Make these simple and perfectly seasoned ground turkey tacos for taco night with a quick and delicious seasoning, perfect for a pound of ground turkey meat. The homemade seasoning uses common spices like paprika, cumin, oregano, chili, and garlic powder. Get dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes with these affordable and tasty ground turkey tacos!
Truth be told, when I run out of dinner ideas on busy weeknights, I always go for easy recipes that use ground beef or turkey, like my ground turkey teriyaki rice bowl. Turkey is a bit healthier and cooks up in less than 10 minutes. Making ground turkey tacos is one of my go-to meals, especially when all the spices are pantry staples. The meat comes out so juicy and flavorful, it’s a real crowd-pleaser that your whole family will enjoy!
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Ingredients & notes
Ground Turkey – I use 80/20 (80% meat, 20% fat) because there’s more fat and flavor, and the meat won’t dry out so much when cooked.
Taco seasoning – this simple blend is perfect for 1 pound of ground meat. The spice is mild, so feel free to add additional chili powder and even chili flakes to kick up the spice to your liking.
Aromatics – Garlic and onion is added for additional texture and flavor.
Tortillas – Corn or flour or a blend of both, are equally delicious.
Instructions
In a medium pan on medium-high heat, saute the onions, then add the garlic and stir for about a minute.
Add the ground turkey meat and cook, breaking up the meat.
When the turkey meat is almost done cooking, about 4 minutes, add the taco seasoning.
Cook for another minute and you’ve got perfectly seasoned ground turkey meat!
Assemble the tacos by adding the meat to the tortillas, then topping with ingredients of choice like guacamole or pico de gallo. Add hot sauce for some additional spice.
Serve it with a side of easy rice cooker Spanish rice!
Pro Tips
- For a spicier kick, add more chili seasoning and chili flakes.
- For a kid friendly, no spice option, try my non-spicy homemade taco seasoning.
- Mix up this recipe and try it in the air fryer to make some crunchy turkey taquitos, follow my recipe on this air fryer beef taquitos post.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, keeping all the oil and fat will add more flavor to the meat.
Add the taco seasoning right after the meat is done cooking.
Several things can help, using 80/20 (meat to fat) content, the bit of fat gives more moisture, not overcooking the meat and not draining the oil and fat after it’s done cooking. These steps will get you flavorful and moist taco meat!
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Ground Turkey Taco Seasoning
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey meat I use 80/20
- ½ cup onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1-2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 8 corn or flour tortillas for serving
- topping of choice: pico de gallo, avocado, lettuce, cilantro, cheese, hot sauce
Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine and mix the paprika, oregano, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, kosher salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat with cooking oil. When the pan is hot, add the onions and saute until soft, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and saute for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add the ground turkey meat, breaking the meat into smaller pieces. When almost cooked, about 5 minutes. Add the seasoning and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Serve by spooning the taco meat into the tortillas and topping with cheese, pico de gallo, lettuce, hot sauce or topping of choice.
Notes
- For a spicier kick, add more chili seasoning and chili flakes.
- For a kid friendly, no spice option, try my non-spicy homemade taco seasoning.
- Mix up this recipe and try it in the air fryer to make some crunchy turkey taquitos, follow my recipe on this air fryer beef taquitos post.