Turkey Taco Meat Recipe

5 from 7 votes

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This easy, healthy Turkey Taco Meat Recipe is perfect for any dinner. It’s so delicious and quick to make plus there are vegetables in there!

Turkey Taco Meat

With this Taco Meat Recipe I need to ask, need a taco? How about a healthier taco? How about this taco?

I really debated whether or not I should post this recipe because it’s hardly a recipe AT ALL. But, this taco meat is something I make all the time because it’s fast, easy and everyone loves it. {Even my two year old!} Total work time from start to finish for these bad boys is 20 minutes. That’s what I’m talkin’ about. The perfect weeknight meal. I’m a workin’ girl these days so the less time I have to cook means the more time I have left for me to eat spend time with my family.

Taco meat is ground beef + seasoning + water. I think that is the typical taco standard. However, replacing the beef with its poultry counterpart means fewer calories, saturated fat, and cholesterol plus more protein as a little bonus. All the reason to give ground turkey a try. {A little unsponsored plug for turkey. You’re welcome, Jennie-O}

For an even healthier dinner, I substituted 1/2 the meat for onions, green peppers, carrots, and zucchini. {200 bonus points go out to the other Mom’s who do this! *high five*} They blend right into the mix especially if you cut them small enough and meld together with the meat and the seasonings. Being sneaky is awesome.

Is it weird that I find pleasure in hiding vegetables in things?

Wait. Don’t answer that…at least until you give these a try.

Here’s how you make this Taco Meat Recipe–grab a cutting board and chop up your veggies.

Turkey Taco Meat Ingredients

Saute these in a little olive oil until they start getting tender, 5 minutes or so.

Cooking vegetables

Stir in 1/2 lb. of lean ground turkey and break it apart. Just keep moving it around the pan until its all cooked and the pink is gone. This should take maybe 2 minutes? I had my burner on medium heat, PS. Probably should have mentioned that before. Oops.

adding ground turkey to cooked vegetables

Now, don’t hate me.  I grabbed a packet of taco seasoning *gasp* and poured it into my mixture. I was in a rush and didn’t have any pre-made in my pantry, ok! Don’t judge me! If you’re into that kind of thing, check out this recipe for homemade taco seasoning.

taco seasoning

Along with the seasonings, add in some water too.

adding water

Let this reduce down until most of the water has evaporated and use it how you like. The total obvious way would be tacos. But, try it out on nachos, in burritos or part of a 7 layer dip. Tasty shtuff right here.

turkey taco meat

I’m suddenly very hungry…

tacos with turkey meat

Enjoy, friends! 🙂 Have a great day!

Turkey Taco Meat
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5 from 7 votes

Turkey Taco Meat Recipe

This easy, healthy Turkey Taco Meat Recipe is perfect for any dinner. It's so delicious and quick to make plus there are vegetables in there!
servings 4 servings
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 cup onion diced
  • 1 cup carrot diced
  • 1 cup zucchini diced
  • 1/2 cup green bell pepper diced
  • 1/2 lb. lean ground turkey 97/3 or 99/1
  • 1 envelope taco seasoning
  • 1/2 cup water

Instructions

  • In deep skillet, saute veggies in olive oil for 5-7 minutes or until they start to tenderize.
  • Stir in ground turkey and break apart into smaller pieces. Once turkey is completely cooked, stir in taco seasoning and water. Let it cook down until most of the water has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low and keep warm until you are ready to serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 171kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 762mg | Potassium: 412mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 6310IU | Vitamin C: 27.8mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1.3mg
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: easy, healthy, turkey taco
other recipes you might like:

Crockpot Chicken Taco Meat

Taco Sloppy Joes

Taco Cobb Salad

Skirt Steak Soft Tacos

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41 Responses
  1. Getting Kids to Eat Veggies

    […] My Favorite Turkey Taco Meat–stretching that taco meat by adding in a bunch on chopped veggies! […]

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    […] 14. My Favorite Turkey Taco Meat–if you have no one pulling on your pant legs, you could have these tacos on the table in 15 minutes flat. […]

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    […] not on the guacamole train, these other mexican favorites will still make a killer Cinco de Mayo: tacos, grilled burritos, 9-layer dip, warm & spicy black bean dip, enchilada lasagna, enchilada […]

  5. Lyn Mackay

    5 stars
    I have made a bunch of your recipes but this has to be one of my favorites, my husband usually hates ground turkey but from the first time I made this he has loved it. I love all the added goodness from the veggies. I always make more for leftovers too. Thanks 🙂

  6. Glenda

    Have you considered tossing in a can of beans (pinto, kidney, etc) or some leftover ones if you have it. I do that as standard practice to stretch the meal.

  7. Favorite Taco Meat | Just the Tip

    […] Taco Meat Just the Tip / Inspired by Lauren’s Latest Serves 4 (sometimes I’ll double the recipe and save the extra topping for taco salad or taco […]

  8. cheryl

    This sounds great, but to make it really healthy I would not use a “packaged” taco seasoning, they are easy to make at home.

  9. Lauren's Latest » Whole Wheat Butternut Squash & Chorizo Quesadillas

    […] that be nice? All the salsa, guacamole, tacos, enchiladas and mexican pork you want! Oh and maybe some of these pomegranate lime […]

  10. Lauren's Latest » Margarita Guacamole + Cinco De Mayo Recipes

    […] not on the guacamole train, these other mexican favorites will still make a killer Cinco de Mayo: tacos, grilled burritos, 9-layer dip, warm & spicy black bean dip, enchilada lasagna, enchilada […]

  11. Steve @ the black peppercorn

    I am so glad you shared this. It looks great. There have been many times that I said to my wife that I was not going to post a particular recipe and she encouraged me to and then I discovered how much traffic and comments it generated. LOL Love the veggies in this!

  12. From Valerie's Kitchen

    I love subbing ground turkey for tacos, chili, burgers, it’s all good! Love all the diced veggies. I’ve been in need of quick dinner ideas and this is a great one!

  13. Rachel @ Not Rachael Ray

    I love sneaking veggies into everything too! Especially spinach–it goes in EVERYTHING at my house! This looks great, and thanks for the taco-seasoning link love! 🙂

  14. Anna @ hiddenponies

    I can never get enough tacos 🙂 Love that you get a guilt complex over the package mix, I have the same thing every time…and still use one every time 🙂

  15. Kathryn

    Um, now I want tacos so badly! I would probably de-healthify them a bit though with lots of cheese and sour cream but I love the idea of using turkey.

  16. Living The Sweet Life

    Your taco looks soo yummy!! LOL it made me laugh when you said being sneaky is fun ~ it sure is, I sneak veggies into my boyfriend all the time without him knowing he’s eating it. I seriously have to test this recipe out on him

  17. Michelle

    I do the same thing but not to sneak veggies into my kid’s diets, I have no kids, to sneak them into my boyfriend’s diet. Except I shred my carrot and zucchini and add a can of fire roasted tomatoes and a little tomato paste to thicken it up.

  18. Katrina @In Katrina's Kitchen

    I love sneaking veggies into tacos!! I can’t remember the last time I didn’t sneak something in lol! Mmmm now I’m hungry!!

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