15 Quick and Easy Ground Turkey and Rice Recipes for Busy Weeknights

​If you’re looking to add some variety to your meals, ground turkey and rice recipes are a great place to start. From stir-fries to stuffed peppers, there are endless possibilities. In this article, we’ll explore some of the best ground turkey and rice recipes that are sure to become a staple in your kitchen.

I love having recipes on hand that are quick and easy to make, and the kids will eat them too. We’ve gathered many great ideas to help you during your busy days chasing the kids and managing work and home.

You can use leftover rice or cook some from scratch, depending on the recipe. But either way, you can easily make a healthy meal for the whole family that doesn’t take hours in front of the hob to achieve.

Let’s look at some of the best easy ground turkey and rice recipes you can make.

Tips on Using Ground Turkey

Frozen ground turkey is a great way to make these meals on a budget, but if you use this, ensure it is completely thawed before adding it to any of the recipes. It can be best to take it out at least the night before or even a little before this and allow it to thaw in the refrigerator.

You might find that ground turkey needs more seasoning than other meat, such as ground chicken or ground beef. The meat is generally very lean, but this sometimes means that it doesn’t have as much natural flavor as other fattier meats. So don’t be afraid to be a bit heavy-handed with seasonings to get the best from the meat – it can hold plenty of flavors and work perfectly.

Finally, remember that ground turkey often needs to cook to a higher temperature than some other ground meat, such as beef. Aim for a minimum of 165 degrees to ensure it is thoroughly cooked and safe to eat. 

These meals are great for your weekly meal plan. Add a few in for the week and with the leftovers. You have two nights taken care of.

Easy Ground Turkey and Rice Recipes

Now we have a few tips on cooking with ground turkey; let’s look at some of the best ground turkey and rice recipes.

Ground Turkey Fried Rice Recipe

​Ground turkey fried rice is a take on the classic Chinese side dish that uses turkey as a lean option. It uses onions, carrots, and spices such as ground ginger, black pepper, and garlic. The flavor comes from soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, and a little hoisin. It is ideal on its own or served with other Chinese favorites. Plus, it is excellent for leftover brown rice, as that’s the best option to use in the dish.

Ground Turkey With Broccoli & Rice

Make this one-pot recipe when you want something filling, tasty, and straightforward. It takes just over 30 minutes to cook and uses onions, bell peppers, tomato, garlic, and broccoli. You can use your favorite rice in this recipe, although white rice does work nicely. 

Ground Turkey Skillet with Rice and Green Beans

If you are searching for a healthy dinner recipe that doesn’t take much work, this recipe will tick the boxes. It is straightforward, add the ground turkey to the skillet, some rice, and then the green beans. Cook until the meat is at the right temperature and serve.

Healthy Ground Turkey Teriyaki Rice Bowl

This simple recipe uses brown rice with ground turkey and gets the flavor from teriyaki sauce, green onions, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. You can make a teriyaki turkey rice bowl by browning the meat with vegetables, then adding the sauce and allowing it to thicken. Cook the rice per the instructions, then mix everything with the onions and seeds for a quick and healthy option.

More Great Ground Turkey and Rice Recipes

If you weren’t already excited about all those great recipes, we’ve found even more great ground turkey and rice recipes for you to try. Remember you can also add them into wraps or bowls and use whatever is left in your fridge to eat up all the groceries you might end up wasting.

Southwest Turkey Vegetable and Rice Skillet

This is an excellent recipe if you want to boost your protein intake while also getting tons of vitamins and minerals from the vegetables. It takes around 30 minutes to cook and combine brown rice with onion, garlic, zucchini, corn, and tomato. Add a few spices, such as chili powder, cumin, and some shredded cheese, and you have an easy recipe made all in one large skillet.

Turkey Taco Burrito Bowls

These burrito bowls are filled with tasty ingredients and are great for improving your protein and fiber intake. The ground turkey and rice are cooked with black beans, corn, and tomatoes, then topped with shredded cheese and sour cream. Taco seasoning brings that delicious Mexican flavor to the recipe.

A good taco bowl is my favorite ground turkey and rice recipe in this post.

Turkey Taco Skillet (One Pot Dish)

Any one-pot dish will be a family favorite because it cuts down on the washing up needed! This turkey taco rice skillet recipe calls for turkey simmered with corn, bell peppers, spices, and some black beans. The recipe takes less than half an hour to create, and you can add some shredded cheese and sour cream once it is cooked.

Mexican Ground Turkey Rice Bowls

You can either use leftover rice for the recipe or cook some to use in this recipe. Alongside the turkey, you will want green bell peppers, black beans, and red onion. Add some tomato sauce, salsa with chili powder, and lime juice to make it a bit spicier.

Korean-Inspired Ground Turkey

This ground turkey and rice recipe is a big hit at home. Korean-inspired ground turkey makes for an easy weeknight dinner that involves cooking the turkey with Korean spices and then adding it to a bed of rice and vegetables. If you want to make it spicier, add some Sriracha sauce or top it with a fried egg to add some extra nutrients to the recipe.

Korean Ground Turkey Bowl with Pickled Veggies

If you are a pickled vegetables fan, this is a complete meal with tons of taste. You can add vegetables you like, but the recipe uses carrots, cucumber, and garlic. The flavor comes from the Korean-inspired sauce, but you can also use soy sauce and rice vinegar. Then top with pickled veggies and sesame seeds to serve.

Greek Turkey and Rice Skillet

For something a little Greek-inspired, try this recipe. It uses long-grain white rice with ground turkey and adds kalamata olives and sun-dried tomatoes for that Greek flavor. Add some spinach for a healthy twist, and use chicken broth to make fluffy rice that’s well cooked.

Enjoying Ground Turkey

Ground turkey is ideal for a quick meal or adding flavor to leftover rice. Most of these recipes call for a large deep skillet and not much else, so you can easily make a ground turkey skillet recipe for a weeknight meal without any preparation. 

As moms, we need quick and easy, so these are a definite win. I hope you enjoy it!