At fewer than 200 calories per serving, these Turkey Tacos are easy, healthy, delicious, and perfect for meal prep! They are loaded with extra lean ground turkey, onion, bell peppers, and spices: chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper!
You need these ground turkey tacos in your life if you like…
- tacos (duh!)
- easy, meal prep recipes
- healthy and delicious dinners
I may be wrong, but I’m guessing you fit into at LEAST one of those categories… but let’s be honest, probably all three. 😉 I know I do because I’m obsessed with tacos and I LOVE easy, healthy meal prep dinners!
How to season ground turkey for tacos
To give these tacos that typical “taco” flavor, I used my favorite blend of chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. It’s not much but together these spices add a HUGE flavor punch.
Need a shortcut? Use store-bought taco seasoning or even my homemade taco seasoning. I always have both on hand!
Ingredients
To keep these tacos healthy, we’re swapping the classic ground beef for lean ground turkey and loading up on good for you vegetables! To keep things flavorful, we’re loading up on dried spices!
- Ground Turkey – I use extra lean ground turkey to keep these tacos lower in fat and calories, but for more flavor and moisture, feel free to use ground turkey with a higher fat content.
- Yellow Onion, Green Bell Pepper, and Red Bell Pepper – the classic veggie combination in all my Mexican-inspired dishes.
- Chili Powder – gives the tacos some spice. Increase the amount if you like more spice!
- Smoked Paprika – adds a nice smoky flavor. Use regular paprika if you don’t have smoked paprika on hand.
- Cumin and Garlic Powder – provides the tacos with that earthy, nutty taste.
- Salt and Pepper – brings out the flavors of the other ingredients and adds a little extra heat.
- Water – adds moisture to the otherwise super lean turkey.
Ground beef, chicken, or even pork will work if you don’t have ground turkey on hand. Those all have a higher fat content, so you may need to drain the meat after it’s cooked.
Again, if you’re looking for a shortcut, feel free to use store-bought or homemade taco seasoning instead of the spices listed above.
How to make turkey tacos
Extra lean ground turkey can be a little dry, so feel free to add a little oil to your pan before cooking, if desired.
- Cook turkey, veggies, and spices in a large non-stick skillet.
- Stir in water, taste and re-season if necessary, then serve and enjoy!
These ground turkey tacos literally take minutes to come together, can be used SO many different ways (think tacos, burrito bowls, salads, etc), and are full of nutritious ingredients!
The perfect weeknight meal that’s sure to be a family favorite.
Turkey taco toppings
To garnish these turkey tacos, just pick your favorite taco toppings! I love to serve mine in hard or soft taco shells or, for a lower carb version, in living lettuce for lettuce wraps! Then top with any or all of the following:
- shredded lettuce
- shredded cheese
- crumbled feta or cotija
- pico de gallo
- guacamole
- greek yogurt
- salsa
- beans
- corn
- cilantro
What would YOU serve your turkey tacos with?
How to store
The fully cooked and cooled turkey taco meat can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 2-3 months!
To reheat, simply pop in the microwave until warmed through.
Add these turkey tacos to your weekly rotation . . . you won’t be disappointed!
– Jennifer
Turkey Tacos
Equipment for this recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound extra lean ground turkey can use higher fat for more flavor/moisture
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 1 large green bell pepper diced
- 1 large red bell pepper diced
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt more to less to taste
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 cup water *
Recipe Video
Instructions
- Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium/medium-high heat.
- Once hot, add in turkey, onion, bell peppers, and spices.
- Cook, breaking up meat as you go along, until meat is no longer pink and the veggies are tender.
- Once the meat is almost fully cooked, stir in 1/4 cup water, and simmer until thickened.
- Taste and re-season, if necessary, and serve!
- Serving ideas: hard/soft taco shell, living lettuce for lettuce cups, shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, pico de gallo, greek yogurt, salsa, beans, corn, cilantro, etc!
- Take 5 seconds to rate this recipe below. We greatly appreciate it!
Notes
Nutrition Information
*Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on products used.
This post was originally published April 2, 2018 and has been updated to provide more detailed content.
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