Swap the beef for turkey meat in these Ground Turkey Tacos and enjoy a healthy, perfectly seasoned, and budget-friendly meal that’s ready in under 30 minutes! Along with my Baked Turkey Meatballs, this recipe is my favorite to make with ground turkey meat.
Anna’s Recipe Rundown! – Ground Turkey Tacos
- Taste: Signature taco flavor thanks to my homemade taco seasoning.
- Texture: Saucy and delicious.
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Skill level: Perfect for beginner cooks!
- Tools needed: Just a skillet!
- Why is this the best? Using ground turkey meat adds this dish to a budget-friendly category.
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Why This Recipe Works!
Get ready to be impressed! These Ground Turkey Tacos are so easy to make and absolutely delicious, you won’t miss the beef one bit. This is also a better option if you are watching your weight, since turkey meat has less fat than beef. That also means it is milder in flavor, so I am using a few ingredients to boost it and give the dish its classic taste: my taco seasoning mix and salsa!
I’ve been making turkey tacos for years, and my family enjoys them every time! You will always find at least a pound of ground turkey in my freezer. My teenagers have made these tacos many times, as it is a perfect dish for a beginner cook.
Key Ingredients:
- ground turkey: You will need one pound of lean turkey meat to feed 4 people.
- aromatics: Garlic and onion add flavor to the ground meat. You can skip the fresh veggies and use dry spices.
- salsa: I used medium heat, chunky salsa. Any salsa works in this recipe; however, if your salsa is more watery, you may not need the additional water in this dish.
- taco seasoning: I used my homemade taco seasoning, made with classic spices like cumin, chili powder, garlic and onion powders, paprika, and oregano; feel free to use your favorite seasoning.
- common toppings: I went with the classics, like pico de gallo, shredded cheese, diced red onion, sour cream, and parsley or cilantro.
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Anna’s Helpful Tips!
- Whenever I cook ground meat, I wait for it to develop the browned bits at the bottom of the skillet. It’s called the Maillard reaction. It deepens the flavor, especially when I use turkey or chicken meat, which tends to be quite mild.
- Don’t skip the salsa and water! Ground turkey is a lean meat, and once cooked, it is dry. Adding liquid is a must here.
- The meat comes together rather quickly, so have your toppings ready to be served!
- Warm up the tortillas to make them soft and pliable. It will also prevent them from tearing when loaded with turkey meat and all the toppings.
Ground Turkey Tacos FAQs:
Absolutely! It is much milder in flavor than beef, so amp up the amount of taco seasoning. I also add salsa for a boost in flavor.
Flour tortillas are most commonly used, but corn tortillas or shells work perfectly too!
I always serve turkey tacos with diced tomatoes and red onion, shredded cheese, and sour cream. If you want to take them to a new level, add my pickled red onions. They are perfect as a topping on tacos!
More Tacos Recipes:
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Ground Turkey Tacos
Swap the beef for turkey meat in these Ground Turkey Tacos and enjoy a healthy, perfectly seasoned, and budget-friendly meal that’s ready in under 30 minutes!
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Instructions
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Heat up olive oil in a 9” skillet.
1 tablespoon olive oil
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Add ground turkey and break it up using a potato masher (tip!).
1 lb lean ground turkey
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Add seasoning, garlic, and onion. Cook until the onion is soft.
3 cloves of garlic, 2 tablespoons taco seasoning, ½ small yellow onion
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Add salsa and water and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes.
½ cup salsa, ¼ cup water
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Season with salt and pepper.
Salt and pepper to taste
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Serve in tortillas with desired toppings.
Notes
- I always use my homemade taco seasoning recipe:
- Serve with soft tortillas (flour or corn) or in crunchy taco shells.
