Ground Turkey Tacos
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Published Apr 24, 2023, Updated Feb 12, 2024
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These ground turkey tacos are juicy and packed with tons of flavor. They come together in about 20 minutes for a quick and easy weeknight meal that the whole family will love!
Today I’m sharing my go-to ground turkey tacos! They’re juicy and flavorful, not dry like some turkey taco recipes can be.
They’d be the perfect recipe to make for Cinco De Mayo next week or just a great 30-minute dinner for any Taco Tuesday!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It comes together in 30 minutes!
- It’s completely customizable. Feel free to make this recipe your own!
- The turkey is juicy and moist… not dry like some ground turkey tacos can be.
Ingredients Needed
- ground turkey – the main source of protein in the recipe, ground turkey is leaner than other types of meat and provides a good amount of protein without being too heavy or fatty. I typically use 93% lean ground turkey, but you can use 99% lean ground turkey if you prefer. If you don’t have ground turkey on hand you can easily swap it for ground chicken or ground beef.
- olive oil or avocado oil – for sautéing the onions, garlic and ground turkey.
- yellow onion and garlic – two key flavors in these ground turkey tacos.
- seasonings – chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, sea salt and black pepper. You can also use a taco seasoning blend if you prefer.
- tomato sauce and water – these are used to create a rich, saucy consistency for the taco filling, ensuring each bite is juicy and delicious.
- tortillas – I typically use soft corn tortillas but feel free to use flour tortillas or hard shell tacos.
- toppings – my go-to toppings are shredded cheese, romaine lettuce, tomatoes or pico de gallo, cilantro, sour cream or Greek yogurt and lime wedges. Feel free to make this recipe your own and use your favorite taco toppings!
How to Make
Cook: Add oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté for 3-5 minutes. Add ground turkey and cook until brown, about 5-7 minutes. Use a wooden spoon to break up the meat while cooking.
Simmer: Add the chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Pour in the water and tomato sauce and stir to combine. Let the mixture simmer for 5-7 minutes, or until the liquid has been absorbed.
Heat tortillas: While turkey taco meat is simmering heat the tortillas in a dry pan over medium-high heat, or wrap them in foil and heat in a 350°F oven for 5-10 minutes.
Serve: Assemble the tacos by spooning the turkey mixture onto the tortillas and topping them with your desired toppings.
Customize Your Tacos
I love this turkey taco recipe as is, but feel free to make these tacos your own! Here are some ideas:
- Meat: While ground turkey is the star of this recipe, feel free to swap it out for ground chicken, ground beef or even plant-based alternatives like tofu or tempeh for a vegan option.
- Tortillas: I prefer to use either flour or corn tortillas, but you can also use hard shell tacos, grain-free tortillas or lettuce wraps for a low-carb option.
- Toppings: Feel free to switch up the toppings to your liking. Some ideas: jalapeño slices, pickled red onions, shredded cabbage, queso fesco, cheddar cheese, cotija cheese, guacamole, hot sauce or pineapple salsa.
- Spice level: If you like your tacos spicer feel free to add cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper to the turkey mixture with the rest of the spices. You could also sauté some chopped jalapeno with the onion and garlic mixture.
How to Serve Ground Turkey Tacos
These chicken tacos are a meal on their own, but it’s always fun to have a few sides and a festive drink… especially if you’re hosting dinner. Here are some options:
- Sides: chips and salsa, black beans or refried beans, rice, cilantro lime cauliflower rice, black bean dip, avocado salad or Mexican street corn salad
- Drinks: skinny paloma or skinny margarita
How to Store Leftovers
To store leftovers, cool the ground turkey taco mixture, transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Store the toppings separately in airtight containers or resealable bags. When ready to eat, reheat the leftover taco meat over the stovetop or in the microwave and serve in warm tortillas with your desired toppings.
More Ground Turkey Recipes
- The Best Turkey Burger
- Turkey Chili
- Turkey Stuffed Peppers
- Baked Turkey Meatballs
- Tamari Ground Turkey Skillet
More Mexican Favorites
Be sure to check out all of the turkey recipes as the full collection of Mexican recipes on EBF!
Ground Turkey Tacos
Ingredients
- ½ Tablespoon olive or avocado oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 Tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- ¼ cup water
- Corn or flour tortillas
Toppings
- Shredded cheese
- Romaine lettuce
- tomatoes, pico de gallo or salsa
- Cilantro
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Add oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté for 3-5 minutes.
- Add ground turkey and cook until brown, about 5-7 minutes. Use a wooden spoon to break up the meat while cooking.
- Add the chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Pour in the water and tomato sauce and stir to combine. Let the mixture simmer for 5-7 minutes, or until the liquid has been absorbed.
- While turkey mixture is simmering, heat the tortillas in a dry pan over medium-high heat, or wrap them in foil and heat in a 350°F oven for 5-10 minutes.
- Assemble the tacos by spooning the turkey mixture onto the tortillas and topping with your desired toppings
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Do you drain the turkey? I thought the tomato sauce was a strange add; meat was a little more like sloppy joe. If sauce omitted, would the meat be too dry?
Overall, great recipe… Thank you for sharing.
Hey Laura, You don’t need to drain the turkey before cooking. The tomato sauce helps to keep this mixture moist and prevent the turkey from drying out! As the sauce simmers it should reduce down and shouldn’t be “wet” or like sloppy joes. Hopefully that helps!