey! Enjoy!

Easy Ground Turkey Dinner Ideas

Turkey Meatballs

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Tender and juicy, smothered in delicious tomato sauce, these turkey meatballs completely melt in your mouth!

They’re full of flavor and great for a quick weeknight meal or appetizer for a party! You’ll absolutely love them!

Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers

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A healthy alternative to traditional stuffed peppers, these ground turkey stuffed peppers are gluten-free too! Topped with cheese, they’re hearty and may become one of your favorite ground turkey recipes!

Turkey Meatloaf with BBQ Glaze

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Seasoned and topped with a BBQ glaze, this turkey meatloaf is full of flavor and completely satisfying. Your family will love this recipe!

Firecracker Ground Turkey

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A lighter and easier dish, this Firecracker Ground Turkey is the perfect combination of sweet and spicy flavors. And the best part? It comes together in just 15 minutes!

Ground Turkey Shepherd’s Pie

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Delicious, healthy, and completely satisfying! This Ground Turkey Shepherd’s Pie has a cauliflower mash topping that is out of this world! You can’t beat this slimmed-down version of the classic comfort meal.

Southern Ground Turkey Dishes

Ground Turkey Rice Casserole

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A casserole dish that has a fantastic mix of spices, vegetables, and lean protein. It comes together in just about 30 minutes! If you’re on weight watchers, then you’ll appreciate that this healthy dinner is just 267 calories and 5 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP.

Ground Turkey Country Gravy

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If you’re a fan of biscuits and gravy, make this right away! This version will have your mouth watering. This ground turkey gravy is healthy, simple to make, and oh so tasty!

Turkey Burgers

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These turkey burgers are slightly spicy, smoky, and pair well with chipotle mayo, fresh slaw, or guacamole. Plus, they’re incredibly juicy and moist with cheese mixed right into the burger.

Other Popular Ground Turkey Recipes

Korean Ground Turkey and Rice Bowls

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Fast, healthy, and convenient for any family weeknight dinner, this Korean Ground Turkey recipe is a must-try! This meal comes together in only 20 minutes! Pair it with some healthy vegetables, this may just become ameal you come back to time and time again!

Ground Turkey Stir Fry

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With only a few ingredients, and a ton of vegetables, this ground turkey stir fry comes together super fast! Plus it’s completely versatile. You can use whatever vegetables you have on hand, make it spicy or mild, serve it with rice, noodles, or shredded cabbage for a low-carb option.

Ground Turkey Enchiladas

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Made with seasoned ground turkey, two cheese, and all wrapped up in flour tortillas, ground turkey enchiladas are incredibly filling and satisfying! The secret here is baking them in red enchilada sauce.

Is Ground Turkey Bad for You?

Both ground beef and turkey are nutritious meats that provide protein, fat, and a variety of vitamins and minerals. However, ground turkey is typically lower in saturated fat than beef. That said, it may be a better choice for your heart health.

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What to Cook with Ground Turkey (Easy Stir Fry Recipe and More)

This Ground Turkey Stir Fry takes about 20 minutes to make and is one of the best ground turkey recipes.

5 from 8 votes

Print Pin Rate

Total Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Author: Izzy

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground turkey
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon minced ginger
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • green onion for garnish

Instructions

  • Add ground turkey to a large non-stick skillet over medium heat.

  • Whisk together garlic, honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger in a mixing bowl.

  • Stir fry and cook for about 10 minutes or until nicely browned.

  • Add the sauce to the skillet. Stir fry and cook for about 3 minutes or until the sauce thickens.

  • Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with green onions a

Author: Izzy

Keyword: Ground Turkey Recipes

Tried this recipe?Follow or tag us on Pinterest @izzycooking

What to Do with Ground Turkey (Easy Ground Turkey Recipes) (2024)

FAQs

How to jazz up ground turkey? ›

With ground turkey, you need fresh aromatics to season it. Chopped yellow onions, scallions, cilantro, and red bell pepper all help add flavor. So too does the chili powder and minced garlic.

How do you make ground turkey not taste bland? ›

Before you start cooking, be sure to season the ground turkey well with salt and pepper. Also consider including dried herbs and spices for additional flavor. If you're cooking meatballs or meatloaf, pinch off some of the seasoned mixture and cook it in a skillet to taste.

How long is ground turkey good for in the fridge? ›

You may store uncooked ground poultry in the refrigerator 1 to 2 days. After cooking, you may keep it 3 to 4 days. Frozen raw poultry is best used in 3 to 4 months; cooked ground poultry, 2 to 3 months.

How is cooked ground turkey good for? ›

Burgers, tacos, chili, meatballs, lasagna – yep, ground turkey can do it all. We love cooking with ground turkey because this lean protein is just so versatile. And did we mention that it can be a low-fat alternative to ground beef?

How to make turkey taste good? ›

Instead of filling your bird with stuffing, fill it with aromatics. (News flash: Cooking stuffing inside a turkey can be dangerous.) The basics, like onion, garlic, thyme, rosemary, and sage, help lend that traditional Thanksgiving flavor. Take your aromatics up a notch by adding halved lemons or oranges.

How to improve the texture of ground turkey? ›

Ensure Pleasing Texture and Richer Taste

Even 93 percent lean ground turkey—often the fattiest preground turkey you can buy—can still taste too lean and can easily dry out during cooking. To temper those effects, we added 2 tablespoons of melted butter to the meat, along with a panade of milk and panko.

What helps ground turkey stick together? ›

Most recipes use egg to bind ground turkey, helping the meat to form into cohesive, juicy patties.

How to best season ground turkey? ›

The Secret Ingredient To Season Ground Turkey

There are plenty of easy ground turkey recipes out there. But, you will always need spices like olive oil, kosher salt and pepper, chili powder, and garlic powder. You can add minced garlic, and freshly chopped onions and peppers, for an extra edge.

What is the best tasting ground turkey? ›

Shady Brook is hands down my favorite ground turkey brand. They are consistent and I always know I am going to get a high quality, good tasting product. I love using it as a mix in to mac and cheese, pasta sauce, Shepard's pie, tacos, you name it, there are unlimited uses.

What makes ground turkey moist? ›

Leaner meats like turkey and chicken have less fat to keep the meat moist as it cooks, which can result in tougher, easily overcooked, dry burgers. By adding super finely chopped mushrooms, you are putting back a lot of water content that cooks out of lean meats like turkey.

Is 2 year old frozen ground turkey still good? ›

According to the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), ground turkey is safe for consumption indefinitely if continuously frozen. That's because freezing inactivates any microbes – i.e., bacteria, yeasts, and moulds – present in poultry until the meat is taken out to thaw.

How do I know if ground turkey has gone bad? ›

But as any poultry starts to go bad, it will start to turn an unpleasant shade of gray. If that pink hue starts to look slightly dull then it's time to use up your ground turkey immediately, and if it has a gray tint (even just a slight one), then it's time to toss it.

Can I eat 5 day old cooked ground turkey? ›

USDA recommends using cooked turkey within 3 to 4 days, kept refrigerated (40°F or less). Refrigeration slows but does not stop bacterial growth. Turkey can be frozen for 3 to 4 months. Although safe indefinitely, frozen leftovers can lose moisture and flavor when stored for longer times in the freezer.

Is ground turkey healthier than ground beef? ›

Ground beef and turkey are both nutritious meats that provide protein, fat, and a variety of vitamins and minerals. Turkey is generally lower in saturated fat than beef. As such, it may be a better choice for heart health. Fat-free turkey is also the lowest calorie option if you're interested in weight loss.

Is ground turkey healthier than chicken? ›

Both chicken and turkey provide healthy protein. Generally, chicken tends to be higher in vitamin B6 and pantothenic acid, and turkey tends to be lower in calories, fat, and sodium while having more zinc, niacin, and vitamin B12.

What is ground turkey a good source of? ›

Turkey is rich in protein and an excellent source of many vitamins and minerals, especially B vitamins. Skinless cuts have fewer calories and less fat than those with the skin on.

Why do people use ground turkey? ›

Generally speaking, ground turkey is leaner than standard ground beef, a nutritional advantage, especially when it comes to heart health.

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