Move over, ground beef—these ground turkey recipes are here to steal the spotlight. From chipotle-kissed turkey chili to cheesy turkey enchiladas, we’ve got you covered.
Benefits of Ground Turkey:
Our family eats A LOT of ground turkey! It's cheaper than beef, easier to work with than chicken, and super versatile.
I buy it in 3 pound packages and use it for meal prep recipes like turkey meatballs and turkey chili.
Here's why I love it:
- Less saturated fat - Even dark meat ground turkey contains less saturated fat than ground chuck.
- Moist & flavorful - If this one surprises you, try any of the recipes below! I prefer to buy dark ground turkey or 85% lean because it stays nice and moist!
- Versatile - It's an easy substitute for ground beef and it tastes great in chili, enchiladas, pasta, lasagna, and stir fry.
- Affordable - It's typically cheaper than ground beef and chicken breasts, depending on where you buy it!
How to Meal Plan with Ground Turkey:
Ground turkey is an ideal protein to meal plan with! It's healthy and versatile, plus it lends itself well to freezer-friendly recipes.
I love to make a batch of turkey meatballs on Sunday evening so I can snack on them all week long! A turkey meatball is a healthy, filling snack that cuts my craving for salty junk foods like chips or pretzels.
Here's some good turkey recipes to meal plan with:
- Turkey chili - Make a double batch and freeze half for next time. Let it cool, then transfer it to a zip-top freezer bag or soup container. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Turkey meatballs - Super easy and freezer-friendly. Or great for snacking! Two meatballs is a far healthier snack than pretzels!
- Turkey burgers - Freeze the homemade patties or freeze them already cooked! All you need are buns and toppings!
- Turkey skillet - Ground turkey cooked in a tomato sauce with veggies. Just heat up some leftover quinoa or rice and dinner is ready!
Ground Turkey Recipes:
If you try just one of these ground turkey recipes, I highly recommend the turkey chili! It's so DANG good!
1. Oven Baked Turkey Meatballs
These turkey meatballs are juicy, tender, and super easy!
I make a batch at the beginning of the week and eat a couple whenever I need a high-protein snack. It prevents me from snacking on junk and consuming empty calories.
They take less than 30 minutes to make too!
2. Chipotle Turkey Chili
I'm obsessed with this turkey chili. It's so good that I prefer it to regular chili.
Green chiles and chipotles add an irresistibly smoky heat to it. It's easy to make, easy to double, and freezer-friendly.
I like to top mine with shredded cheese, sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips. It's an excellent choice for a chili bar with all the fixings!
3. Thai Turkey Lettuce Wraps
A simple and fresh recipe!
These lettuce wraps feature ground turkey cooked in a Thai-inspired sauce with peanut sauce and pineapple salsa on top.
It's bold, bright, and healthy! It takes less than 30 minutes to whip up this easy dish.
4. Ground Turkey Quinoa Bowls
If you're new to quinoa, this is a great recipe to introduce you! Fluffy quinoa gets topped with ground turkey and sweet bell peppers in a fire roasted tomato sauce.
One serving of this recipe is 409 calories and a whopping 37 grams of protein. It will fill you up with wholesome ingredients AND taste great. Win, win!
5. Panera Turkey Chili Recipe
Panera's soups are delicious, but their prices are steep! Thankfully you can make all their recipes at home.
This is a copycat recipe of Panera's turkey chili. It's packed with ground turkey, edamame, corn, and garbanzo beans with a spicy chipotle base.
It's easy to make, low calorie, and freezer-friendly! Perfect for chilly winter nights.
6. Greek-Style Turkey Burgers
Ground turkey pairs so well with Greek flavors like feta, red onion, and homemade tzatziki.
These Greek-style turkey burgers are simple but effective! They're a hit with the entire family, even kiddos.
This recipe makes 4 burgers, but can easily be doubled to make more.
7. Ground Turkey Enchiladas
These healthy-ish ground turkey enchiladas are loaded with meat, cheese, black beans and a homemade enchilada sauce with the right amount of spice.
And covered with lots of melty cheese, of course! A perfect make ahead dinner even the kiddos will love.
Don't forget the toppings! Sliced green onions, diced red onions, pickled jalapenos, sour cream, and some fresh cilantro!
8. Ground Turkey Teriyaki Stir Fry
A simple stir fry with ground turkey instead of beef!
Sweet, savory, and ready in under 30 minutes - what's NOT to love?! The homemade teriyaki sauce is on point and better for you than store-bought.
I buy frozen organic jasmine rice from Trader Joe's to keep this meal super simple. Just pop it in the microwave for 3 minutes and serve with the stir fry.
9. Ground Turkey Zucchini Lasagna
If you're craving lasagna, but eating low carb, this ground turkey zucchini lasagna is a solid choice.
It uses thinly sliced zucchini instead of lasagna noodles with all the meaty, cheesy goodness of a normal lasagna!
Each serving is only 257 calories and 12 grams of carbs.
10. Pesto Turkey Burgers
Another juicy turkey burger for the grill! This one is topped with basil pesto, melted provolone, and sliced tomato.
The ground turkey is mixed with pesto before it's formed into patties for even more herbaceous punch.
It's delicious and easy!
11. Elote Ground Turkey Enchilada Skillet
A cheesy twist on enchiladas with corn and ground turkey!
This elote enchilada skillet is much easier to make than traditional enchiladas and just as satisfying!
It's a high protein dish that's creamy, cheesy, and comforting. It takes less than 30 minutes to make!
12. Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers
A lightened up version of stuffed bell peppers!
These stuffed peppers are full of ground turkey, zucchini, brown rice, marinara, and melted mozzarella.
These make even better leftovers!
13. Turkey Egg Roll in a Bowl
Egg roll in a bowl boasts all the flavors of an eggroll without all the work! No need to roll the filling into egg roll wrappers and fry them.
Everything is cooked in the same skillet, then served over white rice. Whenever I need rice in a snap, I use Trader Joe's organic frozen jasmine rice. It only takes 3 minutes to microwave!
14. Turkey Lentil Soup
This wholesome turkey lentil soup makes an easy weeknight meal. The best part? It tastes even better on day two!
It's a nourishing, hearty soup with flavorful spices, ground turkey (or leftover shredded turkey), tender lentils, spinach, and plenty of fresh herbs.
15. Ground Turkey Pasta
Pure comfort food - cheesy, creamy, and rich! This ground turkey pasta will have everyone begging for seconds (or thirds!).
Penne pasta gets coated in a tomato cream sauce with plenty of extra cheese!
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