Turkey Chili Mac And Cheese
Just because youre watching what you eat doesnt mean that you have to skip out on indulgent main dishes like chili mac and cheese casserole. While this dish is usually made with ground beef, using ground turkey instead can lighten it up without changing how it tastes much.
This one-pot meal can be cooked in half an hour, so its great when youre in a hurry. You can also change up the seasonings or the type of cheese you use to do some variations on this iconic meal.
How To Make Teriyaki Turkey Rice Bowls
Ground Turkey Refried Beans Burritos
There are times when only a burrito will do, and when youre craving your favorite Chipotle burrito, you can make your own at home.
These burritos cost a fraction of what you would pay if you went to a restaurant, and theyre much healthier because you mash your own refried beans.
Spices are dried oregano, onion powder, chili powder, and cumin.
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How Is Ground Turkey Used In Recipes
Ground turkey is often used in dishes where it can be thoroughly mixed into the dish and where it can be kept moist by other liquid ingredients. Here are a few of the most popular dishes you can make with ground turkey :
- Chilis
- Casseroles
- Rice bowls
Any recipe that uses a ground meat mixture such as beef, chicken, or pork can have those proteins replaced by turkey. The taste may not be exactly the same depending on what dish youre making. However, if you use a good ground turkey recipe, itll be flavorful enough to please everyone at the table anyway.
Healthy Ground Turkey Recipes
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We’ve rounded up 30 of our favorite healthy ground turkey recipes that are perfect for weeknight meals.
If you’ve got a pound or two of ground turkey and are wondering what to do with it – we’ve got some ideas for you! Including our favorite chili recipes, bowls, pasta recipes.
Let us know what you make or what your favorite turkey recipes are in the comments below!
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Ground Turkey Teriyaki Rice Bowls
Ground turkey recipes are always a winner in our house, like Turkey, Kale and Rice Soup, Turkey Taco Stuffed Shells and Spicy Turkey Meatloaf. These Teriyaki Turkey Rice Bowls always top the list of favorites.
My kids are not fans of vegetables. Well, quite frankly that is an understatement. They hate them. So I have had to get clever with how I add veggies to our meals.
The ground turkey is juicy and the teriyaki sauce is sweet and flavorful. Add in all the wonderful veggies and youve got a perfectly complete meal that makes great leftovers.
Ground Turkey Enchilada Stir
This recipe doesn’t involve any rolling of tortillas, nor does it require copious amounts of cheese. However, every bite of savory turkey, butternut squash and fluffed couscous will remind you of the flavors of this popular comfort food.
Get the Recipe: Ground Turkey Enchilada Stir-Fry with Couscous
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What You’ll Need To Make This Recipe
Turkey – You’ll need 1 pound of ground turkey for this recipe. We used lean ground turkey, but you can use whatever kind you’d like.
Aromatics – You’ll need 1 small yellow onion and 3 cloves of garlic.
Beans – You’ll need 1 can on kidney beans and 1 can of cannellini beans.
Tomato Sauce – You’ll need 1 can of tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes.
Stock – You’ll need 2 cups of chicken stock. You can substitute vegetable stock as well.
Spices – You’ll need 3 teaspoons of kosher salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons of cumin, 1 teaspoon of dried oregano, 1 teaspoon of chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne.
Soup And Chili Recipes
- Turkey Taco Soup A healthy soup with flavorful turkey, veggies and broth.
- Turkey Taco Stuffed Shells A Mexican inspired spin on an Italian classic.
- Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs Tender, juicy ground turkey meatballs swimming in a sweet and savory teriyaki sauce.
- Ground Turkey and Black Bean Baked Tacos Super simple high protein taco recipe, baked in the oven to make them extra flavorful.
- Spicy Pineapple Barbecue Turkey Meatballs Tender, fresh Turkey Meatballs are smothered in a homemade Spicy Pineapple Barbecue Sauce.
- Skillet Turkey and Cornbread Casserole A cheesy ground turkey recipe with salsa, black beans, and corn.
- Turkey Burgers These turkey burgers are so easy to prepare and are just perfect for a midweek meal.
- Easy Cheesy Ground Turkey Enchiladas A light and healthy dinner, with a cheesy, saucy ground turkey filling wrapped in soft flour tortillas.
- Easy Ground Turkey Tacos A great way to lighten things up for taco night!
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Ingredients For Ground Turkey And Broccoli Pasta
- Ground turkey: I used 1 lb of extra lean ground turkey. Equivalent substitute is ground chicken, but pork and beef are OK if thats all you have on hand.
- Pasta: Short pasta like penne, elbow macaroni, bow ties etc. For health benefits, I recommend to use whole wheat or whole grain pasta. Gluten free pasta like brown rice, quinoa, chickpea etc. is healthy and full of fiber too.
- Broccoli: Fresh or frozen. Frozen is pre-cooked, so might need less cook time.
Broccoli is considered a superfood! It contains a wealth of nutrients and antioxidants. Did you know 1 bunch of broccoli contains 17 grams of protein?!
- Other veggies: Tomato for a pop of color and taste and onion for aromatic savory taste.
- Parsley: Use Italian flat leaf parsley rather than curly parsley more flavor.
- Garlic: Grated garlic is more flavorful rather than minced so you will need less.
- Stock: Any low sodium stock like chicken, veggie or beef will work. Also bouillon cubes diluted in water.
- Parmesan cheese: Freshly grated for best taste.
Buy large chunk of Parmesan cheese and grate yourself vs. a shaker kind full of preservatives and cellulose. It freezes well, lasts a lifetime and adds even more flavor at the end to this pasta and soups like Instant Pot lentil soup.
How To Store Leftovers
- Refrigerating leftovers: This dish will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge if properly stored in an airtight container. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove.
- To freeze, allow to cool completely, then pour into a freezer bag or airtight container. Freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat as described above. Freeze rice or noodles separately from the meat.
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Ground Turkey Burritos With Refried Beans
Since I dont always have slow-roasted pork on hand, using ground meat for my burritos is an easy way to make a hearty meal.
And given all the extras in here refried beans, salsa, chilis, jalapenos, spices, and cheese nobody will know that its turkey.
Ive mentioned before that I need my salads to be loaded with flavor and texture.
Well, this recipe doesnt disappoint.
Full of taco flavors and crunch from the corn, tomatoes, and baked tortillas, every bite is better than the next.
Theres nothing like the smell of a batch of chili cooking away in the kitchen.
Its an inexpensive, easy, and filling dish that will last you for days.
Serve it with some warm cornbread, or bulk it out even more by adding sweet potato and corn.
Healthy Ground Turkey Recipes That Are Delicious
Ground turkey is a popular substitute for ground beef if youre trying to make recipes more healthy. Not only does ground turkey taste delicious, but it can also offer the same texture in casseroles, burgers, and more without adding a bunch of excess calories and fat.
Read on to learn some of our favorite healthy ground turkey recipes to lighten up your menu!
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Healthy Ground Turkey Recipe
This! This healthy ground turkey recipe is the best use for a pack of ground meat. I made this pasta with ground turkey and broccoli after work one day. I promise you, I sat on a chair with a cup of tea for at least 15 minutes while dinner was cooking. Only recipe that beats this ones cook time is spaghetti with tomato sauce and mac and cheese.
The flavors of meat, pasta, parsley and garlic are unbelievable together in. My 14 year old asked Mom, whats the sauce?. Um, nothing really. Simple food like this turkey chili or zucchini ground turkey skillet is the best. And its healthy!
Turkey Bolognese With Garlic Spaghetti Squash
If you’ve gone paleo but miss your weekly pasta nights, this alternative to beefy pasta bolognese is a serious cravings crusher. It serves up 8 grams of fiber and 22 grams of proteinand the sauce is splashed with full-bodied wine, a prime source of resveratrol. Because this dish is free of grains, added sugar, dairy, and processed foods, you can rest easy knowing it’s caveman-approved!
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Comforting Ground Turkey Recipes
- Roasted Eggplant Lasagna with Turkey – Comfort food with a healthy twist! This Roasted Eggplant Lasagna uses sliced eggplant in place of lasagna noodles making for a delicious, hearty, low carb and gluten free dish the whole family will love!
- Sheet Pan Turkey Meatballs – Wonderfully seasoned ground Turkey Meatballs come together with fresh green beans and mushrooms, then baked for this quick and easy sheet pan dinner. This recipe gets a healthy, low carb, delicious meal on the table in 30 minutes and clean up is a breeze!
- Turkey Burgers – These are truly the best Turkey Burgers! Made with ground turkey, spinach, feta, and tasty seasonings, they cook up perfectly moist and delicious. Theyre not only a great alternative to beef burgers, but youll probably love them so much, they wont just be a back up.
- Cheddar Stuffed Turkey Zucchini Meatballs – These turkey zucchini meatballs are stuffed with cheddar cheese and Italian seasoning then cooked stovetop in marinara sauce for an easy, flavorful dinner.
- Hearty Ground Turkey Soup with Vegetables – Hearty ground turkey soup with vegetables is a clean and comforting meal perfect for soothing the belly and soul. Make it if youre feeling under the weather, or if you just love a great nourishing soup recipe!
Delicious & Healthy Ground Turkey Recipes
5/2/18
These 20 Delicious & Healthy Ground Turkey Recipes are a great way to enjoy lean protein in a way that doesn’t skip out on flavour!
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Ground turkey I feel like you either love it or hate it! Because it’s a lean protein, it tends to dry out super easy so it’s important to cook with it using recipes that use the right spices and employ the right cooking techniques. Keeping your ground turkey moist is key, so I’ve rounded up some delicious recipes using ground turkey that are bound to please to help take some of the guesswork out of cooking it!
Recipes with ground turkey are a great way to enjoy some of your favourite cheat meals in a healthier way I’m talking meatballs, tacos, in sausage form and more! It’s a great lean protein that is super versatile but you just need to know the right way to cook it!
Keep scrolling below to discover some of my favourite ways to cook with ground turkey!
About Taylor Stinson
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Turkey Cheeseburger Quinoa Casserole
This dish is packed with flavor and protein.
The recipe calls for a mixture of ground turkey and ground beef, but of course, you can use just ground turkey.
The can of V8 juice adds so much flavor, and seasoning salt provides the rest.
Heres a tip. Cook the quinoa in chicken broth or beef broth to give it tons of flavor.
Best Ground Turkey Recipes
Got a pound of ground turkey just begging to be used up, or a hankering for a meaty-but-healthy dinner? Youve come to the right place! Weve rounded up the top 10 very best ground turkey recipes.
If youve got a pound of ground turkey just begging to be used up, or a hankering for a meaty-but-healthy dinner, youve come to the right place! Weve rounded up the very best ground turkey recipes on the whole internet! Our own included, of course. Your hunt for healthy, and super easy ground turkey recipes stops right here.
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Why Should You Make This Recipe:
If you are looking for easy meals that you can get on the table fast, this healthy turkey meatloaf recipe fits the bill perfectly because:
- It can be ready in under 1 hour with every day ingredients. Plus, the best part is that you can make it ahead, meal prep or freeze for later.
- Made with lean ground turkey, it is a healthy alternative to ground beef meatloaf. It is also a dairy-free, protein and veggie-packed dinner your family can enjoy any night of the week!
If you are thinking about what to do with ground turkey, this healthy turkey meatloaf recipe might be your answer.
Turkey Taco Burrito Bowls
Bowls are a popular way to fix up rice-based dishes without incorporating a lot of extra starches in the form of bread or tortillas. This burrito bowl has seasoned ground turkey mixed up with classic burrito ingredients such as rice, avocados, sour cream, and fresh tomatoes.
You can also add any other vegetables you like, such as beans and corn. Burritos dont have the best reputation for being healthy, but using turkey instead of beef or pork and a bowl instead of a tortilla is a quick way to lighten up this classic Mexican dish.
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Ground Turkey Chili Recipes
- Ground Turkey Chili with Beans – This delicious ground turkey chili is the best! It’s got two types of beans – cannellini and kidney, as well as onions, garlic, and lots of spices.
- Healthy Ground Turkey Chili – This Healthy Turkey Chili recipe is easy to make in 30 minutes on the stovetop. Turkey chili is loaded with protein and veggies and bursting with flavor thanks to a homemade spice mixture. A nutritious and cozy fall meal.
- Sweet Potato Paleo Chili with Turkey – One pot, protein packed Sweet Potato Paleo Chili with turkey hearty, healthy and filling! Gluten Free + Whole30 Approved + Bean Free
- Classic Crock Pot Turkey Chili – This Healthy Turkey Chili is boldly flavored without being too spicy , and its so easy in either the slow cooker, or on the stovetop.
- Turkey White Bean Chili – Delicious turkey white bean chili made with ground turkey, white beans and tomatoes. Ready in under 45-minutes, this recipe is perfect for a weeknight dinner.
- Turkey and Black Bean Chili – This turkey and black bean chili is an amazing weeknight dinner option! Its so easy, cost-effective, and endlessly versatile.
Cheesy Turkey Meatloaf Muffins
This particular recipe splits up the meat mixture into tiny meatloaf muffinsbaked right in your muffin tin! It saves you the trouble of wondering if the meatloaf is cooked all the way through once you slice into it. Plus, by exchanging ground beef with ground turkey, your meal instantly becomes leaner.
Get our recipe for Cheesy Turkey Meatloaf Muffins.
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Why Make Healthy Ground Turkey Recipe With Pasta
- Easy and quick:Healthy dinner perfect for busy weeknights your time is 10 minutes, idle time is 20 minutes.
- Kid friendly: Most kids love pasta .
- No food waste: When you dont know what to make with ground turkey and yet its in your fridge.
- Lots of broccoli: When you have to use up large amount of broccoli. Also see broccoli salad and chicken broccoli casserole.
- Simple: When life is busy and there is not much time, this dish is a dinner win.
- Healthy: Low fat ground turkey, nutrient filled broccoli, fresh herbs and carbs make for a satisfying weeknight dinner!
Need more help with dinner? Check out iFOODreal meal plans.