Ground Turkey Tacos Recipe

three turkey tacos on a plate with lettuce and tomatoes.

Ground Turkey Tacos Recipe

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: ground turkey tacos, turkey tacos

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 20

Servings:

Calories: 274kcal

Author: Megan Gilmore

In case you're wondering, ground turkey is not a simple swap for ground beef in your favorite taco recipe. Turkey requires a bit more "oompf," so this recipe will give you delicious results on your first try.

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Ingredients

Turkey Taco Meat:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound lean ground turkey
fine sea salt
1 (15 ounce) can lentils , drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ cup salsa

For Serving:

12 to 16 small tortillas
romaine lettuce , chopped
tomatoes , diced
shredded cheese (optional)

Instructions

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat on the stovetop. Once the surface is hot, add a drizzle of olive oil and the ground turkey. Season with a ½ teaspoon of fine sea salt and use a spatula to break up the meat into small clumps. Stir and cook until the meat is no longer pink, about 8 minutes.
Once the meat is cooked, add the drained lentils to the pan, along with the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and another ½ teaspoon of salt. Stir well to distribute the seasoning and heat the lentils for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
For extra flavor and moisture, stir the salsa into the meat. Once it's distributed and heated through, taste the mixture and adjust the seasoning to taste. Serve the taco filling warm in your favorite tortillas or over a taco salad with your favorite toppings.

Notes

Nutrition information is for one serving of taco meat only, out of 8 servings. (Not including tortillas or toppings.) This is roughly enough meat for two tacos. This information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, so it's just an estimate and not a guarantee.

How to Cook Lentils: If you don't have canned lentils available, you can cook them from scratch. You'll need to cook 1/2 cup of dry lentils to get roughly 15 ounces cooked, which this recipe calls for. Cover the lentils with 3 inches of water, then bring them to a boil on the stovetop. Lower the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 18 to 20 minutes until tender. Then drain and use as directed.

Nutrition