Can we make a slightly lukewarm take? We're calling it now—ground turkey is going to be *the* protein of the moment. Who says turkey is only for Thanksgiving? Never been us! Ground turkey is our all year favorite for adding lean protein to pasta, soups, burgers. And don't even get us started on swapping it in as a healthy alternative to ground beef, especially when it means we get to eat ground turkey Italian sloppy Joes, turkey feta stuffed meatballs, and bánh mì burgers. So if you're ready look beyond that pound of ground beef, these 45 easy ground turkey recipes are deliciously simple, weeknight-friendly ways to shake things up this week.
Speaking of burgers, we love how delicious turkey burgers can be. When it comes to making a mean, lean turkey burger, we don't think you need to 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 Greek-stuffed turkey burgers, Italian turkey burgers, and Sriracha turkey burgers.
Ground turkey is also one of our favorite ways to make our all-time favorite 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 included our turkey lasagna, our baked penne alla vodka with turkey, and our spaghetti with turkey ragù here too.
Want even more lightened up, easy meals? Check out our favorite ground chicken recipes, our best ground pork recipes, and our top healthy dinners too.
1
Shawarma Stuffed Peppers
Here at Delish, we love stuffed peppers, and we love shawarma. So we thought: What would happen if we combined these two crowd-pleasing classics into one delicious, mostly hands-off recipe? The resulting one-pan recipe is definitely a keeper.
Get the Shawarma Stuffed Peppers recipe.
2
Turkey Chili
Beef chili may come to mind when you think of the classic, cozy meal, but turkey chili deserves its chance to shine. This easy recipe is full of warm spices and double the amount of beans for a thick, meaty chili that’s every bit as filling as the classic.
Get the Turkey Chili recipe.
3
Thai-Style Red Curry Meatballs
To make this a true weeknight winner, spoon the meatballs, vegetables, and sauce over steamed jasmine rice or rice noodles for a filling dinner. The super-flavorful curry sauce will soak into your base, giving sweet and savory heat in every bite.
Get the Thai-Style Red Curry Meatballs recipe.
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4
Low-Carb Turkey Gyro Bowl
Inspired by this popular grab-and-go sandwich, we created this healthy but hearty bowl that's perfect for meal-prepping. Our bowl starts with a layer of garlic-lemon cauliflower rice. If you're on the fence about cauliflower rice, we highly suggest trying it sautéed. It's the perfect foundation for smoky gyro-spiced turkey, bright cucumber-tomato salad, and tangy tzatziki.
Get the Low-Carb Turkey Gyro Bowl recipe.
5
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.
6
Thai Sweet Chili Turkey Burger
Sometimes you gotta branch out of your standard burger operation and switch up the flavor palate. Enter: This Thai-inspired sweet chili turkey burger. It's just the break from boring you’ve been waiting for, with a ginger-, garlic-, and scallion-studded turkey patty, pickled spicy chiles and cucumbers, a bright, crisp cabbage slaw, and plenty of sweet chili mayo all on a shiny, fluffy brioche bun.
Get the Thai Sweet Chili Turkey Burger recipe.
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7
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.
8
Caprese Turkey Burgers
We’ve Caprese-d everything from pasta salad to focaccia to stuffed peppers, but these Caprese turkey burgers are something special. Crowned with melty mozzarella, fresh tomatoes, and basil, this fresh twist on America’s perennial favorite will be a smash hit at every backyard BBQ and cookout around.
Get the Caprese Turkey Burgers recipe.
9
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, , whatever you like.
Get the Turkey Feta Meatballs recipe.
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10
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.
Get the Air Fryer Turkey Breakfast Sausage recipe.
11
Taco Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
We love how you can stuff sweet potatoes with pretty much anything, but this recipe might be our fave. 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.
12
Baked Minty Meatballs With Lemony Orzo
Silky and rich, this lemony orzo is inspired by a Greek soup called avgolemono. To achieve a creamy sauce, the orzo is simmered on the stovetop rather than boiled like pasta, making it totally worth an extra stir or two for the perfect texture. Paired with minty-turkey meatballs, this all-in-one meal is actually quite simple to pull off for a simple weeknight dinner or dinner party.
Get the Baked Minty Meatballs With Lemony Orzo recipe.
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13
Best-Ever 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. Bonus: Not only is the glaze totally delicious, it's also only two ingredients, ketchup and brown sugar.
Get the Best-Ever Turkey Meatloaf recipe.
14
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.
15
Spicy Turkey Sausage & Kale Chili
While we love classic turkey chili, when we're looking to spice things up, we turn to this recipe. Spicy ground turkey, red bell peppers, cannellini beans, tomatoes, and kale all combine for a cozy soup that will warm you up all winter long.
Get the .
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16
Bánh Mì Turkey Burgers
Craving a turkey burger that's anything but boring? This is the one for you. We took all of the classic flavors of a bánh mì sandwich (pickled vegetables, spicy mayo, cilantro) and combined them into one exciting burger.
Get the Bánh Mì Turkey Burgers recipe.
17
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.
18
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 beloved summer squash is even standing in for corn tortillas in this savory turkey zucchini enchilada casserole.
Get the Turkey Zucchini Enchilada Casserole recipe.
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19
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.
20
Baked Turkey Burgers
These juicy turkey burgers are packed with flavor, thanks to soy sauce, garlic, scallions, and shallot. Baking the burgers removes the guesswork of knowing whether they're fully cooked too. Top these however you like (we love adding some richness to the lean turkey burger with some avocado and onion).
Get the Baked Turkey Burgers recipe.
