8 Healthy Ground Turkey Recipes That Will Have You Switching Over From Beef

What Makes Ground Turkey a Healthier Alternative to Beef?

Ground turkey is hailed as a leaner, healthier alternative to ground beef, because turkey is low in saturated fats and calories compared to beef, and higher in protein. But just how healthy is ground turkey, really? And what are the other benefits of eating this meat?

Let's compare the fat and calorie components of an equal portion (3 oz) of ground beef and ground turkey-

• Ground beef contains 25-30% fat, while ground beef has 7% fat in a combination of lean and dark meat and only 1% fat when the turkey meat is lean ground.
• Ground beef contains 235 calories, while the same quantity of ground turkey has 181 calories.
• In terms of protein content, ground beef has 22 grams while ground turkey has 23 grams.

Tender Cheesy Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients-

• 1 lb ground turkey
  
• 2 oz olive oil + 2 tbsp (keep aside)
  
• 4 garlic cloves (minced)
  
• 2 tbsp rosemary (chopped)
  
• 1 can tomato puree
  
• 8 oz breadcrumbs
  
• 1 egg
  
• 3 tbsp parsley
  
• 1 cup mozzarella (shredded)
  
• Salt and pepper
  

1. Take a large pot to make the sauce. Heat 2 oz olive oil at low temperature. Add the chopped rosemary and half of the minced garlic cloves. Stir for a few minutes or until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and season with salt and pepper. Let the sauce simmer on low heat while you prepare the meatballs.
   
2. Take another large bowl, add the ground turkey, breadcrumbs, the remaining minced garlic, egg and parsley. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. Mix well and prepare the turkey meatballs.
   
3. Now take a large saucepan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil and add the meatballs. Stir fry the meatballs until they turn brown. Keep stirring for 5 minutes.
   
4. Preheat the oven to 375 F.
   
5. Now add the sauce to the meatballs in the saucepan. Add the mozzarella on top and bake the dish for 10 minutes or more, until the meatballs are done.
   
6. Garnish and serve hot.
   

Instant Pot Turkey With Veggies

Ingredients-

• 1 lb ground turkey
  
• 1 tbsp olive oil
  
• 2 garlic cloves (chopped)
  
• 4 oz chopped carrots and peas
  
• 1 tsp cumin
  
• 4 oz corn
  
• 4 oz tomato sauce
  
• Salt and pepper
  

1. Set your instant pot to the Saute mode. Add the olive oil, ground turkey, and chopped garlic in the pot and mix well.
   
2. As the turkey starts turning white in the heat, add the cumin, salt and pepper and stir well.
   
3. After 2-3 minutes, add the chopped vegetables and tomato sauce. Mix well.
   
4. Check for the doneness after 2-3 minutes.
   
5. Serve hot.
   

Scrumptious Ground Turkey Sloppy Joes

Ingredients-

• 1 lb ground turkey
  
• 1 tbsp olive oil
  
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
  
• 1 large onion (chopped)
  
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  
• 2 cups marinara
  
• 1 tbsp oregano
  
• 4 Italian rolls
  
• 4 slices provolone cheese
  
• Chopped parsley for garnish
  

1. Heat the oil on a large skillet. Add the chopped onion and stir for 5 minutes.
   
2. Now add the ground turkey, garlic, pepper flakes, and oregano to the skillet and cook for another 5-6 minutes. The turkey will turn golden brown. Cook the turkey on medium heat till it turns brown. (Make sure you cook it well to avoid Food Safety hazards, for meats that aren't cooked well can cause food-borne illnesses.)
   
3. Now add the marinara and keep stirring. Let the turkey simmer and the sauce thicken, for about 7-8 minutes.
   
4. Heat the boiler and scoop the turkey preparation onto the Italian rolls. Top it with the provolone and put them in the broiler. Cook for 2-3 minutes till the cheese starts melting.
   
5. Garnish with the chopped parsley and serve hot.
   

Healthy Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients-

• 1.5 lb ground turkey
  
• 1 bell pepper
  
• 1 egg
  
• 4 oz parsley (chopped)
  
• 1 tbsp oregano
  
• Salt and pepper

1. Preheat the Air Fryer to 400 F.
2. Mix the ground turkey, parsley, bell pepper, seasoning, and egg in a bowl.
   
3. Roll the turkey meatballs to the size you like, or make them standard 11/4-inch balls.
   
4. Place the meatballs in a single layer inside the air fryer basket.
   
5. Cook for at least 8-10 minutes at 400 F. Check for doneness.
   
6. Serve with your choice of sauce or on a bed of rice.

Terrific Turkey Burgers

Ingredients-

• 1 lb ground turkey
  
• 1 tbsp olive oil
  
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
  
• 1 egg (beaten)
  
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley
  
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  
• 4 burger buns
  
• Lettuce
  
• Sliced tomatoes
  
• Mayonnaise
  
• Salt and pepper
  

1. Take a large bowl and mix the ground turkey, minced garlic, egg, parsley and Worcestershire sauce in it. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.
   
2. Make four uniform and flat burger patties with the mix.
   
3. Now take a skillet and heat the olive oil. Shallow fry the patties on medium heat. Both sides should be cooked until they turn brown.
   
4. Put the fried patties inside the buns, add the tomato, lettuce, and mayo to the burger and serve. You can add fries or sides of your choice to make the turkey burger even more delicious.
   

A Mean Turkey Meatloaf

Ingredients-

• 2 lb ground turkey
  
• 1 tbsp olive oil
  
• 1 onion (chopped)
  
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
  
• 1 tbsp rosemary (chopped)
  
• 1 tsp thyme (chopped)
  
• 6 oz breadcrumbs
  
• 4 oz milk
  
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  
• 3 oz tomato ketchup
  
• 1 egg
  
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
  
• Salt and pepper
  

1. Preheat the oven to 325 F. Take a deep baking dish and grease it well.
   
2. Take a large saucepan, heat the oil and add the onions. Cook for 4-5 minutes till the onions are soft.
   
3. Add the garlic, herbs and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute till fragrant.
   
4. Remove from the heat and let it cool.
   
5. Take a large bowl, mix the ground turkey with the breadcrumbs, Worcestershire sauce, milk and egg. Add the cooked vegetables to the bowl and season with salt and pepper.
   
6. Now take the baking dish and pour the ground turkey mixture into it, forming a loaf.
   
7. Take a small bowl, add the ketchup, brown sugar and mix well. Coat the turkey meatloaf with this sauce.
   
8. Bake the turkey meatloaf for about 1.5 hours. Check the internal temperature with a Grill Thermometer to make sure the turkey's cooked thoroughly.
   
9. Serve hot when the oven says it's done.
   

A Filling Turkey Chili

Ingredients-

• 1 lb ground turkey
  
• 1 tbsp olive oil
  
• 1 onion (diced)
  
• 1 jalapeno (minced)
  
• 1 tbsp chili powder
  
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
  
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
  
• 2 tsp cumin powder
  
• 15 oz black beans
  
• 28 oz diced tomatoes
  
• 1 tsp cayenne powder
  
• 4 cups chicken broth
  
• 4 oz cheddar cheese
  

1. Heat oil in the medium pot of a slow cooker. Cook the onions till they become translucent. Add the garlic and jalapenos and cook for another 2 minutes.
   
2. Now add the tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, cayenne and stir this mixture for 2 minutes.
   
3. Add the turkey to the pot and cook for 5-7 minutes. As the ground turkey starts turning brown, tip in the canned tomatoes, black beans and keep stirring.
   
4. Pour in the broth after cooking the sauce for 2-3 minutes.
   
5. Let the turkey simmer for 25-30 minutes.
   
6. Serve the hot turkey chili after garnishing with onions and shredded cheddar.
   

Crunchy Turkey Tacos

Ingredients-

• 8 corn taco shells
  
• 1 lb ground turkey
  
• 1 tsp olive oil
  
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
  
• 2 tsp Mexican seasoning
  
• 1 onion (diced)
  
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  
• 8 oz tomatoes (mashed)
  
• 2 oz cilantro (chopped)
  
• 8 oz mozzarella (grated)
  
• Cilantro for garnishing
  

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Place the taco shells on a sheet pan.
   
2. Heat the olive oil on a medium-sized skillet and add the ground turkey. Stir the turkey till it turns brown.
   
3. Season the turkey with cayenne, salt, pepper and Mexican seasoning.
   
4. Now add the garlic, onions and stir till they turn soft. Add the cilantro and tomatoes and keep cooking till they turn soft. Remove from the heat and keep it covered.
   
5. Bake the taco shells for 2 minutes, right before serving.
   
6. Spoon the turkey mixture into the taco shells and add the mozzarella and cilantro for garnishing.
7. Serve your turkey tacos with sour cream.