Ground Turkey Tacos

Wholesome, delicious, and ready in under 15 minutes, these Ground Turkey Tacos are guaranteed to make a welcome addition to your weeknight dinner line-up. Loaded with protein and fantastic for meal prep, you’ll be wondering why you didn’t try this recipe sooner!

Looking for the perfect Taco Tuesday recipe? Look no further! This easy and flavorful recipe for Ground Turkey Tacos checks all the boxes for the ultimate weeknight meal. It’s rich, savory, and seasoned to perfection, not to mention the perfect vessel for any creative taco toppings you can dream up.

If you’ve been a frequent flyer on my website for some time now, then you know my love for tacos is real. Whether they’re chicken, shrimp, turkey, beef, or veggie tacos—I love them all. I’m super excited to add this recipe to the mix because it’s seriously delicious and made with just a few simple ingredients.

The combination of juicy and flavorful taco meat, crunchy taco shells, and endless toppings makes for a mindblowing meal that guarantees to please. Now that we’ve got that covered, let’s get to the good stuff! This taco meat also makes the most delicious Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps.

Key Ingredients

Here is everything you need to make these easy and tasty ground turkey tacos. Four ingredients stand between you and this delicious dinner.

• Lean ground turkey: I use 99% lean ground turkey in this recipe, but you’re welcome to use 93% lean or even ground beef if you prefer that.
• Taco seasoning: This is what adds all the delicious flavors that bring this dish to life. You can use store-bought taco seasoning, but I highly recommend making your own with my simple taco seasoning recipe if you have the spices on hand. It’s easy to make, packed with flavor, and doesn’t have the additives that many store-bought spice mixes tend to include.
• Red salsa: You can use any kind you like, but I prefer to use fresh salsa from the refrigerated section of the grocery store. You can also make your own salsa.
• Corn tortillas: These are higher in fiber and nutrients than flour tortillas, as well as being lower in calories and fat. Not to mention, they crisp up beautifully in the oven and taste delicious!

Ideas For Turkey Taco Toppings

This is where it gets fun! When it comes to taco toppings, the options are endless. You can get as creative as you want and switch it up each time you make this recipe. These are some of my favorite ideas for taco toppings:

• Shredded cheese
• Fresh salsa or pico de gallo
• Dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt
• Fresh cilantro
• Shredded lettuce
• Fresh guacamole or avocado slices
• Lime juice
• Fresh jalapeno slices
• Chopped tomatoes

Serving and Substitution Tips

• For a show-stopping presentation, garnish your tacos with fresh cilantro and lime wedges. The bright pops of color will instantly take your plate to the next level.
• If you’re a lover of all things spice, try kicking it up a notch with a few shakes of your favorite hot sauce or a dash of cayenne pepper.
• For even more filling tacos, feel free to add canned beans, cooked rice, or quinoa to your ground turkey mixture.
• Not a big turkey fan? No problem. You can sub out the ground turkey for lean ground chicken or ground beef taco meat. You could even go 50/50 on ground turkey and ground beef, for a slightly heartier but still healthy mixture.
• Save any leftovers of the cooked turkey mixture to use later in nachos, enchiladas, taco salads, or turkey taco lettuce wraps.
• Turn this into a one dish meal with this Turkey Taco Skillet.
• Bake these in the oven for easy crispy tacos, just like this easy crispy chicken taco recipe.

What to Serve With This Ground Turkey Tacos

If you’re looking for some delicious recipes to pair with your Ground Turkey Tacos, here are a few of my favorite side dishes to try:

• Quick Refried Beans
• Southwest Quinoa Salad
• Mexican Cauliflower Rice 
• Simple Crock Pot Pinto Beans

How to Store

Leftover taco meat can be stored in an airtight bag or container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. Make sure to let the meat fully cool before storing it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is ground turkey healthier than ground beef?

Short answer: Yes. Longer answer: Both types of meat are delicious and beneficial sources of protein that act as an excellent source of nutrition for our bodies. However, ground beef tends to be higher in saturated fat and calories than ground turkey. For these reasons, ground turkey is the healthier option.

How do you make ground turkey more moist?

By adding moisture! During the ground turkey cooking process in this recipe, we add our salsa to the pan and simmer it with the turkey. Not only does this add flavor, but it also injects a ton of moisture into the ground turkey, resulting in delicious, juicy taco meat.

What condiments go with tacos?

You can get creative with taco condiments, but some of my personal favorites (and the most common ones) are guacamole, sour cream, hot sauce, and salsa.

What is taco seasoning made of?

Different brands can vary slightly in their ingredients, but the base of taco seasoning is pretty standard. For reference, my homemade taco seasoning consists of chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, oregano, red pepper flakes, and cayenne powder.

What drinks go with tacos?

Anything refreshing and bright to balance out the spicy, savory tacos works really well. Some great examples include margaritas (like my Skinny Margaritas!), beer, sangria, sparkling water with lime, homemade lemonade, and fruity iced tea.

More Healthy Taco Recipes:

• Soft Chicken Tacos
• Steak Tacos
• Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro Avocado Slaw
• Butternut Squash and Black Bean Tacos
• Easy Fish Tacos with Lime Slaw