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These quick and flavorful Ground Turkey Tacos come together in just 20 minutes! Lean turkey is seasoned with homemade taco seasoning and simmered until tender and saucy. Add your favorite toppings and serve in crunchy shells or soft tortillas for an easy, family-friendly dinner everyone loves.
Ground Turkey Tacos are one of those weeknight dinners that you can always count on. They are fast, flavorful, and so easy to customize for the whole family. The turkey cooks in a homemade taco seasoning for a taco filling that’s every bit as good as (or even better than!) classic beef tacos.
Weeknight dinners need to be simple, and turkey tacos are exactly that! A handful of pantry spices (you can even swap a packet of store bought seasoning), and this taco filling is ready in minutes. It works with crunchy shells, soft tortillas, taco bowls, or nachos. Set out your favorite toppings; shredded cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, and let everyone build their own.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for the FULL PRINTABLE recipe card.
- Ground Turkey
- Oil
- Chili Powder
- Ground Cumin
- Dried Oregano
- Onion Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Paprika
- Salt
- Cayenne Pepper
- Water
- Tortillas
- Taco Toppings
How To Make Ground Turkey Tacos
- Brown. Add the oil to a large skillet, once it is hot add the ground turkey. Cook while breaking it apart for 8-10 minutes, until it is no longer pink.
- Season. Meanwhile mix together all of the spices. Add to the cooked turkey mix to combine.
- Simmer. Pour in the water. Mix and simmer for 3-4 minutes until the water cooks down.
- Fill. Remove the pan from the heat and serve. Fill warmed tortillas, crunchy taco shells and top with your favorite toppings.
Recipe Tips & Variations
- Seasoning. You can absolutely use a packet of store bought seasoning if you want to make this even faster!
- Bulk Up. If you want the bulk up the taco meat a little, add in a drained and rinsed can of black or pinto beans with the seasoning. It will add more protein and fiber and stretch the meat a little further.
- Get Creative. This is really a basic taco meat made with ground turkey, so you can get super creative how you use it. I love Air Fryer Tacos to make my own crispy tacos. Or you can use for Fry Bread Tacos, Taco Casserole, Taco Bell’s Mexican Pizza, or a Grilled Cheese Burrito.
- Toppings. I like to top tacos with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, shredded cheese and sometimes black olives. But you can really use anything you like! Jalapenos, cilantro, avocado and lime are other great options.
Storage
Store leftover turkey taco meat in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can reheat in the microwave.
If you want to make this ahead you can freeze for up to 3 months. Just let it thaw in the fridge before heating.
More Tasty Taco Recipes
Ground Turkey Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground turkey
- 1/2 Tablespoon chili powder
- 1/2 Tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 cup water
- For Serving: Tortillas or taco shells
- Toppings: lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, sour cream etc.
Instructions
- Add the oil to a large skillet over medium high heat. Once the pan is hot add the ground turkey. Cook for 8-10 minutes, breaking up until it is no longer pink.1 Tablespoon olive oil, 1 pound lean ground turkey
- Meanwhile, mix together the spices. Add to the cooked ground turkey, mix to coat.1/2 Tablespoon chili powder, 1/2 Tablespoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Pour in the water, mix and let it simmer for 3-4 minutes until the meat is juicy and the liquid as cooked down.1/2 cup water
- Remove from the heat and fill your tortillas with the meat and your favorite toppings.For Serving: Tortillas or taco shells, Toppings: lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, sour cream etc.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
