Learn how to create delicious and healthy ground turkey tacos customized to suit your taste. This step-by-step guide will have you making this crowd-pleasing dish in no time.
If tacos are your thing, I’ve got you covered! Serve this quick and easy recipe with Cuban black beans, cilantro lime rice, or black bean and corn salad.
Why You’ll Want To Make These Every Week
- Ground turkey is an excellent source of lean protein, and when it is combined with the perfect blend of spices and seasonings, it is just as tasty as ground beef, perhaps even better.
- These tacos are customizable to suit everyone’s taste. You can use soft flour or corn tortillas or white or yellow crispy taco shells. Top with your favorite taco toppings, like lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, guacamole, and sour cream.
- They are ready in under 30 minutes, which makes them doable for any weeknight meal.
Ingredient Notes
- Olive oil: or vegetable or canola oil
- Ground turkey: I do not use just the turkey breast meat as I find it too lean with little flavor.
- Onion: preferably a sweet yellow onion
- Garlic: preferably fresh
- Taco seasoning: I use my homemade taco seasoning! There is so much flavor!
- Salsa: tomato salsa
- Tortillas: flour or corn, or crispy yellow or white corn taco shells
- Toppings: shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded lettuce, guacamole, sour cream, chopped tomatoes, chopped fresh cilantro
How To Make Ground Turkey Tacos
First, brown the ground turkey in a large skillet over medium heat. When it is about halfway browned, add the onion and continue cooking until the turkey is browned and the onion is soft.
Remove any excess grease and reduce the heat to low. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute while stirring.
Then, add the taco seasoning, water, and salsa and bring it to a gentle bowl. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes. Divide evenly into tortillas or taco shells and top with your favorite toppings.
Preparation Tips and Storage
- Use ground turkey with a bit of fat in it. Do not use ground turkey breast, as it is too lean and lacks flavor.
- All salsas have different amounts of liquid. If the seasoned ground turkey is too dry, add a couple of tablespoons of water.
- Any leftover seasoned turkey mixture and toppings should be stored in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator. Reheat the mixture in the microwave at reduced power and assemble your tacos.
To Char or Not to Char
For that authentic Mexican restaurant, look and flavor char those tortillas. There are three easy ways to char corn and flour tortillas. If you char the tortillas, be ready to spoon the seasoned turkey mixture in and sprinkle with toppings. They are best served promptly.
- Gas stove: Turn the flame on medium-low. Using tongs, place the corn or flour tortilla on top of the burner. It takes about 30 seconds to char each side lightly.
- Skillet: Heat a dry, nonstick skillet over medium heat. Using tongs, add the tortilla. Char for about 1 minute, then flip and char the other side.
- Broiler: Turn the broiler to high. Then, place the tortillas on a broiler pan and under the broiler for about 1 minute. Flip and brown the other side. Keep a close eye on them.
Flavor Variations
- Use any ground meat like ground beef, pork, or chicken.
- Try other salsas such as salsa verde, pineapple salsa, mango salsa, and peach salsa.
- To go low-carb, use lettuce instead of tortillas and taco shells. It is so delicious that you won’t miss the carbs. The lettuce really lets the flavors shine through.
- Change up the cheese. Try queso quesadilla, Asadero, Pepper Jack, or cotija cheese.
More Taco Recipes
Ground Turkey Tacos
Get dinner on the table in just 30 minutes with these easy and delicious ground turkey tacos, packed with flavor and nutrition.
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Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 269kcal
Ingredients
Ground Turkey Meat
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb ground turkey (see notes)
- 1/2 small onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons homemade taco seasoning
- 2/3 cup water
- 1/2 cup salsa
Toppings
- 8 (6-inch) corn of flour tortillas
- 1 1/2 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
- 1/2 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese Monterey Jack or Mexican blend
- guacamole optional
- sour cream optional
- chopped tomatoes optional
- chopped fresh cilantro optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown the ground turkey breaking it up as it cooks. When it is about halfway browned, add the onion and continue cooking until the turkey is browned and the onion is soft.
- Remove any excess grease and reduce the heat to low. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute while stirring.
- Add the taco seasoning, water, and salsa. and bring it to a gentle bowl. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes.
- Divide evenly into tortillas or taco shells and top with shredded lettuce, cheddar cheese, and any other toppings.
Notes
- Use ground turkey with a bit of fat in it. Do not use ground turkey breast, as it is too lean and lacks flavor.
- All salsas have different amounts of liquid. If the seasoned ground turkey is too dry, add a couple of tablespoons of water.
- Any leftover seasoned turkey mixture and toppings should be stored in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator. Reheat the mixture in the microwave at reduced power and assemble your tacos.
Nutrition
Serving: 2tacos | Calories: 269kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 373mg | Potassium: 633mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 650IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 303mg | Iron: 5mg
Did You Make This Recipe?Mention @smalltownwomanfoodnut or tag #smalltownwomanfoodnut!
Jupiter H
We always have beef tacos, but turkey sounds like a fun, healthy twist. Thank you for the inspo.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Jupiter! Enjoy!
Harold
This ground turkey taco recipe was very delicious and much healthier than ground beef. Thanks for the inspiration. I needed a little kick in the butt!
Archana S
I love tacos, and this is such a great recipe. Delicious and easy to make!
Sue-Tanya Mchorgh
These is the perfect weeknight recipe! Ready in under 30 minutes and everyone loves them! We love that they are made with turkey but still taste just as delicious if not better than beef!
Tammy Lee
These are so delicious! They’re light yet filling…perfect for these summer months! Thanks for the easy recipe ^_^
Beth Pierce
My pleasure, Tammy Lee!
Lavanda
It was perfect for taco lovers! I paired it with Cuban black beans and cilantro lime rice. The meal was fantastic. It will be on repeat at our house!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Lavanda! I am so happy that you liked it!
Yasmina
We love tacos but I usually use beef – the recipe with the ground turkey was super tasty and a great alternative. We served ours with a crispy salad and some rice. So good!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Yasmina! So glad that you liked the tacos!
Karen W
These tacos are so delicious…I had these tacos yesterday and they were very good! Thanks for sharing, Beth!
Beth Pierce
My pleasure, Karen!
Candace W
Amazing recipe for any day of the week. It seems to me that I could eat tacos any day, every day.
Beth Pierce
Me too!
April
Loved these! The turkey had the best flavor!
Catalina
These Ground Turkey Tacos were amazing! The recipe was simple and quick to prepare, and my whole family loved them. This will definitely be a regular in our meal rotation!
Allyson Reed Zea
So simple and this turned out DELICIOUS! Thank you for this easy recipe! So good!
Beth Pierce
My pleasure, Allyson!
Erica B
These were so easy to whip up! And we had fun experimenting with different toppings and spices! These are definitely going into my recipe rotation!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Erica! I am so glad that you liked them!
Sandra W
Tacos are my family’s favorite meal of the week! And this one is definitely my go to recipe from now on! The best tacos we’ve ever had!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Sandra! So glad that you all liked them!