Asian Ground Turkey Rice Bowl
This Asian Ground Turkey Rice Bowl makes an easy, flavorful weeknight dinner in about 30 minutes. Tender ground turkey gets coated in a savory, zesty sauce for a satisfying meal with 35 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber per serving.
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Servings: 4 servings
Equipment
- Large 12" Skillet
Ingredients
SAUCE
- 1 ½ tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoons coconut aminos
- 2 ½ tablespoons fresh lime juice from 1 ½ large limes
- 1 ½ to 3 teaspoons honey start with 1 ½ teaspoon, add more to taste
- 1 ½ teaspoon chili garlic sauce such as Huy Fong brand
- 1 ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
BOWL
- 1 teaspoon neutral oil canola or olive oil work best
- 1 pound 93/7 lean ground turkey or use 90/10
- 3 cloves garlic minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger grated (about a 1-inch piece)
- 1 cup shredded carrots about 2 medium carrots, or use a packaged matchstick carrot bag
- 1 cup frozen shelled edamame thawed
- 3 green onions thinly sliced (green parts only for topping, whites for cooking)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt or a heaping ⅛ teaspoon table salt, plus more to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl, start by making the sauce. Whisk together the soy sauce, coconut aminos, lime juice, honey, chili garlic sauce, and sesame oil. Set aside.1 ½ tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, 1 ½ tablespoons coconut aminos, 2 ½ tablespoons fresh lime juice, 1 ½ to 3 teaspoons honey, 1 ½ teaspoon chili garlic sauce, 1 ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- Thaw the edamame by running it under cool-warm water in a colander for about 2 minutes, then set it aside. It doesn't need to be hot, just not frozen solid.1 cup frozen shelled edamame
- Heat the canola or olive oil in a large skillet (12-inch works best) over medium-high heat. Let the pan get fully hot before adding the turkey, about 1 to 2 minutes.1 teaspoon neutral oil
- Add the ground turkey just as it comes out of the package in a brick-like shape. Season with kosher salt, and let it cook mostly undisturbed for the first 3 minutes so it gets a little color. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to break the turkey into small crumbles and stir occasionally for another 3 to 4 minutes until no pink remains. The turkey should look lightly golden in spots.1 pound 93/7 lean ground turkey, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Add the garlic and grated ginger directly to the turkey. Stir constantly for about 1 minute, until fragrant. The garlic will cook very quickly here, so don't walk away.3 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon fresh ginger
- If there's any visible liquid pooled in the pan from the turkey, carefully tip the pan and blot it out with a paper towel held in tongs. This small step is the key to getting the sauce to actually cling to the meat rather than pool at the bottom of the bowl.
- Add the whites of the green onions, shredded carrots and edamame to the skillet. Stir everything together and cook for 2 minutes, just long enough to warm the edamame through and soften the carrots slightly while still keeping a little texture.1 cup shredded carrots, 3 green onions
- Pour the sauce over the turkey and vegetable mixture. Stir well to coat everything evenly, then let it cook for 1 to 2 minutes without stirring so the sauce can reduce and cling. Taste and add more salt, honey, or chili garlic sauce as needed.
- Remove from heat. Serve over brown rice and top with the green parts of the sliced green onions, a sprinkle of sesame seeds if using, and a lime wedge on the side.
Making the sauce ahead takes about 1 minute and makes a big difference compared to adding everything directly to the pan, because it lets you taste and adjust before it hits the heat.
You'll know your pan is hot enough when a drop of water flicked into the pan sizzles immediately. This is important when cooking ground turkey because a hot pan is what gives the turkey a little browning and keeps it from steaming and turning gray.
Notes
Serve ground turkey and veggies over brown rice for added fiber and a bit of protein.
The turkey and vegetable mixture freezes well for up to 3 months. Let it cool completely before transferring to a freezer-safe bag or container. Lay freezer bags flat to save space. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat as directed above. The edamame may be slightly softer after freezing but still tastes great. Do not freeze the assembled bowls with rice, as the texture of the rice becomes gummy after thawing.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 233kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 662mg | Potassium: 662mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 5464IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 2mg