31 Ground Turkey Recipes That Won't Hurt Your Wallet Or Your Diet
We've got your dinner plans right here.
When it comes to eating healthier, we don't think you need to sacrifice on flavor ever. Which is why we love adding our favorite lean protein to the table: ground turkey! It not only works perfectly in pastas, casseroles, meatballs, and stir-fries, but we might even prefer it over regular ol' ground beef. So whether you're trying to cut carbs or gluten, lower your cholesterol, or simply add a bit more variety to your diet, we've got tons of healthy ground turkey recipes that will have the whole family asking for seconds.
Ground turkey is also one of our favorite ways to make our all-time best comfort foods a bit lighter, like we did with our turkey meatloaf and turkey shepherd's pie. Personally, we think there's really nothing more comforting than a freshly baked pasta dish (or really any pasta ever), which is why we have turkey lasagna, baked penne alla vodka with turkey, and spaghetti with turkey ragù on repeat.
Can we take a moment to say how secretly delicious turkey burgers can be? When it comes to making a mean, lean turkey burger, we don't think you need to cover up the fact that it's turkey, especially with our special hacks to help you achieve a supremely moist, flavorful patty. And you don't even have to grill out, simply turn on your oven and you'll be on your way to a killer baked turkey burger. After you try that, next on the menu are our recipes for banh mi burgers and sriracha turkey burgers.
Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps
No bread? No problem. Doubling up on romaine leaves ensures a mess-free lunch, sans the carbs. If you're looking for more lettuce cup recipes try these easy Thai chicken lettuce cups next!
Get the Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps recipe.
Turkey Shepherd's Pie
When the weather outside is frightful, nothing satisfies our craving for comfort food quite like a good shepherd's pie. A traditional shepherd's pie is made with ground lamb or beef, but this turkey version is surprisingly light and SO easy to make.
Get the Turkey Shepherd's Pie recipe.
Turkey Feta Meatballs
These turkey feta meatballs are easy to make and can be served any way you like. We like these atop our lemon-yogurt spread, but feel free to get creative—meatball subs, spaghetti & meatballs, whatever you like!
Get the Turkey Feta Meatballs recipe.
Turkey Chili
There is absolutely no reason why a turkey chili needs to be second to a more classic beef chili. This easy chili is full of warm spices and double the amount of beans for a thick, meaty chili that’s every bit as filling.
Get the Turkey Chili recipe.
Turkey Burgers
Whether you're making these in a skillet on the stovetop like we did or are taking them to the grill when the weather is nice, these turkey burgers are a flavorful, lean option that just might rival your favorite beef burgers.
Get the Turkey Burgers recipe.
Turkey Zucchini Enchilada Casserole
There are few things zucchini can't do, it seems. From grilled zucchini to zucchini soup and zucchini lattice lasagna, you can use it in so many different ways. Here, the summer squash is standing in for corn tortillas in this savory turkey zucchini enchilada casserole recipe.
Air Fryer Turkey Meatloaf
These little meatloaves are exactly what we want to eat when we’re homesick, even if we never had meatloaf growing up. Maybe it’s the ketchup. Maybe it’s the brown sugar. Maybe it’s the tantalizing scent of a cozy meal made extra easy in our air fryer!
Get the Air Fryer Turkey Meatloaf recipe.
Turkey Lasagna
We love ground beef with all our heart, but every now and then, we need a break. Enter: this beautifully cheesy ground turkey recipe. It's got everything you love about a traditional lasagna, only you'll feel a little better after destroying a big slice.
Get the Turkey Lasagna recipe.
Spaghetti With Turkey Ragù
You have no excuse to not make this stupid-easy ragù: Made with ground turkey, white wine, and crushed tomatoes, it's a flavor bomb.
Get the Spaghetti With Turkey Ragù recipe.
Spinach-Stuffed Shells With Mini Turkey Meatballs
In our unscientific opinion, tiny food just somehow tastes better? While we love our classic stuffed shells, there's just something even more delicious about stuffing them with mini homemade turkey meatballs.
Get the Spinach-Stuffed Shells With Mini Turkey Meatballs recipe.
Garlic Butter Turkey Meatballs
Garlicky, tender, and NOT boring, these turkey meatballs are some of our all-time favorites. Try them with zoodles or spaghetti squash for a lighter take on an Italian fave.
Italian Sloppy Joes
With ground turkey swapped in for beef and an Italian flair, these sloppy Joes are anything but basic. For more sloppy eats, try ground turkey in our sloppy grilled cheese next!
Taco Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
We love how you can stuff sweet potatoes with pretty much anything. We took these into Tex-Mex territory with a combo of ground turkey, onion, carrots, tomatoes, and taco seasoning.
Get the Taco Stuffed Sweet Potatoes recipe.
Turkey Meatloaf
Ground turkey recipes have a bad rep for being bland and boring. But this meatloaf is LOADED with flavor. How? Worcestershire garlic, rosemary, and thyme. And not only is the glaze totally delicious, but it's also only two ingredients: ketchup and brown sugar.
Get the Best-Ever Turkey Meatloaf recipe.
Air Fryer Turkey Breakfast Sausage
You’re gonna flip over the flavor of these homemade sausage patties. They’re just as delicious as the classic pork version but made with leaner ground turkey (and in your air fryer = less oil!). Serve these alongside some air fryer pancakes or French toast sticks for the easiest breakfast ever.
Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili
Having a big bowl of chili ready at dinner with very minimal effort (and dishes) is what winter is all about. This turkey chili is both comforting and healthy. So grab your slow cooker and cozy on up.
Get the Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili recipe.
Trader Joe's Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers With Pepper Jack
When you need a quick, healthy weeknight dinner option, stuffed peppers—and the endless ways to make them—are here for you. Swap ground turkey into our cheesesteak stuffed peppers next!
Get the Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers With Pepper Jack recipe.
Baked Penne Alla Vodka with Turkey
Here we changed up the classic penne alla vodka a little bit and added in ground turkey. The result is a creamy baked pasta that satisfies every carb craving possible with a little extra boost of protein.
Baked Turkey Burgers
These juicy turkey burgers are packed with flavor, thanks to soy sauce, garlic, scallions, and shallots. Baking the burgers removes the guesswork of knowing whether they're fully cooked too. You can top these however you like, but we love adding some richness to the lean turkey burger with some avocado and onion.
Get the Baked Turkey Burgers recipe.
Thai Turkey Meatballs
These turkey meatballs are the perfect dinner to get you back on track after a long string of late-night takeout. They're light, fresh, and full of flavor. Try them over rice noodles, a bed of greens, or some brown rice.
