Ground Turkey Teriyaki

This ground turkey teriyaki is a quick, protein-packed dinner made with simple ingredients. It’s savory, slightly sweet, and comes together in one pan in under 30 minutes. Serve it over vegetables, in lettuce wraps, or as ground turkey teriyaki rice bowls for an easy, satisfying dinner.

My secret for easy weeknight meals? Ground meat. It cooks fast, takes on flavor, and works with whatever you have on hand. Ground turkey is a favorite because it soaks up sauces well, just like in my egg roll in a bowl with ground turkey.

This ground turkey teriyaki is one of those meals I keep on regular rotation. I always have the ingredients on hand, and I love that it cooks up in one pan! It has the perfect balance of savory and slightly sweet without a complicated sauce or long prep time.

Best of all, it’s packed with protein, fiber, and flavor. Pair it with rice for the best ground turkey teriyaki rice bowls, or serve it over noodles, veggies, or wrapped up in lettuce leaves. It’s easy, reliable, and exactly what weeknight cooking should look like.

Ingredient Notes

• Coconut aminos: Coconut aminos might be new to you, but don’t be intimidated by it! It’s slightly sweeter and lower in sodium. If you want to use soy sauce, stick with low sodium soy sauce or gluten free tamari soy sauce.
• Coconut sugar: This adds a subtle sweetness to balance the sauce. Stick with coconut sugar as it’s minimally processed and has added nutrients.
• Rice vinegar: Brings a little acidity to balance the sweet and savory flavors.
• Cornstarch or arrowroot: This is an important step that helps thicken the sauce. Make sure to fully dissolve it in water before adding it to the sauce.
• Avocado oil: Great for cooking because it works for high heat and has a neutral flavor.
• Ground turkey: Use 93% lean ground turkey for the best texture and flavor.
• Onion: Perfect for adding flavor and a little sweetness. If you’re not into onions, just leave them out.
• Broccoli: Chop into small, bite-sized pieces so it cooks evenly.
• Carrots: Adds color and a slight sweetness. Pre-shredded carrots work great and keep things quick and easy.
• Green onion: This is totally optional, but it adds a fresh finish and a little extra flavor on top. Great to add if you’re serving a group!

See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Substitutions

If you find yourself short, here’s a few swaps you can make:

• Ground turkey: Use ground chicken, ground pork, or ground beef.
• Broccoli: Swap for green beans, snap peas, or bell peppers. Just chop into bite-sized pieces so everything cooks evenly.
• Shredded carrots: Use thinly sliced bell peppers, cabbage, or even a bag of coleslaw mix.
• Onion: Swap for shallots or green onions. You can also leave it out—this recipe is forgiving!
• Avocado oil: Use olive oil, coconut oil, or any neutral cooking oil you have on hand.
• Coconut aminos: Coconut aminos is a delicious alternative to soy sauce that is gluten free and soy free. It’s made from the sap of the coconut palm. As an alternative, use low sodium soy sauce or gluten free tamari soy sauce. For other alternatives to coconut aminos, check out these coconut aminos substitutes.

• Coconut sugar: Swap for brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup. Adjust to taste depending on how sweet you like your sauce.
• Rice vinegar: Use apple cider vinegar or a squeeze of lime juice for a similar tangy balance.

How to Make Ground Turkey Teriyaki

1. Make the sauce: In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk the coconut aminos, water, coconut sugar, rice vinegar, ground ginger, and garlic. Heat until the sauce begins to simmer. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and two tablespoon water until the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Slowly add the cornstarch mixture to the saucepan and simmer until thickened, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Brown: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until softened, 3–4 minutes. Add ground turkey, breaking it up with a spatula, and cook 4–5 minutes until partially browned.
3. Cook: Add the broccoli and shredded carrots and stir to combine. Cook until the vegetables are soft and the turkey is no longer pink, about 5-6 minutes. 
4. Simmer: Add the sauce and stir until the mixture is evenly coated. Simmer gently for 2-3 minutes.
5. Serve: Garnish with green onion (optional). Serve warm over vegetables, in lettuce wraps, or with rice for ground turkey teriyaki bowls. 

Recipe Notes

• Don’t overcook the sauce: Once it thickens, pull it off the heat. It will continue to thicken as it sits.
• Break up the turkey: Use a spatula to crumble the turkey into small pieces so it soaks up more of the sauce.
• Chop the veggies evenly: Bite-sized broccoli cooks faster and makes the whole dish easier to eat (and better for kids!).
• Control the sauce: Add more or less depending on how saucy you like your bowls. You can always reserve a little and add it at the end.
• Double it: This recipe is great for meal prep and leftovers are even better! Double or triple the recipe for lunches, and throw an extra meal in the freezer for busy weeks.
• Want to make it kid friendly? Keep the sauce on the sweeter side by adding a drizzle of honey or maple syrup if your kids don’t love spice. This recipe also works great without the diced onion.

FAQs

Ways to Serve

First, let me assure you—you will love this dish on it’s own! It has flavor, veggies, and plenty of protein. To customize it, you can serve it with a variety of sides. Here are my favorite ways to serve it:

• Make ground turkey teriyaki bowls by serving it over a bed of jasmine rice. Place one serving over 1 cup cooked rice.
• With a side salad like my classic house salad
• Over rice noodles like Rice Ramen Noodles
• On top of roasted vegetables, like my rainbow roasted vegetables or crispy roasted sweet potatoes
• Tucked in lettuce wraps

Meal Prep

Ground turkey teriyaki is perfect for meal prep because it’s easy to double, and the sauce keeps the meat tender and flavorful.

To make this for lunches for the week, just double the recipe and portion it out with rice, quinoa, or veggies in individual airtight containers. It reheats well and holds its flavor, so you’re not stuck eating something bland by day three.

If you want to keep things fresh, store the rice and turkey separately and assemble when you’re ready to eat.

Need some extra meals in the freezer? Just cook a double or triple batch and let it cool completely before storing. I recommend storing meals in 100% Silicone Stasher Reusable Bags in the fridge and freezer to save space and keep your meals tasting fresh.

Storage

STORE: Store any leftover ground turkey teriyaki in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The flavor actually gets better as it sits, so leftovers taste great.

FREEZE: This recipe works great as a freezer meal. After cooking, let the dish cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or silicone storage bag. Freeze for up to 2–3 months. For the best texture, freeze the ground turkey with the teriyaki sauce and make rice fresh for serving when you’re ready to eat it.

REHEAT: Reheat in a skillet over medium heat or in the microwave. Add a splash of water if needed to loosen the sauce.

More Easy Dinners

• Egg Roll in A Bowl with Ground Turkey
• Garlic Butter Steak Bites and Potatoes
• Oven Baked Chicken Bites
• Greek Chicken Meatballs
• Greek Chicken Quinoa Bowl

Recipe by: Noelle Tarr and Kelsey Hite / Coconuts and Kettlebells | Photography by: Casey Colodny / The Mindful Hapa