This Turkey Taco Recipe brings big flavor fast with seasoned ground turkey cooked in one skillet and ready in 15 minutes. Just add your favorite toppings.
author’s note
The Dinner That Never Lets Me Down!
By 5 p.m., everyone’s asking what’s for dinner and this turkey taco recipe is the one I can count on.
I came up with it when I was looking for a quicker, lighter version of my usual beef tacos and now it’s on repeat. One skillet, ready in 15 minutes, and no one complains. That’s a win in my book.
Why This Turkey Taco Recipe Works:
- Big flavor: A smoky homemade spice mix wakes up ground turkey without packets or fillers.
- Saucy: A splash of tomato sauce keeps each bite juicy instead of dry.
- Fast and flexible: Made in one pan, then tuck the meat into tortillas, lettuce cups, or burrito bowls.
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Quick Tip / Easy Swap |
|---|---|
| 93 % lean ground turkey | Stick with 93 % for moisture and flavor; if you only have 99 %, add an extra teaspoon of olive oil. |
| Olive oil | Use avocado oil if you’re out of olive; both handle medium-high heat well. |
| Onion & garlic | Yellow onion is my go-to. In a rush, trade the fresh garlic for ½ teaspoon garlic powder. |
| Homemade spice mix | Adjust heat with more or less chili powder. No time? Two tablespoons of your favorite taco seasoning works. |
| Tomato sauce (½ cup) | Fire-roasted sauce adds a smoky layer |
| Warm tortillas or crisp lettuce leaves | Soft flour or corn tortillas both shine; butter-lettuce cups keep it low-carb. |
How To Make This Turkey Taco Recipe
- Warm oil in a large skillet over medium heat; sauté onion 3 min, stir in garlic 30 sec.
- Scatter in spices; toast 30 sec until fragrant.
- Crumble in turkey; cook 5 min, stirring, until just pink.
- Pour in tomato sauce; simmer 3 min until the meat is cooked through (165 °F). Taste, salt if needed.
Make Extra Turkey Taco Meat And Freeze A Batch
My family loves this turkey taco recipe so much I’ve started freezing extra for quick meals later. Here’s how:
- Cook the turkey, then let it cool to room temp.
- Transfer to a freezer-safe bag, press out the air, seal, and flatten.
- Freeze for 2–3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of tomato sauce if needed.
Quick Tip
When you freeze a flattened bag of cooked Turkey Taco meat, the think packet can often be added straight to a skillet without defrosting. Thin layers of frozen foods thaw quickly!
Use Turkey Taco Meat In Other Recipes
- Make a turkey taco salad with this meat, chopped romaine, cheese, tomatoes, and the dressing from my BBQ Chicken Salad.
- Lettuce wraps: Spoon the meat and toppings into butter lettuce leaves.
- Nachos or Loaded Taco Fries: Layer chips with the meat and cheese, bake, then add toppings. My Loaded Taco Fries are a favorite.
- Burrito bowl: Serve over cilantro-lime rice with black beans and taco toppings.
Turkey Taco Recipe Toppings
Here are some favorite toppings for these tacos:
- Grated sharp Cheddar cheese
- Chopped cherry tomatoes or pico de gallo
- Fresh cilantro
- A squeeze of fresh lime
- A large scoop of sour cream (fat-free works great too)
- Sliced avocado or scoop of guacamole
- Shredded romaine lettuce
More Ground Turkey Recipes:
Turkey Taco Recipe
Make this tasty Turkey Taco Recipe by swapping beef for seasoned ground turkey. Ready in 15 minutes, one skillet, and topped with your favorite toppings!
Equipment
- Large pan nonstick
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup diced yellow onion 1/2 of 1 onion
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic 2 cloves
- 1 tablespoon ground chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teapoon pepper
- 1/2 tablespoon beef bouillon powder
- 1 pound lean ground turkey 93/7
- 1/3 cup tomato sauce
- Tortillas flour or corn
- 1 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese or extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
- Toppings as desired see note 1
Instructions
- Dice onion and mince garlic. Heat olive oil in a large, nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot, add diced onion. Cook 3–5 minutes or until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook for 20–30 seconds. Add all the seasonings: chili powder, ground cumin, paprika, powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, salt, pepper, and beef bouillon powder. Stir spices until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Nothing should be burning; reduce heat if needed.
- Add in ground turkey. Crumble the meat into small pieces and cook until no longer pink (but not cooked through all the way), about 5–8 minutes. Add tomato sauce and scrape the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits (this is where the flavor is!). Let simmer 3–5 minutes or until fully cooked through, then remove from heat.
- Char/warm tortillas (see note 2). Add even amounts of the meat, then sprinkle cheese on top so it melts. Immediately add toppings of choice. My favorites are a big scoop of sour cream, ripe sliced avocado (or guacamole), a few chopped cherry tomatoes, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Enjoy hot!
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Try some of these toppings: shredded lettuce, sour cream (fat-free or lite is great), fresh guacamole or ripe avocados, chopped cherry tomatoes, salsa or pico de gallo, fresh cilantro, and/or fresh lime.
Note 2: I like to char the tortillas on my stovetop; I spray the tortillas (both sides) with olive oil cooking spray, then place them directly over the gas flames for a few seconds. Use tongs to flip until tortillas are lightly charred. This can also be done on a heated grill.
Nutrition Note: Nutrition information does not include any toppings, as those will vary.
Storage: Store leftover turkey taco meat in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a skillet or microwave until warm. Keep toppings and tortillas separate for the freshest assembly.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 317kcal | Carbohydrates: 24.9g | Protein: 25.6g | Fat: 13.6g | Cholesterol: 78.2mg | Sodium: 90.7mg | Fiber: 3.7g | Sugar: 2g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How To Make Ground Turkey Moist
- Keep ground turkey cold until it’s time to cook. Don’t let it sit out.
- Add olive oil, garlic, and onions for flavor and moisture.
- Stir in tomato sauce at the end for rich flavor and extra moisture.
- Don’t overcook. Turkey dries out fast. Use a thermometer and cook to 165°F.
Made this tonight as a lower fat sub for ground beef. It was very tasty and my red meat loving husband liked it too! I subbed diced tomatoes for tomato sauce and a crumbled beef bouillon cube for the beef bouillon powder.
I am so thrilled these turkey tacos were a hit! Thanks so much Meg! 🙂
I make this weekly! It’s truly the best seasoning combination and our family loves it. We sub roasted red pepper and tomato soup from Trader Joe’s and occasionally use ground tofu and equally as great! Thank you so much!
Delish! So thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much Kate! 🙂
Let me start by saying, I’m not the best cook. I’ve made turkey tacos a few times before and always get the thumbs down from my teenage boys, but this recipe has made the weekly dinner list! They are tasty! Thank you!
YAY! I’m so happy to hear this! Thanks Ann! 🙂
This is an excellent recipe for turkey tacos. I pressure cooked a turkey breast for 30 minutes, let it cool and then shredded it. Then followed your recipe. I always make my own taco shells. Better than beef!
I am so happy to hear this! Thanks Doreen! 🙂
LUV IT!
I am so happy to hear this! 🙂
Am I able to omit beef bouillon or is there another substitute for it?
You can leave it out, you just may need a little more salt 🙂
OMG. I am always a little skeptical when I see something listed as “the best,” but, you weren’t kidding! I can’t tell this is turkey, AT ALL! And, it is more tender than lean beef! Wow. My compliments to the chef (oh, wait, that’s me ;)…. I mean to Chelsea!!
Haha!! Yay! So glad you enjoyed these; thanks Sara!
Hi! Im on a low sodium diet. Can you give me an alterative to the beef bullion powder. Thanks.
I’ve never made tacos with turkey meat before so I thought, what the heck?! The seasoning was perfect and they were so delicious!
Our family loves turkey tacos for dinner! They’re the best and so healthy!
I love using turkey for tacos. It makes them a little healthier and I even kind of like it better than beef most of the time. Yummy!