Ground Turkey Tacos Recipe
Our family makes this ground turkey tacos recipe almost weekly! We all love it, and it takes less than 30 minutes. A true weeknight meal!
Like many of you, I’m always looking for fast weeknight meals that feel put together. These quick turkey tacos made with ground turkey are one of my go-tos. The taco seasoning is made with spices I always have in my pantry, so I don’t have to think twice when it’s time to make them.
The turkey cooks up in under 20 minutes. All that’s left is to warm some tortillas, pile on your favorite toppings, and dinner is ready. This is honestly one of the recipes we make the most. If you love tacos as much as we do, check out our ground beef tacos and pork tacos.
Key Ingredients
- Taco Seasoning: I know you can buy packets at the store, but I much prefer our taco spice blend below. You’ll combine chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, oregano, and salt together. Another option is to use this homemade taco seasoning, which makes a larger batch and has a few optional ingredients for added flavor.
- Ground Turkey: I like to use ground turkey with at least 7% fat for these tacos. If you go with a leaner package, it can get a little dry. You can substitute ground chicken without any changes, and if you want to add veggies, see our taco meat recipe for tips.
- Tomato Paste and Stock: These make the taco mixture richer and more flavorful. I like vegetable broth, tomato broth, or chicken stock. You only need ½ cup, so use whatever you have (water will work in a pinch, too).
- Tortillas: Use whatever tortillas you love best. Homemade tortillas are always a treat, and if you want to try making them, we have recipes for both corn tortillas and flour tortillas.
- Taco Toppings: These are your tacos, so go wild with your favorites! In our house, we switch it up between lettuce, cabbage, tomato, avocado (sliced or mashed), sour cream with a squeeze of lime, and pickled red onions. Cheese is always a hit, too.
Find the full recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Turkey Tacos
Tip 1: Make our homemade spice mix. If you’ve been around here for a while, you know we love our homemade taco seasoning. If you’re new, trust me. Skip the store-bought packets and mix up your own with chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, and salt. It makes all the difference.
Tip 2: Brown the turkey. Let your ground turkey get a little color and a few crispy edges. I like to press the turkey down in the skillet and let it hang out for a minute before breaking it up. Sprinkle in your spice mix, then use a wooden spoon to break it up into crumbles. A heavy skillet (cast iron is my go-to) works wonders here. I do the same thing when I make our beef tacos.
Tip 3: Finish with tomato paste and stock. This is the secret to juicy, flavorful taco meat. Once your turkey is browned and crumbly, stir in a spoonful of tomato paste and a splash of stock. Let it bubble away for a minute or two, and you’re all set to build your tacos!
Tip 4: Warm your tortillas. My favorite way is to toast them one at a time over the gas burner until they’re soft with a few charred spots. If you don’t have a gas burner, just heat them in a hot pan until they’re warm and still soft. Stack them up and wrap in a clean dish towel until you’re ready to eat.
Serving Suggestions
I’m sure you already have favorite toppings for tacos, but here are a few more ideas from our kitchen. We love stuffing tortillas with all the toppings. The options are endless!Here are some of our go-tos:
For sides, we love rice and beans. Here are our recipes for Mexican rice, saffron rice, and cilantro lime rice. Plus, two recipes for beans: refried beans or these saucy black beans. And if you want dinner to feel like your favorite Tex-Mex restaurant, try homemade salsa with tortilla chips.
More Taco Recipes
Ground Turkey Tacos
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PREP
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COOK
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TOTAL
In these turkey tacos, we use our family’s favorite taco meat recipe, but swap ground beef for ground turkey. These turn out best when made with ground turkey that has at least 7% fat. To make them really special, try homemade tortillas. Here’s our recipes for flour tortillas and corn tortillas.
4 Servings
You Will Need
1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more as needed
1 ½ tablespoons avocado oil
1 pound ground turkey, 93/7 (450 g)
2 tablespoons tomato paste (35 g)
½ cup chicken stock or water
8 flour tortillas or corn tortillas, warmed over a gas burner or in a skillet
Favorite taco toppings like cheese, cabbage, avocado, sour cream, pickled onions, pico de gallo, roasted tomatillo salsa, lime wedges, or hot sauce
Directions
1Make spice mix: In a small bowl, stir together the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, and salt.
2Cook the taco meat: Heat the avocado oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey and sprinkle the spice mixture over it. Use a wooden spoon to break up the meat as it cooks, stirring until it begins to brown.
3Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the chicken stock (or water) and simmer for a few minutes until the sauce thickens. Taste, then add more salt if you think it needs it.
4Warm tortillas: For a gas burner, turn the burner to medium, place the tortilla over the flame, and heat through. When it starts to blister a bit, flip and warm the second side. Continue with the remaining tortillas. Alternatively, to warm in a skillet, place a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat, add the tortillas (one at a time), and cook until warm, soft, and toasty. Keep warmed tortillas wrapped in a clean dish towel to keep them warm.
5Build tacos: Divide the turkey between warmed tortillas and top with your favorite taco toppings.
Adam and Joanne’s Tips
- Make-ahead: Make the turkey mixture up to 4 days in advance. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat before serving. Adding a tablespoon or two of additional stock or water helps to moisten the meat.
- Making thinned sour cream: To make it drizzleable, stir 2 tablespoons of sour cream with a teaspoon or two of fresh lime juice, then add a pinch of salt.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We included the taco meat and tortillas.
Nutrition Per Serving
Serving Size
1/4 of the recipe
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Calories
341
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Total Fat
16.6g
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Saturated Fat
3.4g
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Cholesterol
84.1mg
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Sodium
580.5mg
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Carbohydrate
24.8g
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Dietary Fiber
4g
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Total Sugars
1.6g
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Protein
25.4g
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