This easy ground turkey skillet recipe is a healthy one pot meal featuring turkey, high protein quinoa, and packed with vegetables. If you're looking for easy meals to make with ground turkey, start with this Ground Turkey and Quinoa Skillet Dinner.
Looking for healthy meals now that you've eaten all the candy and pies from the holidays?
I developed this recipe when I took the Drop 20 Challenge at a local gym one year with some of the ingredients on the list they gave me to use: ground turkey, quinoa, zucchini and yellow squash, kale and red onion.
I'm not sure the red onion was on the list but it should be!
Shortcuts
Cooking the ground turkey in the same skillet as the vegetables saves time washing dishes!
Substitutions and variations
- Other high protein grains like farro, millet, and even rice are delicious stirred into this one skillet ground turkey recipe.
- If you don't have Mrs. Dash garlic and herb seasoning, just use 1/2 teaspoon of another seasoned garlic or pepper seasoning.
- For strict gluten free diets just use dried Italian seasoning or oregano.
- Ground chicken, pork, venison or lean beef can be substituted for ground turkey.
- Use what vegetables and greens you have or love. Spinach, Swiss chard, and collard greens for kale. Try green beans, snow peas or bell peppers for the yellow squash and zucchini.
Ingredients
You can substitute many of these ingredients with your favorites to make different versions of this healthy ground turkey skillet recipe.
- Quinoa
- Ground turkey or chicken
- Garlic and herb seasoning or dried herbs
- Yellow squash
- Zucchini
- Salt
- Red or sweet onion
If you also like cooking turkey breast recipes and whole turkey, try my Instant Pot Turkey Breast and Gravy recipe and learn How to Grill a Spatchcock Turkey.
How to make this ground turkey skillet recipe
Scroll down for detailed, printable recipe.
- Cook quinoa in water or chicken broth.
- Meanwhile, cook the ground turkey, garlic, seasoning and salt in a large skillet.
- Stir in the kale, zucchini and squash and cook until tender.
- Stir in cooked quinoa. Stir just until combined.
Ground Turkey and Quinoa Skillet Dinner is my go-to turkey skillet dinner when I'm covered up with work and can't leave the computer for long.
Experiment with whatever veggies you have in your fridge-bell peppers, green beans, broccoli, or other greens like collard greens.
Pronounced “keen-wah,” this protein-packed ancient grain (it is actually seed) contains every amino acid, and is particularly rich in lysine, which promotes healthy tissue growth throughout the body. Quinoa is also a good source of iron, magnesium, vitamin E, potassium, and fiber.
Other one pot dinner recipes you will love
I love to keep about two cups of cooked, cold quinoa on hand and add to it whatever I have leftover in the fridge to make my Tri Color Quinoa Salad.
- Cheesy Turkey Shepherds Pie
- Instant Pot Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya
- Easy King Ranch Chicken Casserole
- Easy Shepherds Pie
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Ground Turkey and Quinoa Skillet Dinner
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup uncooked quinoa
- 2/3 cup water or chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground turkey or chicken
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons garlic and herb seasoning or dried Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups roughly chopped kale or spinach
- 1 small zucchini cut into cubes
- 1 small yellow squash cut into cubes
- 2 tablespoons red onion slivers
Instructions
- Combine quinoa and 2/3 cup water in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil; cover and reduce the heat to a simmer and simmer 15 minutes. Remove it from the heat and let stand 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the turkey, garlic, seasoning, and salt. Cook 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until turkey is done.
- Stir in kale, zucchini, and yellow squash. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, 3 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked to your liking.
- Stir in the cooked quinoa and sprinkle with onion slivers.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition analysis on GritsAndGouda.com recipes are mostly calculated on an online nutrition calculator. I am not a dietitian and nutritional information is an estimate and can vary based on products used.
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