My taco meat recipe has seen many, many variations throughout the years. The main ingredients are always there: lean and juicy ground turkey, crisp bell peppers and onions, and my favorite homemade taco seasoning. But tacos are really one of those “clean out the fridge” recipes in our house, with endless ways to make them using ingredients we have on hand. Of course, we can’t forget toppings. I’ve included all my must-have taco toppings later on in this post, so you can plan the ultimate weeknight meal. I can’t wait for you to try these simple yet amazing turkey tacos!
Easy Taco Recipe
There are so many reasons why I’ll always come back to these flavorful and easy turkey tacos. This recipe is: Protein-packed. Ground turkey packs in tons of lean protein while keeping this recipe healthy and light. It’s also super easy to swap in ground beef or go half-and-half if you’d prefer a more traditional taco. Loaded with veggies. I love the flavor and nutrition that diced red peppers and onions add to this recipe. Adding veggies is also an inexpensive way to bulk up your taco meat with fewer added calories. Make-ahead friendly. This recipe makes a generous batch of taco meat, enough to feed a hungry family of four, plus leftovers! You can even double the batch and freeze your extras for easy meal prep.
Ingredient Notes
Don’t forget to check out the full recipe details in the recipe card below the post.
Olive Oil: Just a bit is needed to sauté your veggies and ground turkey. Onion and Bell Peppers: I love the flavor and nutrition that diced red peppers and onions add to this recipe. Adding veggies is also an inexpensive way to bulk up your taco meat with fewer added calories. Ground Turkey: These turkey tacos are a great source of lean protein. You can also make this recipe with ground beef or ground chicken, or a combination of ground meats. If you’re wondering what’s the best ground turkey for tacos, I recommend using 93% lean ground turkey when making this taco meat. It’s still flavorful and juicy without being overly greasy. Flour: Sprinkling all-purpose flour into the taco meat thickens up the sauce. Taco Seasoning: It’s so easy to make your own taco seasoning (highly recommended!), but you can also use your favorite brand of packaged taco seasoning as well. If you’re using store-bought taco seasoning, you can skip adding flour as the pre-packaged seasonings usually already contain thickeners. Fixings: Everything you need to make your tacos into a meal. Your choice of tortillas, plus toppings like shredded cheese, lettuce and tomatoes, salsa, sour cream, etc. See further on for more ideas and serving suggestions.
How to Make Turkey Taco Meat
The filling for your flavor-packed ground turkey tacos comes together in less than 30 minutes in one skillet: Sauté the ingredients. First, you’ll sauté the ground turkey, onion, and bell peppers in a large skillet with oil. Break up the meat as you go, and give it an occasional stir until the turkey is browned and the veggies are tender. Combine. Now, stir in your taco seasoning along with a sprinkle of flour. Continue to cook off the flour and spices for a minute or two longer, then pour in a bit of water to create the sauce. Cook. Simmer the taco meat on medium-low for about 10 minutes, until thickened.
Tips for Success
You really can’t go wrong with these healthy ground turkey tacos. Here are my final tips for a perfect easy dinner: Keep the taco meat warm until serving. Cover the skillet with a lid and keep your taco meat simmering at a very low temperature on the stove until you’re ready to serve it. Just stir in a bit more water if it starts to dry out. Scale the recipe. This recipe makes about 4 servings, depending on how large your tortillas are and how much you put on each taco, but feel free to double or even triple the recipe if you’re feeding a crowd, or to store and save for later meals. See below for storing and reheating instructions.
Recipe Variations
It’s easy to change up the ingredients, seasonings, and toppings to suit your family’s tastes. You can make these tacos spicy, mild, or loaded with even more veggies. Here are fun variations to try:
Different protein. If you’re not a fan of the ground turkey in this recipe, try these crockpot chicken tacos, crockpot salsa chicken, or Instant Pot carnitas. You can also replace ground turkey with lean ground beef. More vegetables. Sauté diced carrots, mushrooms, zucchini, riced cauliflower, sweet corn, or jalapeños with the ground meat for a spicy kick. Add beans. Stir in canned black beans or pinto beans. This is a great way to stretch your meat dollars. Canned beans are nutritious and inexpensive. Make it spicy. Increase the amount of taco seasoning, or stir in additional cayenne pepper or chili powder for extra heat. Make nachos or taco cups instead. Substitute this taco meat for the beef in beef nachos or use it as the meat filling for taco cups. Try taco turkey burgers for a fun (bun) variation or Mexican spaghetti, if you’re more in the mood for pasta.
What to Serve with Turkey Tacos
These healthy turkey tacos are a family-favorite dinner, especially on homemade flour tortillas! Serve tacos with a side of air fryer tortilla chips and restaurant style salsa. I’ll also pair my tacos with this cilantro lime rice or Mexican rice whenever I need to bulk up the meal. Make it a Tex-Mex-style feast and serve these lean turkey tacos with cauliflower nachos, a southwestern chopped salad, or this black bean and avocado salad. When I make this with friends, we’ll always wash everything down with a fresh, spicy paloma cocktail or pineapple margarita. And don’t forget to fill the table with your favorite taco toppings!
Topping Ideas
I’m always adding tacos to our weekly meal plan, so I can have all the fixings for a great taco ready to go. Try these easy taco topping ideas:
Guacamole Restaurant style salsa Refried beans Pickled red onions Sour cream Lime wedges Shredded lettuce Diced tomatoes Shredded carrots Grated cheese Jalapeños
Can I Prepare Taco Meat in Advance?
Yes! This taco meat freezes well. Make a double batch so you have plenty to freeze (see below). Use this turkey taco meat in tacos, nachos, salads, burritos, quesadillas, you name it! It’s super versatile and handy.
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
I love having leftover turkey tacos in the house. You’re going to want to make a batch (or two) every week to have on hand for lunch, dinner, and beyond. Fridge. Store leftover cooked turkey taco meat airtight in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Reheat the taco meat on the stovetop or in the microwave with a bit of water added to get it saucy again. Freezer. Cool the fried ground turkey taco meat to room temperature and freeze it in airtight containers or resealable bags for up to 3 months. Thaw your taco meat in the fridge before reheating.
Interested in a weekly meal plan includes this recipe? Take a look at Meal Plan #20 or Meal Plan #56. You’ll find a wholesome recipe for each weekday plus a categorized grocery list. Let me do the planning for you this week! We add a new meal plan weekly.
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