Healthy Ground Turkey Recipes

Lean yet juicy and incredibly flavorful, ground turkey deserves a place in your weeknight dinner roundup. Here are a few of our favorite healthy ways to serve it up.

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Turkey Meatballs with Quick and Spicy Tomato Sauce and Whole-Wheat Spaghetti

The spicy kick and multiple herbs in this sauce lend layers of flavor without fat, while grated carrot, onion and Parmesan add volume and moisture.

Get the Recipe: Turkey Meatballs with Quick And Spicy Tomato Sauce and Whole-Wheat Spaghetti

My Big Fat Greek Burgers

A spinach-and-feta-cheese stuffing makes this burger juicy and satisfying, especially when topped with a lemon-and-dill yogurt sauce.

Get the Recipe: My Big Fat Greek Burgers

White Chili

Ellie's heart-healthy chili combines ground turkey with white beans, peppers, onions and spices to make for an incredibly flavorful bite.

Get the Recipe: White Chili

Ground Turkey Enchilada Stir-Fry with Couscous

This recipe doesn't involve any rolling of tortillas, nor does it require copious amounts of cheese. However, every bite of savory turkey, butternut squash and fluffed couscous will remind you of the flavors of this popular comfort food.

Get the Recipe: Ground Turkey Enchilada Stir-Fry with Couscous

Turkey and Beef Meatloaf with Cranberry Glaze

Turkey and cranberries is a match made in heaven — why wait for Thanksgiving to enjoy it? This healthy take on meatloaf pairs the two in an inspired way: Turkey lightens up the traditional ground beef base and antioxidant-rich cranberries are the centerpiece of a tangy glaze.

Get the Recipe: Turkey and Beef Meatloaf with Cranberry Glaze

Turkey Lettuce Wraps

Instead of reaching for the takeout menu, try this instead. Melissa d'Arabian's DIY lettuce wraps let little eaters choose which veggies to include in their dinner.

Get the Recipe: Turkey Lettuce Wraps

Turkey Burgers

Bobby's take on juicy grilled turkey burgers? Topping them with goat cheese, lemon-honey mustard and watercress.

Get the Recipe: Turkey Burgers

Gluten-Free Spaghetti and Meatballs with Garlic Crumb Topping

Not only is this take on spaghetti and meatballs a super-satisfying supper, but it can also be tucked away in your freezer for those nights when you need a quick and simple meal.

Get the Recipe: Gluten-Free Spaghetti and Meatballs with Garlic Crumb Topping

Turkey, Kale and Brown Rice Soup

Giada's light, brothy soup is loaded with lean ground turkey, whole grains and plenty of vegetables.

Get the Recipe: Turkey, Kale and Brown Rice Soup

Pizza Pockets

Think of these as mini calzones, each one stuffed with arugula, cheese and zesty Italian turkey sausage. Using store-bought pizza crust will save you a significant amount of time.

Get the Recipe: Pizza Pockets

Turkey-Spinach Korma

This korma-inspired dish is one of our favorite ways to use ground turkey. It features a creamy yogurt-based sauce and all the aromatic spices you’d expect from the traditional version — and it comes together in just 35 minutes.

Get the Recipe: Creamy Turkey-Spinach Curry

Mom's Turkey Meatloaf

Ellie's lighter take on this comforting classic swaps out beef and breadcrumbs for oats and ground turkey but retains all the same heartiness of the meatloaf you remember from when you were growing up.

Get the Recipe: Mom's Turkey Meatloaf

Jerk Turkey Burgers on Sweet Potato Rounds

Thick-cut sweet potatoes work nicely as stand-ins for hamburger buns in these island-inspired turkey burgers. The yogurt helps keep the ground turkey moist and delicious.

Get the Recipe: Garlic-Scallion Turkey Burgers on Sweet Potato Rounds

Mini Turkey Meatballs

Giada dresses up mild turkey meat with onion, garlic, parsley and cheese to make rich, moist meatballs.

Get the Recipe: Mini Turkey Meatballs

Indian Summer Turkey Chili

Large bell peppers will brighten up this big-batch turkey chili with their mild sweetness. Rachael stirs in a bit of barbecue sauce for a touch of sweet heat.

Get the Recipe: Indian Summer Turkey Chili

Stuffed Turkey Burgers

Ellie's turkey burgers are healthy but far from bland. She stuffs each patty with mozzarella cheese and roasted red peppers for creamy texture and sweet, smoky flavor.

Get the Recipe: Stuffed Turkey Burgers

Turkey-and-Rice Stuffed Peppers

Brown rice, dried currants and walnuts add excellent hearty texture to these turkey-stuffed bell peppers. Serve the peppers with a simple side salad for a wholesome and well-rounded weeknight dinner.

Get the Recipe: Turkey-and-Rice Stuffed Peppers

Turkey Meatloaf with Feta and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Giada gives meatloaf a distinctly Mediterranean twist by flavoring her ground turkey mix with garlic, sundried tomatoes and salty feta cheese.

Get the Recipe: Turkey Meatloaf with Feta and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Lemon Whole-Grain Linguine with Turkey Meatballs

The meatballs are the star of this comforting high-fiber dish. Make them on their own and serve as a mini appetizer or add them to your favorite pasta recipe. For moister, more flavorful meatballs, be sure to use ground turkey, not ground turkey breast.

Get the Recipe: Lemon Whole-Grain Linguine with Turkey Meatballs

Perfect Turkey Burgers

For a turkey burger with an earthy umami note, mix a portobello mushroom into the patty for added flavor, then top with cheese and creamy avocado.

Get the Recipe: Perfect Turkey Burgers

Turkey Taco Stuffed Sweet Potato

Don’t you just love it when ‘healthy and satisfying’ meets ‘quick and easy’? That’s what you’ll get with these turkey-stuffed sweet potatoes. They’re loaded with Tex-Mex flavor and better for you than a lot of other taco night favorites. Plus, they’re ready in a flash!

Get the Recipe: Turkey Taco Stuffed Sweet Potato

Asian Turkey Burgers

Lighten up these burgers by cutting back on the meat and adding some texture with bulgur. Add great Asian flavors with a quick pickling of cucumbers and onions, plus a spicy yogurt sauce to tie everything together.

Get the Recipe: Hoisin Turkey Burgers with Quick Pickles and Chili Garlic Yogurt

Spicy Turkey and Green Bean Stir-Fry

Food Network Magazine's stir-fry is full of sweet, sour and spicy flavors. For a milder dish, hold back on the chile paste or sambal.

Get the Recipe: Spicy Turkey and Green Bean Stir-Fry

Turkey and Pumpkin Seed Chili

A touch of unsweetened cocoa powder gives this hearty chili a wonderful depth of flavor. Whip up a batch and freeze the leftovers to have on hand for busy fall weeknights.

Get the Recipe: Turkey and Pumpkin Seed Chili

Turkey Meatball Vindaloo

This vindaloo-inspired dish is perfect for anyone who loves the fragrant flavors of Indian cuisine but wants a dish that isn’t too spicy. Unlike traditional vindaloo, which is fiery hot, this uses just a handful of heat-infusing ingredients (like hot curry powder and fresh ginger) to keep the spiciness at bay.

Get the Recipe: Turkey Meatballs in Tomato Ginger Curry

Lightened-Up Asian Turkey Sliders

Loaded with protein and veggies, these Southeast Asian-inspired sliders are perfect for a hungry crowd. Be sure to buy regular ground turkey, not lean: The mix of dark and white meat has more flavor. You can prepare the meat mixture on the cookie sheet a few hours ahead, refrigerate and cook just before serving.

Get the Recipe: Hoisin-Glazed Turkey Slider Lettuce Cups

Turkey, Kale and Oat Meatballs with Quick Tomato Sauce

A full bunch of vitamin-rich kale gives these turkey meatballs their vibrant green color. Rolled oats are used as a binder in place of breadcrumbs and add an extra bit of heart-healthy fiber.

Get the Recipe: Turkey, Kale and Oat Meatballs with Quick Tomato Sauce

Spicy Turkey Lettuce Cups

A romaine lettuce heart makes the perfect little canoe for delivering this cross between a taco and an Asian noodle dish right to your mouth.

Get the Recipe: Spicy Turkey Lettuce Cups

Mini Meatloaves

Sometimes it's good to go back to the basics, and this hearty weeknight dinner is your perfect opportunity. The recipe suggests using a mixture of pork and turkey, but you can use all ground turkey for flavorful — and healthier — results.

Get the Recipe: Mini Meatloaves

Jerk Turkey Burgers with Mango Slaw

These island-inspired grilled patties combine ground turkey with grated green apple, jerk seasoning and panko breadcrumbs, and they're topped with mango chutney slaw for a sweet contrast.

Get the Recipe: Turkey Burgers with Mango Slaw

Kale-Turkey Rice Bowl

Laced with cumin and jalapeno, this spicy rice bowl is both healthy and filling thanks to chopped kale, red potatoes and, of course, lean ground turkey.

Get the Recipe: Kale-Turkey Rice Bowl