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This Simple Ground Turkey Skillet Dinner recipe makes dinner a breeze! Only one pan needed and ready in about 25 minutes, loaded with bell peppers and lots of flavor. It will be a hit for the entire family!
Getting a good dinner on the table quickly on busy nights can be so tough. Coming up with new meals the family will love–another difficult task. But this ground turkey and pepper skillet dinner has kept our family satisfied and it’s SO EASY to make!
It’s a perfect easy weeknight dinner that whips up in no time. You will love this one!
Ground turkey is a favorite ingredient in our home. Between this recipe, Ground Turkey Teriyaki, these Spinach Feta Turkey Burgers, Ground Turkey Stroganoff and this Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet, there are lots of options for delicious, quick and easy meals!
Why You Will Love This Ground Turkey Pepper Skillet Dinner Recipe
- Ready in under 30 minutes. Let me tell you this is a quick meal. It is ready in about 20-25 minutes! You can grab pre-chopped peppers and onions, or frozen to save even more time–never underestimate the power of convenience foods in cooking.
- Cooks in one pan! I love a good one pan or one pot recipe and this is a skillet meal that whips up so easily. If you add in some minute rice that is even less dishes to deal with! The less mess, the better!
- Very easy to modify and vary. this easy ground turkey recipe can be fine tuned to meet what the whole family really needs. Made gluten free, dairy free, sub ground beef or ground chicken, modify the spices, add other veggies and so many other options!
- Freezer friendly! I always love a meal that I can freeze. This one works well as leftovers but you can also freeze leftovers for up to 3 months for when you need something ready to go.
Ingredient Notes
- ground turkey: I like to opt for a less lean ground turkey for a juicer, more flavorful meat. You are welcome to use whatever you like, but I find the 85/15 to be the very best. You could also use some lean ground beef if preferred.
- tomato paste: this will thicken up the mixture a bit and make it a bit heartier
- tomato sauce: NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH MARINARA. This is the thin tomato sauce that usually comes in a can that is in the grocery with the canned tomatoes, etc. Speaking of tomatoes, you can certainly stir in some diced tomatoes when making this ground turkey skillet recipe!
- Worcestershire sauce: this adds a rich level of flavor that almost reminds me of stuffed peppers–this dish is definitely similar to that type of recipe!
- seasoning: a touch of oregano (you could certainly use Italian seasoning!), crushed red pepper flakes, sea salt and black pepper. Along with the garlic, this is perfect!
- cheese: this is optional but strongly recommended. Mozzarella or your favorite cheddar shredded over top is so delicious! The mozzarella reminds me more of stuffed peppers.
- rice: make sure it is cooked. Minute rice or leftover rice are definitely great options. Use your favorite, brown rice or white rice, either works great!
Step-By-Step Instructions:
Step 1: Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Sauté the peppers and onion until the onions start to become translucent. Add in the garlic and stir to combine.
Step 2: Shift the veggies to one side of the pan and add in the ground turkey.
Step 3: Heat, stirring occasionally until the turkey is cooked through.
Step 4: Change heat to low and add in spices, Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce and tomato paste and stir to combine. Stir in the optional rice if desired and adjust seasoning and tomato sauce to your preference.
Step 5: Stir in the cooked rice if desired and adjust seasoning and tomato sauce to your preference.
Step 6: Simmer for a couple minutes and then serve topped with cheese and chopped fresh parsley.
Recipe Tip
- Use whatever color bell peppers you have. I don’t always have a green and yellow pepper so I use what I have. The day I planned to photograph this recipe again, the grocery subbed a red bell pepper for my yellow pepper so that’s what is in the photos! Still great!
- You don’t have to use turkey. Your favorite ground beef or even ground chicken should also work great in this ground turkey skillet as well.
- Use a large skillet–10-12 inch is great. In the video I used an 8 inch skillet and I kept having ingredients fly out of the pan. Just made it a tad annoying. A cast iron skillet or any nonstick skillet will work great.
Other Ways To Serve This Recipe:
The original recipe did not have the addition of the rice in the recipe. It was only a serving suggestion. But I found myself adding it most times and decided it was a great idea.
If you want to skip the rice, try serving this turkey veggie skillet these other ways:
- stuffed in a baked potato
- or in a baked sweet potato
- over cauliflower rice
- over quinoa
- on a bun more like a sloppy Joe sandwich
- spooned over buttered noodles
Try these other simple dinner recipes:
- MEDITERRANEAN STEAK BITES WITH YOGURT SAUCE
- PARMESAN CRUSTED CHICKEN SHEET PAN DINNER
- SUN-DRIED TOMATO, SPINACH AND FETA TURKEY BURGER
- CHICKEN AND BISCUIT SKILLET
- CHICKEN STUFFED POBLANO PEPPERS
- MAPLE BACON WRAPPED PORK CHOPS
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Simple Ground Turkey Pepper Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, diced, (red or orange will work great too!)
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 3-4 tbsp tomato paste
- ¾-1 c tomato sauce
- 2 garlic cloves, minced, use ¾ tsp garlic powder if not available
- 1 ½ tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- ½-1 tsp dried oregano, Italian seasoning will also work well
- ¼-½ tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp cracked pepper
- ½ sea salt
- 1 – 1½ c cooked rice, the rice can be omitted if desired
- shredded cheese for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Over medium high heat, heat olive oil. Add onions and peppers and heat 2-3 minutes until softened. Add garlic and allow to cook for 1 more minute.
- Push veggies to the side of the pan and add ground turkey and brown turkey until cooked through, mixing the veggies back in with the turkey.
- Once turkey is cooked through, turn the heat to low and add in 3/4 cup tomato sauce, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, red pepper and salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
- If adding rice, stir the rice in and adjust to add more tomato sauce as needed. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Serve with freshly chopped parsley, and plenty of shredded cheese!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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My family loves the recipe I made it I gave it a little twist though but it was good
The photo and name of this dish came up when I searched for quick and delicious recipes with ground turkey. One of the notes under the photo is “Lemon + zest” but that is not in the recipe.
Hi! That is the name of the site—that is why!
This was delicious kind of like sloppy Joe’s but over rice. Will make again and use little more of everything as our family of four we ran out and no seconds.
Yes! That is a great way to describe it! I am making this for dinner tonight!