Healthy Ground Turkey Recipes for Easy Weeknight Dinners

These healthy ground turkey recipes are my answer to busy weeknights, when the calendar is packed with practices and school events and dinner needs to happen FAST… Ground turkey is a great go-to protein for weeks like that. It browns quickly, takes on any flavor you throw at it, and a pound goes a long way.

For years I always grabbed 93/7 ground turkey (that’s what most of these recipes use) because it’s lean but still has enough fat to stay juicy. But my current favorite is actually 96% lean ground beef! I’ve made every one of these recipes with it, so you can totally use them interchangeably. Every recipe below has full macros (they’ll shift a little if you swap), and most land between 20 and 40 grams of protein per serving.

If you’re more of a beef family, I have a healthy ground beef recipes roundup too. But this one is ALL turkey, split into taco night, burgers and meatballs, and cozy skillets, soups and pasta.

Turkey Burgers and Meatballs

Turkey burgers get a bad rap for being dry, but the trick is building flavor and moisture right into the patty with veggies, herbs, and sauces. The Greek turkey burger has 33.7 grams of protein, and the fig and blue cheese turkey burgers with caramelized onion are still my favorite burger EVER.

For a heartier dinner, the buffalo turkey meatball subs pack 33.7 grams of protein per sub, and the turkey zucchini meatballs are an easy big-batch recipe for the week.

8

Greek Turkey Burger

Fresh and zesty and SO simple. Love these.

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9

Fig and Blue Cheese Turkey Burgers With Caramelized Onion

There are so many flavors in this burger!! You would never guess it could be low in fat and overall so macro-friendly.

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10

Bacon Cheeseburger with Secret Sauce

This bacon cheeseburger is an old classic turned macro-friendly. Piled high with delicious toppings and a killer burger sauce, you're going to love this burger!

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11

Veggie Packed Turkey Burger with Green Goddess Slaw

Such a light and TASTY turkey burger, packed with veggies atop a crisp, herby slaw. This veggie packed turkey burger with green goddess slaw makes a perfect lunch!

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12

Skinny Buffalo Turkey Meatball Subs

Such a quick and easy week-night meal with your prepped meatballs! Definitely one of our favorite ways to use them.

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13

Skinny Turkey Zucchini Meatballs

Perfect to make ahead and use all week! Or freeze half for later. Even BETTER reheated in a pan later to crisp up the outside even more.

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Tips for Cooking Healthy Ground Turkey

• Pick your lean percentage. 93/7 is my everyday pick. 99% lean works too, but it dries out faster, so save it for saucy recipes like chili or bolognese.
• Season it well. Ground turkey is milder than beef, so don’t be shy with spices, garlic, and a good sauce.
• Mix in veggies. Finely chopped mushrooms, zucchini, or cauliflower keep the meat moist and stretch a pound further.
• Cook it all the way through. Ground turkey should reach 165 degrees F, so grab a meat thermometer if you’re not sure.
• Brown a double batch. Cook two pounds at once, then use it for tacos one night and the roasted veggie and turkey bowl later in the week.
• Log it once. If you track in MyFitnessPal, here’s how to create a recipe in MyFitnessPal so you don’t have to enter every ingredient again.

If you’d rather have dinner planned for you, my weekly meal plans are macro-friendly, high-protein, and family-friendly, with a new plan every Thursday, a categorized grocery list, and complete macros on every recipe (and you can try it free!).

Make one of these? Tag me or send me a DM on Instagram, I LOVE seeing what you guys make!