The Best Ground Turkey Recipes

Turkey tacos

Give taco night a new twist: swap out the usual beef for turkey seasoned with chili powder, cumin, and poblano pepper.

Recipe: Turkey tacos

Spicy Turkey Meatballs with Spaghetti

Filled with sweet Italian sausage and prosciutto, Ina Garten's jumbo meatballs are so full of flavor—you'll hardly believe they're made with lean ground turkey.

Recipe: Spicy Turkey Meatballs with Spaghetti

Turkey Meatloaf

For a meatless version of classic meatloaf, use ground turkey instead of beef. Serve the slices hot or arrange them cold on a sandwich.

Recipe: Turkey Meatloaf

Turkey and Spinach Taquitos

This simple recipe combines turkey, spinach, and mascarpone cheese into a hearty filling for soft corn tortillas. For an authentic dish, serve the cheese taquitos with salsa and fresh guacamole.

Recipe: Turkey and Spinach Taquitos

Turkey wraps in lettuce leaves

Instead of ordering takeout, try this recipe. Melissa De Arabian's lettuce wraps allow you to customize your vegetable toppings.

Recipe: Turkey wraps in lettuce leaves

Mini Turkey Meatballs

Giada De Laurentiis seasons turkey with onion, garlic, parsley, and cheese for rich, juicy meatballs.

Recipe: Mini Turkey Meatballs

Turkey burgers

No need to wait for summer to make burgers. Anne's sandwich patties are made on the stovetop, and the lean turkey gets its vibrant flavor from ginger and soy sauce.

Recipe: Turkey burgers

Autumn Turkey Chili Sauce

Large bell peppers add a touch of sweetness to the meaty chili. Rachael Ray also adds a touch of barbecue sauce for added heat.

Recipe: Autumn Turkey Chili Sauce

Spanish stew with turkey meatballs

Smoked paprika infuses the stew with an exotic note and a deep, woodsy flavor that pairs perfectly with the herbed turkey meatballs.

Recipe: Spanish stew with turkey meatballs

My big, hearty Greek burgers

The spinach and feta cheese filling makes the burger juicy and filling, especially with the lemon-dill yogurt sauce.

Recipe: My big, hearty Greek burgers

Shells stuffed with turkey and artichokes in arrabbiata sauce

Giada's recipe puts a new spin on the classic childhood casserole, with a hearty ricotta and artichoke filling and a spicy red sauce.

Recipe: Shells stuffed with turkey and artichokes in arrabbiata sauce

Individual Shepherd's Pie with Turkey

A classic British pie becomes a quick and easy dinner main dish. For individual servings, divide the filling between four 250ml (8 oz) ramekins before topping with mashed potatoes. Bake on a baking sheet for about 15 minutes, until bubbly around the edges and the potatoes are lightly browned.

Recipe: Individual Shepherd's Pie with Turkey

Chili with Butternut Squash and Turkey

This dish combines traditional chili flavors with a rich vitamin content and a variety of colors and textures. We use black beans, lean ground turkey, and sweet butternut squash, adding chia seeds for a thicker, crunchier texture.

Recipe: Chili with Butternut Squash and Turkey

Sloppy Joe Ground Turkey Hamburger Mix

Ground turkey, brown sugar, and ketchup add a subtle sweetness to Tyler's burgers. Tip: Make the pickles the day before and refrigerate them overnight to marinate.

Recipe: Sloppy Joe Ground Turkey Hamburger Mix

Swedish Turkey Meatballs with Apple

Grated apples and a pinch of cinnamon give these mini meatballs a fall flavor. Serve them on their own as an appetizer for guests, or with mashed potatoes for a family meal.

Recipe: Swedish Turkey Meatballs with Apple

Simple Turkey Meatloaf

Ellie makes a low-fat version of meatloaf using her mom's recipe, while maintaining the flavor she loved as a child. The secret is quick-cooking oats: they're healthy and add a unique texture.

Recipe: Simple Turkey Meatloaf

Turkey burgers

Rachael Ray pairs lean turkey with plenty of vegetables to keep her cutlets juicy. Cilantro, pepper, and spices add a wonderful Southwestern flavor.

Recipe: Turkey burgers

Sweet peppers stuffed with ground turkey and brown rice

Brown rice, currants, and walnuts give these stuffed sweet peppers with turkey a wonderful texture. Serve with a simple salad for a balanced, healthy weeknight lunch.

Recipe: Sweet peppers stuffed with ground turkey and brown rice

Turkey meatballs in a quick spicy tomato sauce with whole wheat spaghetti

The abundance of herbs and the heat of the spices in the sauce create a multifaceted flavor without excess fat, while grated carrots, onions, and Parmesan add moisture and volume to the dish.

Recipe: Turkey meatballs in a quick spicy tomato sauce with whole wheat spaghetti

Turkey patty for burger

Bobby Flay tops juicy grilled turkey cutlets with goat cheese, watercress, and a honey-lemon mustard vinaigrette.

Recipe: Turkey patty for burger

Whole wheat linguine pasta in lemon sauce with turkey meatballs

Serve these juicy turkey meatballs as an appetizer or with your favorite pasta. For juicy and flavorful meatballs, use ground turkey instead of shredded turkey breast.

Recipe: Whole wheat linguine pasta in lemon sauce with turkey meatballs

Stuffed Turkey Cutlets (for Burgers)

Ellie's burgers are low-calorie but not at all bland. She tops each patty with mozzarella and roasted red peppers for a tender texture and a sweet, smoky flavor.

Recipe: Stuffed Turkey Cutlets (for Burgers)

Turkey Bolognese Sauce

For this hearty Bolognese, the chefs use turkey instead of the classic beef. But the familiar flavors remain: tomatoes, mirepoix, garlic, and fennel.

Recipe: Turkey Bolognese Sauce

Turkey and English Muffin Burger

For extra flavor, stir portobello mushrooms into the ground turkey, then top the patties with cheese and creamy avocado.

Recipe: Turkey and English Muffin Burger

Penne pasta with turkey tomato sauce

Simmer the sauce with a Parmesan rind to infuse the tomatoes with a salty, nutty flavor.

Recipe: Penne pasta with turkey tomato sauce

Amazing turkey burgers

Amanda Freytag's burgers are just as filling and satisfying as the ones you'd get at your local fast food joint, but with less fat. Amanda substitutes lean turkey for beef and tops the patties with chives, shallots, and finely chopped red bell pepper.

Recipe: Amazing turkey burgers

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili

Cocoa powder and chili might seem like a mismatch, but in this mole-inspired version, the cocoa adds depth of flavor and helps thicken the sauce. We suggest serving the chili with tortilla chips, but cornbread would also work well.

Recipe: Slow Cooker Turkey Chili

Bombay Sloppy Joes

Aarti Sequeira puts an Indian spin on classic American burgers, adding garam masala and cumin.

Recipe: Bombay Sloppy Joes

Spicy Turkey and Green Bean Stir-Fry

This stir-fry is full of sweet, salty, and spicy flavors. To adjust the heat, use less chili paste or sambal paste.

Recipe: Spicy Turkey and Green Bean Stir-Fry

Turkey burgers and mango coleslaw

These island-inspired grilled patties combine ground turkey with grated green apple, jerk seasoning, and panko breadcrumbs. Mango chutney provides a sweet contrast.

Recipe: Turkey burgers and mango coleslaw

Rice soup with turkey and kale

Giada's light broth soup features lean ground turkey, whole grain rice, and plenty of vegetables.

Recipe: Rice soup with turkey and kale

Turkey burgers with Asian-style pickled cucumber

Make lighter burgers by reducing the amount of meat and adding bulgur for texture. For a wonderful Asian twist, use pickled cucumbers and onions, and a spicy yogurt sauce.

Recipe: Turkey burgers with Asian-style pickled cucumber

White Turkey Chili

Poblano peppers are spicy but not overly hot, making them perfect for a crowd-pleasing chili. Rachel tops the dish with grated cheddar, crispy bacon, and crushed corn muffins.

Recipe: White Turkey Chili

Asian-Style Turkey Sliders

These Southeast Asian-style mini sandwiches, packed with vegetables and protein, are perfect for sharing. Use regular ground turkey instead of lean ground turkey: the blend of dark and white meats has a more vibrant flavor. The meat mixture can be prepared on a baking sheet a few hours ahead of time. Refrigerate and cook just before serving.

Recipe: Asian-Style Turkey Sliders

Turkey and Noodle Casserole

In this dish, Rachel combines tender egg noodles with a creamy bacon and ground turkey sauce. For a classic crust, top the casserole with Gruyère cheese, then sprinkle with bread crumbs and broil until the cheese is melted and the bread crumbs are golden brown.

Recipe: Turkey and Noodle Casserole

Double-decker burgers with turkey patties and pickles

Alex Guarnaschelli uses ground turkey instead of beef in his lean double cheeseburger. For extra-juicy patties with a spicy kick, add a little Sriracha mayo. For a smaller serving, make 8 smaller burgers with a single layer of filling.

Recipe: Double-decker burgers with turkey patties and pickles

Turkey meatballs with Italian sauce

Giada uses ground turkey and turkey sausage to make these tender, delicious meatballs.

Recipe: Turkey meatballs with Italian sauce

Turkey Patty Melt Sandwich

For these juicy sandwiches, Guy Fieri recommends forming the ground beef into oval patties. This will ensure the perfect meat-to-bread ratio.

Recipe: Turkey Patty Melt Sandwich

California Turkey Chili

Giada serves spicy chili with turkey and cannellini beans over quinoa and pine nut pilaf. The fluffy quinoa soaks up the chili broth well.

Recipe: California Turkey Chili

Meatloaf patties

This juicy and flavorful mini meatloaf is made with a mixture of ground turkey and pork, but you can use just turkey if you prefer. Shaped like an American football, it's perfect for watching a game.

Recipe: Meatloaf patties

Chili with Beans and Turkey

Guy makes a kid-friendly chili using turkey and three types of beans. It's high in protein and makes a great school lunch.

Recipe: Chili with Beans and Turkey

Turkey Picadillo Tacos

These tacos are truly fiery. Make it special by making your own taco shells.

Recipe: Turkey Picadillo Tacos

Ohio Turkey Chili

This dish is sweeter than regular chili and contains ground turkey, chopped chocolate, cinnamon, and Worcestershire sauce. For an authentic Ohio-style chili, Valerie serves it with a side of spaghetti.

Recipe: Ohio Turkey Chili

Mini Turkey Meatloafs

Ree makes a modern take on the classic meatloaf, using ground turkey, bacon bits, and red pepper flakes. The secret weapon: oatmeal instead of breadcrumbs.

Recipe: Mini Turkey Meatloafs

Turkey and Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Guy stuffs peppers with ground turkey, red quinoa, and kale, then tops them with a Parmesan-breadcrumb mixture and drizzles them with a roasted Mexican tomato-avocado sauce. This might be the most delicious variation of stuffed peppers!

Recipe: Turkey and Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Turkey Meatloaf with Feta Cheese and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Feta cheese and sun-dried tomatoes in Giada's recipe add an exotic flavor to this low-calorie turkey meatloaf.

Recipe: Turkey Meatloaf with Feta Cheese and Sun-Dried Tomatoes