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Make hearty Ground Turkey Tacos and spice up your next taco night! Lean but tender browned turkey is spiced up with homemade (or storebought) taco seasoning is piled into warmed corn tortillas or taco shells for an easy gluten free dinner. But the best part is topping them with all of your favorite taco fixings.
Why You’ll Love These Ground Turkey Tacos
Delicious Details
- Cuisine Inspiration: Mexiican
- Primary Cooking Method: Stovetop
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free option, Dairy-free option
- Skill Level: Easy
The simplest recipe for ground turkey tacos is an always-welcome meal in my house! Ground turkey is mixed with taco seasoning for a bit of spice, then browned to perfection and stuffed into corn tortillas. One of my favorite things about making homemade tacos is that you can adjust them however you want – spicy or not – and can load up on all the toppings. We love them with shredded lettuce, sour cream, and plenty of sharp cheddar cheese. This easy ground turkey tacos recipe is the perfect addition to your next taco night. Here’s why you’ll love it:
- Kid friendly. My kids love a fun taco night, and ground turkey tacos are such a crowd-pleaser. I let them them fill their own tacos which, yes, can be a bit messy, but it’s worth it to let them take charge of making their own meal.
- Adaptable. Use this recipe for ground turkey tacos as a base and switch in ground beef, chicken, or even plant-based meat. You can also add more or less seasoning as you like, make it spicier, and more.
- Hearty. I think you’ll find that these tacos make a filling meal, even if you don’t add much more than a side of corn chips! They also make a nice, packable lunch option.
What You’ll Need
A few easy ingredients are all you’ll need for this recipe for ground turkey tacos! I’ve outlined them for you below. Make sure to check the recipe card at the end of this post for the full ingredient amounts.
- Oil: I use either extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil.
- Ground Turkey: Grount turkey forms the base of the taco filling. You can see some variation suggestions lower down.
- Taco Seasoning: Use my recipe for homemade Taco Seasoning or try store-bought seasoning.
- Cornstarch: A little cornstarch helps to thicken the filling.
- Water
- Tortillas: Use corn tortillas and/or taco shells.
- Toppings: Shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, salsa or pico de gallo, guacamole, sour cream.
Topping Ideas
Topping are the best part of tacos, in my opinion! I love dressing up ground turkey tacos with cheese, salsa, sour cream, and more. Here are a few topping ideas to get you started:
- Cheese – Shredded cheese is a must on tacos! Try shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack, pepper Jack, or a combinaton of cheese. I also like a little sprinkle of cotija cheese.
- Avocado – Add diced avocado, a scoop of guacamole, or make my Avocado Lime Crema to drizzle over to tacos!
- Salsa or pico de gallo – Make or buy salsa or pico de gallo and stuff it on top of the filling for ground turkey tacos. My Mango Avocado Salsa is also amazing with this ground turkey tacos recipe.
- Lettuce – Crisp shredded lettuce or Taco Slaw is fantastic with this recipe for ground turkey tacos.
- Sour cream – A dollop of sour cream essential on a taco. Or, go a bit lighter with tangy Greek yogurt.
- Lime – Serve ground turkey tacos with lime wedges to squeeze over the tacos when serving.
- Cilantro – Add some freshness with a sprinkling of fresh mined herbs.
How To Make Ground Turkey Tacos
See my method for making ground turkey tacos below. Find the detailed instructions in the recipe card lower down.
- Add the turkey. Heat the oil in a skillet and add the turkey.
- Cook. Break up the turkey and cook it until it’s cooked through.
- Season. Sprinkle in the taco seasoning and cornstarch. Mix in the seasonings and cook.
- Add the water. Stir in the water and cook until the taco meat is fully coated in the sauce.
- Serve. Spoon into tortillas or taco shells and serve with your favorite toppings.
Tips for Success
There are just a few steps needed to make this ground turkey tacos recipe!
- Use another protein. Try making this ground turkey tacos recipe with ground beef or ground chicken. You could also try your favorite plant-based protein in place of the ground turkey.
- Warm the tortillas. Make your taco more sturdy by doubling up on the corn tortillas, and make sure to warm them first. Wrap the tortillas in foil and heat them for 10 minutes in a 350℉ oven. Or, pan-fry the tortillas in an oiled skillet for 30 seconds on each side. This will make them more pliable and less prone to breaking.
- Spice it up. I’ve included taco seasoning in this recipe – you can add more spices like chili powder, cayenne pepper, jalapeños, and more depending on how spicy you like it.
- Add onion and/or garlic. Add 2 cloves of minced garlic and/or a diced small onion to the pan before you cook the turkey. Cook the aromatics for a few minutes until softened, then stir in the turkey. This will add more flavor.
Other Ways to Use Turkey Taco Filling
Don’t limit yourself to just tacos! This turkey taco meat is so versatile that you can use it for tons of other meals.
- Make a salad. Pile your taco meat on top of a bed of lettuce and drizzle with a spoonful of Creamy Southwest Dressing or Jalapeno Ranch Dressing. Or take some cues for this Ground Beef Taco Salad for other topping ideas.
- Pile it on nachos. Spread a bag of chips on a sheet pan or make your own air fryer tortilla chips. Top with meat and cheese, and pop it in the oven till the cheese melts. Then pile on your favorite toppings. Or up the veggie factor and make Bell Pepper Nachos.
- Grain bowls. Start with a base of Instant Pot Spanish Rice, then top it with colorful fixings for a hearty meal.
- Wrap it up. Use the filling for the tacos to make heartier wraps. I love making a batch of my Gluten Free Tortillas and stuffing them with the ground turkey filling and Cilantro Lime Rice to make an easy burrito. Move over, Chipotle!
Proper Storage
Here’s how to store and reheat any leftover ground turkey tacos:
- Fridge – Wrap leftover cooled tacos in foil and store them in the fridge for up to 2 days. Or, store leftover filling in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days and warm it up before assembling the tacos.
- To Reheat – You can reheat the filling in the microwave in 30-second increments until hot, or on the stove over medium heat. To reheat the assembled tacos, place them on a baking sheet in a 350℉ degree oven until warm.
Make It A Meal
Start with ground turkey tacos as the centerpiece of taco night, and fill out your plate with a few sides like dips, salads, and more. See a few more serving options below:
- Veggies. Balance a heartier main dish with salad, like my Strawberry Mango Avocado Salad add a side of Chili Lime Cauliflower and Butternut Squash for a dose of vegetables when you make tacos.
- Other Mexican-inspired dishes. You could also serve Instant Pot Pinto Beans to the turkey for more protein. I also like to serve Mexican Street Corn or make a heartier Creamy Mexican Pasta Salad to round out your plate.
- Dips. Homemade or store-bought guacamole and salsa is required when you make tacos! I also love to serve them with Cheesy Mexican Dip and a big bowl of chips.
- Dessert. Indulge in a slice of Gluten Free Sopapilla Cheesecake and a mug of Mexican Hot Chocolate after a meal of ground turkey tacos.
More Taco Recipes To Try
Ground Turkey Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch
- ½ cup water
- 8-12 corn tortillas and/or taco shells , warmed as instructed
Toppings:
- Shredded cheddar , Monterey jack, or pepper jack cheese, or combination
- Shredded lettuce
- Salsa or pico de gallo
- Guacamole
- Sour cream
Instructions
- In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the ground turkey/beef, and brown until fully cooked through and no pink remains, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks.
- Sprinkle the taco seasoning and cornstarch, if using, over the meat. Mix in and cook for another minute. Add the water and cook until the taco meat is fully coated in the sauce and moist, and thickened, if you used the cornstarch.
- Spoon into tortillas or taco shells and serve with your favorite toppings.
Did you make this?
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