These Ground Turkey Recipes Are So Good, You'll Say Buh-Bye to Ground Beef (2024)

These Ground Turkey Recipes Are So Good, You'll Say Buh-Bye to Ground Beef (1)

Ground meats may get a bad rap for being tasteless or limiting, but they're actually some of the most versatile ingredients you can find at your local grocery store, especially when it comes to ground turkey. The ingredient may seem boring, but it's a great base for many healthy dinner recipes that are also delicious. Whether you're looking for Thai lettuce cups or spaghetti and meatballs, a burger, or a bowl of chili to keep you warm on a cold night, there are ground turkey recipes for every palate and mood — even for the pickiest of eaters of your household. Ground turkey works as the base for any kind of dish or as the whole meal, making it an easy and great choice for any weeknight dinner. Not to mention, it's much more affordable than some of the other packed meats out there.

The best part about these ground turkey recipes, though? They're easy! They are ideal for 30-minute dinner plans, and you probably already have most of the ingredients you need for them lying around the kitchen or in your fridge. With these recipes, you will never have to wonder how to cook ground turkey again. Plus, they're instant crowd-pleasers, which guarantees that your loved ones will be asking for any one of these recipes on a weekly basis.

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1

Quick Pork Ragu with Ravioli

These Ground Turkey Recipes Are So Good, You'll Say Buh-Bye to Ground Beef (3)

Granted, this recipe may technically be with pork, but swap the pork for lean ground turkey for a lighter dinner option.

Get the Quick Pork Ragu with Ravioli recipe.

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2

Creamy Mashed Potatoes and Cauliflower with Turkey Meatloaf

These Ground Turkey Recipes Are So Good, You'll Say Buh-Bye to Ground Beef (4)

Meatloaf may not be everyone's cup of tea, but if it's yours, you're going to love this recipe. It does take a bit of a time though, so you may want to take that into consideration before making it.

Get the Creamy Mashed Potatoes and Cauliflower with Turkey Meatloaf recipe.

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3

Tuscan Turkey Burgers

These Ground Turkey Recipes Are So Good, You'll Say Buh-Bye to Ground Beef (5)

Put those "turkey isn't as juicy as beef" thoughts to bed with this delicious recipe, packed with Italian veggies and smoked mozzarella.

Get the Tuscan Turkey Burgers recipe.

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4

Meatball Lettuce Wraps

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Forget the pasta. Put a new spin on meatballs with these flavor-packed lettuce wraps. The garlic, mint, Asian fish sauce, and carrots will not disappoint.

Get the Meatball Lettuce Wraps recipe.

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5

Smothered Swiss Turkey Burger

These Ground Turkey Recipes Are So Good, You'll Say Buh-Bye to Ground Beef (7)

This juicy turkey patty, topped with a mushroom-shallot mixture, and lots of Swiss cheese will forever change your mind about turkey burgers being bland.

Get the Smothered Swiss Turkey Burger recipe.

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6

Orecchiette with Sausage and Radicchio

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Though this recipe was originally made with sausage, you can easily replace it with ground turkey for a healthier yet still delicious option.

Get the Orecchiette with Sausage and Radicchio recipe.

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7

Turkey Chili With Wheat Berries and Beans

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This warm turkey chili will hit the spot on a cold night.

Get the Turkey Chili With Wheat Berries and Beans recipe.

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8

Turkey Meatball and Kale Soup

These Ground Turkey Recipes Are So Good, You'll Say Buh-Bye to Ground Beef (11)

This easy-to-make meal can be on the table in just 45 minutes. And if you decide to make these meatballs ahead of time (cook them for 10 minutes, cool, and freeze), dinner can be ready even quicker since all you'll have to do is defrost and let them simmer in the soup before serving.

Get the recipe for Turkey Meatball and Kale Soup.

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9

Thai Turkey Lettuce Cups

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This healthy, low-calorie meal is packed with tons of flavor thanks to zesty lime juice, cilantro, and cumin.

Get the recipe for Thai Turkey Lettuce Cups.

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10

Turkey Burgers and Slaw with Sweet Potato Chips

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Chili paste, soy sauce, and ginger bring some serious spice to these turkey patties.

Get the recipe for Turkey Burgers and Slaw with Sweet Potato Chips.

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11

Turkey Bolognese

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This rich recipe swaps out beef for leaner ground turkey, and high-calorie white pasta for fiber-rich whole-grain spaghetti.

Get the recipe for Turkey Bolognese.

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12

Turkey Meatball Gyro

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Go Greek with this easy dinner idea. Grill a variety of vegetables to add some freshness to the dinner.

Get the recipe for Turkey Meatball Gyro.

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13

Crispy Turkey Skillet Lasagna

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This lean take on lasagna is a hearty family meal — just don't count on having leftovers.

Get the recipe for Crispy Turkey Skillet Lasagna.

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14

Ground Turkey Sloppy Joes

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Classic sloppy joes get a healthy makeover you can feel good about digging into.

Get the recipe for Ground Turkey Sloppy Joes.

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15

Greek Turkey Burgers

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Looking for a healthy burger recipe? This one is super quick, easy to make, and packed with Mediterranean flavor.

Get the recipe for Greek Turkey Burgers.

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16

Turkey Meatballs

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Adding mushrooms, mustard, and other bold seasonings to the ground turkey mixture makes these meatballs way better than your standard beef recipe.

Get the recipe for Turkey Meatballs.

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17

Turkey Taco Cups

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Consider this a fun, healthy twist on taco night.

Get the recipe for Turkey Taco Cups.

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18

Quick Turkey Chili

These Ground Turkey Recipes Are So Good, You'll Say Buh-Bye to Ground Beef (30)

Ready in only 25 minutes and freezable for up to three months, this chili is a weeknight sanity saver.

Get the recipe for Quick Turkey Chili.

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19

Gingery Asian Noodle Salad with Turkey and Cucumbers

These Ground Turkey Recipes Are So Good, You'll Say Buh-Bye to Ground Beef (32)

There's no way anyone will call your salad boring when you show up with this Asian-inspired dish.

Get the recipe for Gingery Asian Noodle Salad with Turkey and Cucumbers.

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20

Pappardelle with Turkey Ragu

These Ground Turkey Recipes Are So Good, You'll Say Buh-Bye to Ground Beef (34)

Dry white wine adds zip to this rustic dish of pappardelle pasta tossed with ground turkey, rosemary, and marinara sauce.

Get the recipe for Pappardelle with Turkey Ragu.

These Ground Turkey Recipes Are So Good, You'll Say Buh-Bye to Ground Beef (2024)

FAQs

Is it bad to mix ground turkey and ground beef? ›

Of course you can! The question is would it be tasty? Ground turkey tends to be dry. I would use a slightly fattier ground beef to lend some fat to the ground turkey.

Is ground turkey really 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.

How do you make ground turkey taste like ground beef? ›

Whenever I made turkey burgers, I would dissolve some beef bouillon in a little water and add it to the turkey with a little canola oil, then season and form the patties. The bouillon gave it some flavor and the water and oil helped with moisture. Just make sure not to overcook.

Is ground turkey a good substitute for ground beef? ›

Lean ground turkey is a super versatile protein that works well in lots of recipes. It can be used interchangeably with ground beef and won't dry out with some simple tricks.

Is it OK to eat ground turkey everyday? ›

Protein is a macronutrient, which means that your body needs a lot of it. Your body can't store protein, so you need to consume it every day. As long as you don't eat too much turkey, it is a healthy way to get the protein you need. It's also a good source of beneficial vitamins and minerals like magnesium and niacin.

What is the healthiest ground meat? ›

You will often hear ground sirloin called extra-lean ground beef. If you want to create a healthy menu and limit the saturated fat in your dishes, then ground sirloin is the best choice.

Is ground turkey considered a processed meat? ›

Processed meats are any meats that aren't fresh. People typically think of processed meat as only referring to pork and beef, but this category can also include poultry (chicken, turkey, duck) and fish.

What can I add to ground turkey to make it taste better? ›

The Turkey Seasoning:
  1. Chili powder.
  2. Ground cumin.
  3. Garlic powder.
  4. Onion powder.
  5. Paprika or dried oregano.
  6. Salt & Black Pepper.
  7. Optional: red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper or a little spice kick.
Sep 10, 2023

How do you make ground turkey taste better? ›

How do you add flavor to ground turkey? Turkey meat can be flavored with easy ingredients like kosher salt and pepper, bell peppers, garlic powder, and olive oil. If you're cooking meat, specifically turkey taco meat, hot sauce and enchilada sauce are your best mates.

How do you cook ground turkey so it's not dry? ›

To keep it moist while cooking, you can either add a fat such as butter, or baste with a liquid like chicken stock. Why are most people's turkeys so dry? My dad taught me the number one rule of cooking virtually any meat and it's held up well pretty much no matter what I've cooked: low and slow.

Do you season ground turkey before cooking? ›

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. Adjust seasoning accordingly.

Do you have to drain ground turkey? ›

Most ground beef needs to be drained, so it's besy to drain after cooking. Turkey has less fat, so you are fine to season it while cooking. Thank you for the a2a!

Can you mix different ground meats? ›

This means you can combine types of ground meats in order to influence the final texture. For example, add ground pork to your meatballs to give them a smoother, softer texture than just using ground beef alone. Or better yet, you could mix in diced bacon, pancetta, or prosciutto!

Can you mix raw turkey and beef? ›

Yes, if two raw foods touch that will be cooked to the recommended temperature, the foods will be safe. Any raw meat that is mixed with poultry should be cooked to 165 °F which is the minimum temperature to cook poultry.

Can you cook different ground meats together? ›

No risk at all as long as each meat is cooked to a safe temp. It's safe if you cook to the highest necessary temperature.

Is it safe to cook ground beef and ground chicken together? ›

Ground poultry may be substituted for ground beef or combined with ground beef in many recipes. The important thing is that it be cooked safely. Ground poultry patties, loaves or any combinations should be cooked to 165° F (73.9° C).

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