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With over 400 5-star reviews, this Turkey Taco recipe is one of the most popular recipes on Culinary Hill. I spent years developing the perfect recipe that was packed with flavor, not dry, and even better than ground beef tacos. Once my kids starting asking for “taco Tuesday” more than once per week, I knew I had a hit!
Meggan’s notes
The secret is in the sauce: Just one can of tomato sauce added to the meat makes all the difference. It takes ground beef from dry to juicy, and you’ll never make it any other way!
Taco meat isn’t just for tacos, either. Try this turkey taco meat on quesadillas, salads, burritos, lettuce wraps, nachos, and more.
Table of Contents
Ground Turkey Tacos Recipe Ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Taco seasoning: Make it yourself with 1 Tbsp. chili powder, 1 ½ tsp. ground cumin, ¾ tsp. paprika, ½ tsp. ground coriander, ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper, and salt to taste (I like ½ tsp.).
- Ground turkey: Look for 93% lean ground turkey. If you get the 99% fat-free ground turkey breast, your meat is going to be dry.
- Brown sugar: Leave this out if it sounds weird to you.
How to Make Turkey Tacos
- In a small bowl, whisk together chili powder, cumin, paprika, coriander, cayenne pepper, and salt to taste (I like ½ teaspoon), Whisk in cornstarch if desired. (Or, substitute one packet store-bought taco seasoning).
- In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in taco seasoning, garlic, and oregano until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add ground turkey and cook, breaking up clumps with a wooden spoon, until almost cooked through but still slightly pink, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in tomato sauce, vinegar, and brown sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve the meat hot with the tortillas and all your favorite taco toppings like lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, cheese, and diced avocado.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes about 4 cups (1 quart) of delicious Turkey Taco meat. That’s enough for 4 servings, 1 cup of meat each, enough to make 3 or 4 tacos per person.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Cool the cooked meat, then transfer it to a freezer-safe bag and press flat to gently squeeze out the air from the bag as it seals. Label, date, and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator (never at room temperature). Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- Slow cooker: Sauté the onions in a skillet on the stove. Add the taco seasoning, garlic, and dried oregano. Add the ground turkey and cook until almost done. Transfer the turkey to the slow cooker and add the sauce, brown sugar, cider vinegar, and tomato sauce. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2-3 hours or on LOW for 6-7 hours.
- Dried spices: Cooking out of the pantry? Substitute ½ teaspoon garlic powder and 1 tablespoon onion powder or 3 tablespoons dried onion flakes for the fresh garlic and onion.
- Taco toppings: Load it all up! Try lettuce, tomato, avocado (or avocado sauce), guacamole, shredded cheese, sour cream, black olives, minced white onion, cilantro, and minced jalapeños.
- Salsa: Try mild tomato salsa (pico de gallo), hot salsa, green tomatillo salsa, or corn salsa.
- Crunchy taco shells: Fry corn tortillas until crispy on the stove or in the oven.
- Lettuce wraps: This taco meat is delicious on butter lettuce or romaine leaves.
- Taco salad or bowl: Add the cooked meat to a bowl with chopped lettuce, cooked black beans, tomatoes, scallions, and a creamy cilantro lime dressing. Add cooked brown rice to make a hearty turkey taco bowl. Serve with tortilla chips.
- Add quinoa: Add cooked quinoa to the mixture to make it more filling or stretch it further.
- More ground turkey recipes: Turkey Meatloaf and Turkey Chili are tasty way to eat more ground turkey, and Turkey Meatballs are one of the most popular recipes on this site.
- Ground Chicken Tacos: Easy Ground Chicken Tacos are juicy, perfectly seasoned, and perfect for hectic weeknights. They are also lightning fast, ready in about 15 minutes!
- Ground Beef Tacos: Delicious Ground Beef Tacos are full of flavor and are also done in 15 minutes or less. A couple of surprise ingredients can really elevate your standard beef taco recipe beyond just that packet of seasoning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ground turkey is lower in cholesterol and saturated fat than ground beef, so by that measurement, it’s healthier. Lean beef can be enjoyed in moderation depending on your goals.
There are many recipes where ground turkey is a fantastic, maybe even preferable, substitute for beef. Meatloaf, meatballs, tacos, spaghetti sauce, and chili are some of the best ways. You won’t even miss the beef!
Olive oil and avocado oil are two great fats to consider when cooking with ground turkey.
More easy dinner ideas
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Ground Turkey Tacos Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion peeled and finely chopped
- 1 packet taco seasoning (see note 1)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 pound ground turkey (see note 2)
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar (see note 3)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- corn tortillas or flour tortillas, shredded cheddar cheese, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, ands our cream, for serving
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in taco seasoning, garlic, and oregano until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add ground turkey and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost cooked through but still slightly pink, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in tomato sauce, vinegar, and brown sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve in tortillas with all your favorite toppings like cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, and sour cream.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Taco seasoning: Make it yourself with 1 Tbsp. chili powder, 1 ½ tsp. ground cumin, ¾ tsp. paprika, ½ tsp. ground coriander, ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper, and salt to taste (I like ½ tsp.).
- Ground turkey: Look for 93% lean ground turkey. If you get the 99% fat-free ground turkey breast, your meat is going to be dry.
- Brown sugar: Leave this out if it sounds weird to you.
- Yield: This recipe makes about 4 cups of turkey taco meat. That’s enough for 4 servings, 1 cup of meat each, enough to make 3 to 4 tacos per person.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
Forgot the rating!!
Hadnโt made turkey tacos in a while but decided to since I had ground turkey I wanted to use. Your recipe was delicious, so flavorful and definitely a keeper. I even ate some leftover taco meat with scrambled eggs for breakfast the next day!! Thank you!
You’re welcome, Mary! I’m so happy you loved them! – Meggan
The title wasnโt lyingโฆ the best tacos Iโve ever had
Thank you, Emma! – Meggan
I am looking forward to making this. What is the reason for adding cornstarch to the spices? What will it be like if omitted or included? Thank you!
Hi Danielle, thank you for your question! The cornstarch helps the spices attach to the meat and thickens the sauce. You can omit, but you may need a little bit longer simmer time for your sauce to thicken. – Meggan
This was awesome! I used sweet smokey paprika, smoked chili brown sugar, Merquรฉn smoked chili, fired roasted tomatoes, & Umami multipurpose blend as my different kinds of ingredients. It was the bomb!
Yum! Sounds delicious, Lynda! – Meggan