Ground Turkey Tacos Recipe | Buns In My Oven (2024)

Our Ground Turkey Tacos are big on flavor and perfect for your next taco fix! This turkey taco recipe skips the packet and uses a handful of common spices to bring that classic, bold taco flavor you love.

Ground Turkey Tacos Recipe | Buns In My Oven (1)

Y’all know that I am a Certified Taco Fanatic.

I will literally eat tacos every day of the week and I will never grow tired of them.

Usually, we just do the standard American taco that I grew up with – ground beef seasoned with a packet of taco seasoning + shredded lettuce + shredded cheddar + a soft tortilla. If I’m feeling fancy, I’ll toss on some sour cream or diced tomatoes.

Of course, our fried tacos are a major favorite too, especially dipped in our cilantro lime dressing.

Lately, though, we’ve been trying to eat a little lighter and so I started making turkey tacos.

You guys. We are all converts. Turkey taco converts.

This ground turkey taco recipe is literally the best. I snagged the recipe from America’s Test Kitchen, sooooo you know I’m right when I say THE BEST.

Are you ready to do this?

Table of Contents

Ingredient Notes:

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Turkey – You’ll need a pound of lean ground turkey for these turkey tacos. This recipe also works well with ground chicken and you really won’t even notice the difference. I use the two interchangeably pretty regularly, depending on what’s on sale at my grocery store.

Veggies – Some diced sweet onion, minced garlic, and diced green chilis will add loads of flavor and a little heat to these turkey tacos.

Seasoning – The perfect taco meat is made with just the right seasoning. For these turkey tacos you’ll need some chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, ground coriander, and salt.

Sauce – Along with the seasoning you’ll also mix together a simple and flavorful sauce that the ground turkey will cook in. It’s a mix of tomato sauce, chicken broth, apple cider vinegar, and a little brown sugar!

What Readers are Saying!

“My husband and teenage son who are normally disappointed when I don’t make tacos with beef or pork, were really happy with the flavor of these turkey tacos! A few extra ingredients added a ton of flavor. ” – Lisalen

How to Make Turkey Tacos:

Turkey: First, we’re going to cook the lean ground turkey, garlic, and diced onion in a little bit of oil. I’m really loving avocado oil lately, but you could also use olive oil.

Seasoning: Once the meat is cooked through, add in the green chiles and the taco seasoning. We’re skipping the packet today and instead using plenty of chili powder, cumin, coriander, salt, and cayenne pepper. So much flavor!

Helpful Tip!

We don’t think these turkey tacos are overly spicy, but if you are concerned you can simply add less of the green chiles and cayenne pepper to reduce the spiciness.

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Sauce: Stir it well to really coat the ground turkey taco meat in the seasonings and then add in some tomato sauce, chicken broth, and apple cider vinegar with a little brown sugar and bring that mixture to a boil.

Simmer: Reduce to a simmer and let the meat cook for about 10 minutes or until the mixture has thickened.

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Serve: These ground turkey tacos seriously pack some flavor! You won’t miss the beef or the seasoning packet, promise.Serve these tacos with some tortillas or over lettuce. See below for some suggestions on taco toppings!

We like these turkey tacos because there are no funky ingredients, you know exactly what is going into your meat, and the seasoning is spot on.

I am not above using a seasoning packet, but I find that for turkey tacos you just need something more to amp up the flavor.

This recipe does that thanks to the spices and tomato sauce!

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Turkey Taco Toppings:

You can top your ground turkey tacos with all the same toppings you’d use for traditional beef tacos!

Our favorites include shredded lettuce, shredded cheddar, my restaurant style salsa, and our favorite hot sauce: Cholula!

Slices of avocado, a squeeze of lime juice, and some fresh cilantro add bright, fresh flavors to these tacos.

We never say no to homemade guacamole either!

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FAQs:

Can I store taco meat?

Yes, this taco meat will store pretty well in the refrigerator. You can keep the turkey taco meat in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.

Can I make turkey tacos with a packet of taco seasoning?

Absolutely, you can make turkey tacos using a packet of your standard taco seasoning. That said, turkey tends to have a bit less flavor than beef, so we prefer to use our homemade mix of seasonings with a few extra ingredients tossed in to make these turkey tacos flavorful and tasty.

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MORE TACO RECIPES!

  • Taco Casserole: Layered like a lasagna with all the flavors of tacos!
  • Air Fryer Tacos: Tacos made in the air fryer are super easy perfectly crispy!
  • Crockpot Chicken Tacos: Easiest recipe ever!
  • Keto Taco Salad: A great way to enjoy all that taco flavor without the carbs!
  • Chicken Taco Soup: Zero weight watchers points!
  • Taco Stuffed Shells: Pasta + tacos!
  • Slow Cooker Ground Beef: Cook your beef right in the crockpot and turn it into taco meat!
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Follow me on social for more recipe ideas & inspiration!

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Recipe

Turkey Tacos

Ground turkey tacos packed with so much flavor! No seasoning packet needed!

4.45 from 18 votes

Print Pin Save

Prep5 minutes minutes

Cook25 minutes minutes

Total30 minutes minutes

Serves 8 tacos

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons avocado oil
  • 1 pound lean ground turkey
  • 1 small sweet onion diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 4 ounces diced green chiles from a can
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 4 ounces tomato sauce
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat.

  • Add the ground turkey, diced onion, and garlic to the skillet and brown the turkey, breaking it up as it cooks.

  • When turkey is cooked through, add the green chiles, chili powder, cumin, coriander, salt, and cayenne pepper. Stir well to coat the meat.

  • Add the tomato sauce, chicken broth, apple cider vinegar, and brown sugar to the pan and stir to combine.

  • Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes or until thickened.

  • Serve with tortillas or over a bed of lettuce with your favorite taco toppings.

Tips & Notes:

Feel free to add more cayenne pepper or swap the diced green chile for jalapeno if you’d like your taco meat to have more spice.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 2tacos| Calories: 104kcal (5%)| Carbohydrates: 6g (2%)| Protein: 14g (28%)| Fat: 2g (3%)| Cholesterol: 31mg (10%)| Sodium: 486mg (21%)| Potassium: 349mg (10%)| Fiber: 1g (4%)| Sugar: 3g (3%)| Vitamin A: 715IU (14%)| Vitamin C: 5.7mg (7%)| Calcium: 29mg (3%)| Iron: 1.5mg (8%)

Author: Karly Campbell

Course:Main Course

Cuisine:Mexican

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Ground Turkey Tacos Recipe | Buns In My Oven (2024)

FAQs

How long does ground turkey take to cook? ›

Ground turkey is done when the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Depending on the size of the burger, this can take anywhere from 7-12 minutes over a medium-high flame.

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 without drying it out? ›

Don't overcook your ground turkey and it will stay moist. It should take no more than 15 minutes to cook. Anything beyond that will dry it out.

Do you add water to taco meat when cooking? ›

Pretty much everyone knows the drill: Brown the meat, breaking it up as you go, sprinkle the taco seasoning over it, and add a specific amount of water, simmering and stirring until thickened.

Do you brown taco meat before seasoning? ›

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir ground beef in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 7 to 10 minutes. Drain and discard any excess grease. Pour water and seasoning mix over beef; stir to combine.

When not to cook ground turkey? ›

The USDA recommends cooking (or freezing) raw, ground turkey within one or two days after purchasing or the “sell by” date printed on the package. So if your best-laid plans for Tuesday night turkey burgers were forgotten until Saturday, it's unfortunately time to say goodbye.

Does ground turkey take longer to bake than ground beef? ›

However, it is important to note that ground turkey has a leaner meat content than ground beef, which means that it may cook faster and could be drier than ground beef. Additionally, ground turkey has a milder flavor than ground beef, so you may need to add more seasoning to achieve the desired flavor.

What is the best temperature to cook ground turkey? ›

Poultry: The safe cooking temperature for all poultry products, including ground chicken and turkey, stays the same at 165 ºF.

How do you make ground turkey taste more beefy? ›

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.

What can I add to ground turkey to keep it moist? ›

Mushrooms add moisture, mouthfeel, and umami (beefy) flavor to the otherwise dry ground turkey. When mushrooms are chopped up into little bits, they easily and evenly mix with ground turkey making the protein so tender and flavorful while also giving the dish a veggie boost.

How to season ground turkey to taste like beef? ›

Ground turkey isn't as flavorful as ground beef, but if you want it to feel a little bit more like ground beef, try adding some Worcestershire sauce.

Should you let ground turkey sit out before cooking? ›

A package of frozen meat or poultry left thawing on the counter more than 2 hours is not at a safe temperature. Even though the center of the package may still be frozen, the outer layer of the food is in the "Danger Zone" between 40 and 140 °F — at a temperature where foodborne bacteria multiply rapidly.

How do you know when ground turkey is done? ›

Your ground turkey will need about 14-16 minutes in total to cook. It will be cooked when it is all browned evenly, juices run clear and when your thermometer is at least 165 degrees F.

How do you moisten ground turkey meat? ›

Even 93 percent lean ground turkey—often the fattiest preground turkey you can buy—can still taste too lean and can easily dry out during cooking. To temper those effects, we added 2 tablespoons of melted butter to the meat, along with a panade of milk and panko.

Is it better to add seasoning before or after cooking? ›

Don't Let the Flavor Disappear - It's best to add ground or cut spices and herbs around the midway point or towards the end of the cooking process, so that their flavors won't disappear. This allows the spices enough time to marry with the food.

Do you add taco seasoning before or after cooking chicken? ›

1 Heat oil in large skillet on medium heat. Add chicken; cook and stir 3 to 5 minutes or until no longer pink. 2 Stir in in Seasoning Mix and water.

Should you add seasoning during or after cooking? ›

Whereas seasoning before or during cooking is often about effectively integrating salt and other seasonings into a dish, seasoning foods after cooking can be an instant, easy way to add complexity and layers of texture to any finished dish, along with contrasting pops of flavor.

Should you dry meat before or after seasoning? ›

Dry It Off

Patting your steak dry with a paper towel before seasoning will give it a deep brown, flavorful crust. This move prevents the salt from melting and stops steam from forming when the steak hits the pan — both crucial for a good sear.

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