How to Cook Ground Turkey to Perfection – Tips and Tricks for Moist, Flavorful Meat

You’re in luck if you want to know how to cook ground turkey that tastes good! This recipe will help you make healthy, tasty ground turkey meat in just 15 minutes. That way, you can have your weeknight meal ready in no time. You can cook ground turkey as taco meat, a topping for salads, chilli, gyro bowls, and more!.

Ground turkey can be a nutritious and delicious alternative to ground beef, but it does require some special handling to ensure it turns out moist and full of flavor. With less fat than beef, ground turkey is prone to drying out during cooking. However, with the right techniques, you can make tender, juicy ground turkey every time.

In this guide, I’ll share my best tips and step-by-step methods for cooking ground turkey successfully on the stovetop, in the oven, in a slow cooker, and more. Let’s dive in and learn how to take this lean ground meat from bland and dry to tasty and succulent.

Choosing the Best Ground Turkey

When shopping for ground turkey. you’ll typically find two main options

  • Regular ground turkey – This is made from a mix of dark and white meat and has about 80% lean meat 20% fat. The extra fat helps keep it moist.

  • Ground turkey breast – Made solely from the white breast meat this ultra-lean option has around 95% lean meat 5% fat. It’s very low in fat but can dry out easier.

For most recipes, I recommend the 80/20 regular ground turkey. The little bit of extra fat gives you more wiggle room to avoid drying it out. But feel free to experiment with the leaner turkey breast as well.

Top Tips for Cooking Moist, Flavorful Ground Turkey

Follow these tips whenever you cook ground turkey to help prevent dry, bland meat:

  • Use oil or butter – Cooking ground turkey in a bit of olive oil or butter provides important moisture and flavor.

  • Season generously – Ground turkey benefits from bold seasoning. Try garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, chili powder, cumin, and fresh herbs.

  • Add flavorful mix-ins – Ingredients like mushrooms, onions, peppers, etc. add moisture and flavor.

  • Don’t overcook – Cook just until no longer pink and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

  • Let it rest – Letting the cooked meat rest for 5 minutes helps juices redistribute.

How to Cook Ground Turkey on the Stove

The stovetop method gives you lovely browned turkey crumbles in about 15 minutes. Here’s a simple stovetop recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1⁄2 onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1⁄4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

  2. Add ground turkey and cook for 5 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon as it browns.

  3. Add onion and continue cooking for 3 minutes, until softened.

  4. Stir in garlic and spices and cook for 2 more minutes.

  5. Cook until no pink remains and the internal temperature reaches 165°F, about 5 more minutes.

  6. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

  7. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

That’s all it takes for flavorful, moist ground turkey on the stovetop! The spices, onion, and garlic really boost the flavor.

Baking Ground Turkey in the Oven

Baking ground turkey in the oven lets you easily cook a large batch for meal prepping. Try this easy oven method:

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs ground turkey
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1⁄4 tsp cayenne
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

  2. In a large bowl, mix together ground turkey, olive oil, onion, garlic, and spices until well combined.

  3. Transfer mixture to a 9×13 baking dish and bake for 15-20 minutes, until no longer pink.

  4. Let rest 5 minutes, then season with salt and pepper.

The hands-off oven approach leaves you with perfect ground turkey for meal prepping burritos, salads, pasta dishes, and more all week long.

Slow Cooking Ground Turkey

For dishes like chili, tacos, or sloppy joes, try simmering ground turkey in a slow cooker. The low, slow heat keeps it tender.

Tip: Use a liner in your slow cooker to simplify cleanup.

Follow your recipe directions for amounts, but in general, you’ll combine the ground turkey with sauce ingredients (tomatoes, broth, etc.) and spices, and cook on low for 6-8 hours. The turkey will turn out incredibly moist thanks to the prolonged simmer.

Making Juicy Turkey Burgers

To form succulent patties rather than dry hockey pucks, mix in a little olive oil and avoid overpacking the meat. Follow this easy turkey burger recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small onion, finely diced
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. In a bowl, gently mix all ingredients together until just combined. Don’t overmix.

  2. Form into 4 patties, handling the meat lightly. Don’t pack it too densely.

  3. Grill or pan fry over medium-high heat for 6-7 minutes per side until cooked through.

  4. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

The olive oil, onion, garlic, and light handling ensures your turkey burgers stay tender and juicy from first bite to last.

Recipes and Meals to Make with Ground Turkey

Ground turkey is endlessly versatile. Here are just a few of my favorite ways to use it:

  • Turkey taco meat
  • Zucchini turkey meatballs
  • Turkey chili
  • Skillet turkey tetrazzini
  • Turkey meatloaf
  • Greek turkey lettuce wraps
  • Healthy turkey burgers
  • Turkey stuffed peppers
  • Turkey bolognese sauce
  • Use a bit of oil or butter
  • Season boldly
  • Add flavorful mix-ins
  • Don’t overcook
  • Let it rest before serving

how to cool ground turkey

How to make ground turkey the best

  • Use rapeseed or canola oil to coat a large nonstick frying pan and heat it over high heat.
  • Put the ground turkey in the pan and use a spatula to break it up into small pieces.

how to cool ground turkey

3. Leave to brown on a high heat for five minutes. Season with salt and pepper ( 3).

4. After this time, the ground turkey should have taken on some nice colour. Break apart properly now with your spatula and stir ( 4).

how to cool ground turkey

5. Once you’ve reached the third minute mark, add the seasoning and another large pinch of salt to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium now and continue to cook for a further 2 minutes ( 5).

6. Serve up with a crack of black pepper and enjoy! ( 6).

how to cool ground turkey

Tips for the best results

Using a stainless steel pan over high heat to brown the food will work best because of how well the heat spreads over stainless steel.

Season the turkey with the spices you like. This is the most important step in making ground turkey taste good. Be sure to use spices/seasonings that you enjoy. If you like a bold flavor, add more seasonings and vice versa.

Get a good brand of ground turkey. Since ground turkey is the main ingredient, I suggest getting a good turkey brand. You’ll notice a difference in flavour when using lower-quality meat versus higher quality.

Now that you know how to cook ground turkey, you may be wondering what to use turkey for. You can use ground turkey to make soup, chili, tacos, stir-fry, pasta meat sauce, egg rolls in a bowl, meatloaf, burgers, or meatballs. Essentially, you can use ground turkey anywhere you would normally use other types of ground meat.

Serve with my delicious : Mexican Street Corn Off the Cob

How To Cook Ground Turkey

FAQ

How long should you cook ground turkey?

Cooking ground turkey should take about 15 minutes and have a nice even brown hue with no pink. Feel free to add more spice. I love this dish because you can customize the spice. I’ll take some out of the pan for the kids first and then I’ll add more chili powder for my husband and me.

How do you cook ground turkey without drying it out?

There are a few different ways that I cook lean meat so that it is not dry. One way is to marinate the meat before cooking it. This helps to add flavor and moisture to the meat. Another way is to cook the meat on a lower temperature and for a shorter amount of time.

Do you put oil in the pan when cooking ground turkey?

Use oil when cooking – unlike beef, the dryer nature of ground turkey needs either oil or butter in the pan to properly brown without sticking and drying out. The extra fat helps provide flavor as well.

How do you make ground turkey taste good?

Spices: Use spices like garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and smoked paprika. You can also add a bit of cumin for warmth. Herbs: Fresh or dried herbs like thyme, oregano, or rosemary can help round out the flavor. Browning: Cook the turkey over medium-high heat to achieve a nice brown crust.

Leave a Comment