This ground turkey skillet is a quick, flavorful one-pan dinner ready in 25 minutes. Seasoned turkey with bell peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, and spinach. A healthy weeknight meal the whole family loves.
This is the dinner I make when I need something on the table fast and I don’t want to think too hard about it.
Ground turkey goes in the pan, gets browned and seasoned, and then a handful of vegetables get added and everything cooks together until it’s done. One pan. Twenty-five minutes. A meal that’s genuinely satisfying and doesn’t leave you feeling heavy afterward.
What I like most about this recipe is how flexible it is. The seasoning I use here is a garlic-herb-tomato direction that works with virtually any vegetable combination. Clean out your fridge into this skillet and it works nine times out of ten. The turkey provides enough protein that this is filling as a standalone meal over rice or with a simple salad on the side.
➡️ You should try this recipe next: Turkey Meatballs Juicy Flavorful and Easy to Make
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- One pan and 25 minutes from start to finish
- Healthy and filling without feeling heavy
- Works with whatever vegetables you have on hand
- Great for meal prep since it reheats really well
- Naturally gluten free and dairy free
- Can be served over rice, pasta, or on its own
What You Need
Ground turkey 93/7. The same rule as the turkey meatballs applies here. Ultra-lean 99% fat-free turkey browns unevenly, releases almost no drippings for flavor, and can be dry in the finished dish. 93/7 has enough fat to brown well and stay moist through the cooking.
Bell peppers. Two of them, any colors, sliced into strips or diced. They add sweetness, color, and a slightly crispy texture that holds up well alongside the turkey. Red and yellow are the sweetest. Green are more bitter and assertive.
Zucchini. One medium zucchini, diced. It cooks down quickly and absorbs the seasoning really well. Don’t add it too early or it gets too soft. It goes in after the turkey is mostly cooked.
Cherry tomatoes. A cup, halved. They burst slightly as they cook and add a little acidity and juiciness that the turkey benefits from. Canned diced tomatoes work as a substitute if you don’t have fresh.
Baby spinach. Added at the very end and stirred through just until wilted. It adds nutrition, color, and a slight earthy note. It cooks down to almost nothing so don’t be alarmed by how much you start with.
Garlic. Four cloves, minced. Added after the turkey is browned so it doesn’t burn before the meat is cooked.
Onion. One medium yellow onion, diced and cooked with the turkey from the start. It softens and sweetens as it cooks and adds a savory depth to the whole pan.
Seasonings. Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Simple and well-rounded. The smoked paprika adds a slight warmth and color that makes the turkey look and taste more interesting.
Tomato paste. Just a tablespoon, stirred in with the seasonings. It adds a concentrated savory depth and a slightly thicker consistency to the pan sauce.
Chicken broth. A small splash added to deglaze the pan and create a little sauce that coats everything. About a quarter cup is enough.
Olive oil. For cooking the turkey and vegetables.
Fresh parsley or basil. Scattered over the finished skillet before serving. Fresh herbs at the end make a noticeable difference in how the dish smells and tastes.
How to Make Ground Turkey Skillet
Brown the Turkey and Onion
Heat a large skillet or cast iron pan over medium-high heat with a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the ground turkey and diced onion together. Cook, breaking the turkey into small crumbles, for about 6 to 8 minutes until the turkey is fully browned and the onion is soft and translucent.
Don’t stir constantly. Let the turkey sit undisturbed for a minute or two at a time so the bottom gets a little color. Properly browned turkey has more flavor than grey steamed turkey, and this step is where most of that flavor comes from.
Add the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt and pepper. Stir through and cook for another 60 seconds until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and stir it into the turkey mixture, cooking for another minute.
Add the Vegetables
Add the sliced bell peppers to the pan. Stir through and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until they start to soften and get a little color.
Add the diced zucchini and the halved cherry tomatoes. Pour in the chicken broth and stir everything together, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook for another 3 to 4 minutes until the zucchini is tender and the tomatoes have started to burst.
Taste and adjust seasoning. More salt, more Italian seasoning, or a small splash of extra broth if the pan seems dry.
Add the baby spinach and stir through just until it wilts, which takes about 60 to 90 seconds. Remove from heat.
Scatter fresh parsley or basil over the top and serve immediately.
This skillet is great on its own or over rice for a complete meal. If you want a fresh side to go alongside it, the cucumber tomato onion salad adds a light, acidic contrast that works really well with the savory turkey and vegetables. And if you’re looking for more easy ground turkey recipes, the stuffed bell peppers uses a very similar flavor profile and is worth adding to your weeknight rotation.
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Tips
Let the turkey brown properly before stirring. Properly browned ground turkey has noticeably more flavor than pale grey turkey that gets stirred constantly. Leave it in contact with the hot pan for a minute or two at a time and let the color develop before breaking it up and stirring.
Season the turkey well. Ground turkey has less inherent flavor than ground beef and needs confident seasoning to taste good. Don’t be shy with the salt, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Taste after the seasonings go in and adjust before the vegetables are added.
Add vegetables in order of cooking time. Onion goes first since it needs the most time. Bell peppers next since they need a few minutes to soften. Zucchini and tomatoes after that since they cook quickly. Spinach last, right before serving, since it wilts in under two minutes.
Use a splash of broth to deglaze. The browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan after cooking the turkey and garlic are packed with flavor. A quarter cup of chicken broth poured in and scraped up incorporates all of that into the dish rather than wasting it.
Taste and adjust before serving. Every stovetop runs a little differently and the amount of liquid released by the vegetables can vary. Give it a taste right before the spinach goes in and adjust the salt and seasoning to where it needs to be.
Variations
Make it Mexican-inspired. Swap the Italian seasoning for cumin, chili powder, and smoked paprika. Add black beans and corn alongside the bell peppers. Serve over rice with avocado, sour cream, and fresh lime juice. Very similar to the filling in the taco salad but served as a warm skillet dish instead.
Add white beans. A can of drained cannellini beans added with the tomatoes makes the dish more substantial and adds extra protein and fiber. Works really well in the Italian-seasoned version.
Make it creamy. Stir in two tablespoons of cream cheese or a splash of heavy cream right at the end of cooking. The cream sauce coats everything and makes it feel more indulgent without much extra effort.
Serve over pasta. Cook spaghetti or penne separately and toss the turkey and vegetable mixture through it for a quick pasta dinner. Add a little pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.
Add mushrooms. Sliced cremini mushrooms added with the bell peppers add an earthy depth that works really well with ground turkey. They absorb the seasoning and add a meatiness that makes the skillet feel more substantial.
Substitutions
Ground turkey can be replaced with ground chicken for a very similar result. Ground beef for a richer, more traditional flavor. Ground pork for something more savory and fatty. All work with the same seasoning and method.
Bell peppers can be replaced with any combination of vegetables. Broccoli florets, asparagus, snap peas, corn, or whatever needs to be used up in your fridge. Adjust the cooking time based on the vegetable since some take longer than others.
Baby spinach can be replaced with kale (needs a little longer to wilt), arugula (wilts even faster than spinach), or simply left out.
Cherry tomatoes can be replaced with one can of drained diced tomatoes or fire-roasted tomatoes. The canned version gives you more sauce in the pan.
Chicken broth can be replaced with vegetable broth or even a splash of water if that’s all you have.
Zucchini can be replaced with yellow squash, diced eggplant, or sliced mushrooms.
Storage
This skillet reheats really well, which makes it a great meal prep recipe. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat for a few minutes with a small splash of broth or water to prevent sticking, or microwave in 60-second intervals until warmed through.
It also freezes well for up to 3 months. Cool completely before transferring to freezer-safe containers. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. The texture of the vegetables softens slightly after freezing but the flavor is unchanged.
For meal prep, portion the cooked skillet over rice in individual containers for grab-and-go lunches throughout the week. Each portion reheats in about 2 minutes and holds well for 4 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen vegetables instead of fresh?
Yes. Frozen bell peppers, zucchini, and spinach all work in this recipe. Add them straight from frozen and cook a little longer to account for the extra moisture they release. The texture will be slightly softer than fresh vegetables but the flavor is the same.
How do I keep ground turkey from being dry?
Use 93/7 ground turkey rather than ultra-lean, don’t overcook it beyond the point where it’s cooked through, and add a splash of broth to the pan which helps keep moisture in the dish. Adding vegetables that release liquid, like tomatoes and zucchini, also helps keep the overall texture of the skillet moist.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes. Cook the full skillet, cool it, and refrigerate for up to 4 days. It actually tastes very good reheated since the turkey and vegetables have more time to absorb the seasoning. Just add the fresh herbs when serving rather than storing them in the skillet.
What do I serve with this?
Over steamed white or brown rice is the most common way to serve it and makes it a complete meal on its own. Cauliflower rice for a lower-carb version. Over quinoa for extra protein. With a simple green salad on the side. Or simply on its own since the vegetables and turkey together are substantial enough.
Can I add cheese?
Yes. Shredded mozzarella or parmesan scattered over the top of the skillet in the last minute of cooking, then covered with a lid for 60 seconds to melt, is really good. Crumbled feta added right before serving adds a salty, creamy note that works well with the Mediterranean direction of the seasoning.
Ground Turkey Skillet Easy One Pan Dinner in 25 Minutes
Description
This ground turkey skillet is a quick, flavorful one-pan dinner ready in 25 minutes. Seasoned turkey with bell peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, and spinach. A healthy weeknight meal the whole family loves.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey and diced onion. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking turkey into small crumbles, until fully browned and onion is soft.
- Add minced garlic, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Cook for 60 seconds. Add tomato paste and stir through for another minute.
- Add sliced bell peppers and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until starting to soften.
- Add diced zucchini and halved cherry tomatoes. Pour in chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Cook for 3 to 4 more minutes until zucchini is tender and tomatoes have burst.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. Add baby spinach and stir through for 60 to 90 seconds until wilted.
- Remove from heat. Scatter fresh parsley or basil over the top. Serve immediately over rice or on its own.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 4
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 310kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 13g20%
- Saturated Fat 4g20%
- Cholesterol 90mg30%
- Sodium 680mg29%
- Total Carbohydrate 12g4%
- Dietary Fiber 3g12%
- Sugars 7g
- Protein 34g68%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
Let the turkey sit undisturbed for a minute or two while browning before stirring. That contact with the hot pan is what develops the color and flavor that makes the whole skillet taste better.
Season confidently. Ground turkey needs more seasoning than ground beef to taste good on its own. Taste after adding the spices and add more salt or Italian seasoning if it needs it.
Add vegetables in order of cooking time. Onion first, peppers next, then zucchini and tomatoes, then spinach last. Each vegetable has the right amount of time to cook without any of them getting overdone.
