Ground Turkey Teriyaki Rice Bowls

by Kayla Berman on January 18, 2023 1 comment

Ground Turkey Teriyaki is an easy, healthy, and flavorful dinner recipe! Made with a homemade sweet and savory teriyaki sauce, brown rice, and broccoli … this quick dish is sticky, saucy, delicious, and way better for you than takeout. It is perfect for a busy weeknight dinner or meal prep!

Easy, Healthy, & Flavorful Weeknight Dinner

It is officially the time of year when we are all trying to be our best selves! You know … new year, new me. And the new me is eating more protein and vegetables … yuck!

Just kidding! Protein and vegetable heavy meals can actually be incredibly delicious and satisfying. I have been working on these kind of recipes in the kitchen, and now I’m bringing them to you guys.

Turkey Teriyaki Rice Bowls are my new go-to recipe in this category! I am honestly drooling just thinking about it.

This healthy dinner is one the whole family will love. Made with a savory sweet teriyaki sauce, brown rice, and broccoli – this quick dish is flavorful, delicious, and easy to make.

It is perfect for a busy weeknight dinner and makes great leftovers too. I promise as soon as they are gone, you’ll be wanting to make this recipe all over again!

Looking for more ground turkey recipes? Check out my Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Bake or Turkey Pesto Meatballs with Marinara & Mozzarella.

Ingredients

This healthy dinner recipe is made with simple ingredients you most likely already have on hand! Especially, if you often cook Asian dishes in your kitchen.

Ingredient Notes

Ground Turkey: Ground turkey is of course the main ingredient here! I like to use lean ground turkey. 1 lb is perfect.
Brown Rice: Brown rice is the perfect grain to turn this recipe into a complete meal. You’ll need 4 servings.
Broccoli: Broccoli is my vegetable of choice in this turkey teriyaki rice bowl. It’s tasty and nutritious! Cook 3 cups.
Sesame Oil: I love using sesame oil here. It adds such authentic, great flavor – I highly recommend!
Minced Garlic & Ginger: Aromatics are such an important addition to this easy dish. Add 1 tbsp minced garlic and 2 tsp minced ginger for the most delicious results.
Green Onions: Green onions are another key ingredient here for the best flavor! This recipe utilizes both the white and green parts too, which I love. One bunch is perfect.
Soy Sauce: Soy sauce is the base of this homemade teriyaki sauce. Add 3 tbsp!
Light Brown Sugar: I am obsessed with all things sweet and savory when it comes to Asian dishes. 2 tbsp light brown sugar develops that perfectly here!
Rice Wine Vinegar: Rice vinegar adds the best bite and acidity. It is a must! All you need is 1 tbsp.
Corn Starch: Lastly, this teriyaki dish calls for 1 tbsp corn starch to thicken up the sauce.

Substitutions & Additions

There are a few substitutions and additions you could make to this recipe for it to meet your personal preferences, tastes, or needs!

Ground Turkey: This dinner recipe can be made with pretty much any ground meat. You could replace the turkey with ground chicken, ground beef, or even ground pork.

Oil: You could easily swap the sesame oil used here with really an oil of choice! Like olive oil or vegetable oil.

Brown Sugar: Brown sugar is used to sweeten up this recipe. I think any sweetener could be used in place. I would recommend honey or pure maple syrup!

Soy Sauce: If you are gluten free, swap the soy sauce with Tamari – it is a fabulous gluten free alternative.

Ginger & Garlic: I used fresh ginger and garlic here, but you could totally use ground ginger and garlic powder instead.

Broccoli: Broccoli was my veggie of choice in this recipe, but literally any vegetable could be used. Green beans, snow peas, carrots, zucchini, or bell peppers would all be a great addition!

Brown Rice: Brown rice could be replaced with any carb or grain of your choice. Maybe white rice, noodles, or even cauliflower rice for a lower carb option.

Kitchen Tools

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

How To Make This Recipe

Teriyaki ground turkey is super easy to make! It is a 30 minute, healthy meal perfect for a busy weeknight.

Step By Step Instructions

Step 1: Start by preparing the brown rice according to the package directions.

Step 2: Next prepare the broccoli however you’d like. I recommend a simple sauté or steam.

Step 3: Add the water, soy sauce, light brown sugar, and rice wine vinegar to a medium bowl. Combine. Set aside.

Step 4: In a separate small bowl combine the corn starch and water for the corn starch slurry. Set aside.

Step 5: Next add the oil, minced garlic, minced ginger, and the white parts of the green onion to a large skillet or pan on the stove over medium-high heat. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.

Step 6: Add the ground turkey to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the turkey is cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Be careful to not overcook, this will dry out the turkey.

Step 7: Pour teriyaki sauce and the cornstarch mixture into the skillet. Combine. Simmer until the sauce has reached your desired thickness.

Step 8: Assemble the bowls with the cooked brown rice, cooked broccoli, and ground turkey teriyaki. Garnish with sesame seeds and the green parts of the green onion.

Step 9: Serve and enjoy!

Expert Tips

Prepare all ingredients ahead of time! This recipe cooks and comes together quite quickly, so it is easier if you have everything you need ready to go.

Make sure to break apart the turkey into small pieces. Try out this meat chopper!

Don’t over cook the turkey! Or else you will get dry meat. Use a meat thermometer to check that the turkey has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Serve with cauliflower rice instead! This keeps it low carb and adds hidden veggies.

Garnish with sesame seeds and green onion. It is delicious and looks so fancy! Totally elevates the dish.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different meat?

Yes, totally! Try ground chicken, ground beef, or ground pork.

Can I use a different veggies?

Absolutely! You can use any vegetable you’d like in these rice bowls.

How to prevent the ground turkey from drying out?

One way to prevent super dry turkey is to use a ground turkey with a higher fat percentage. The higher percentage fat, the more juicy (and honestly flavorful) the turkey will be!

If you want to use a very lean ground turkey, it will simply be drier. However, to ensure it is not too dry do not overcook it.

You can check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer and stop cooking when it reaches 165 degrees!

How to store this recipe?

Store this recipe in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for about 5 days – 1 week. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.

Can I freeze this recipe?

Yes, you can freeze this recipe! However, I recommend just freezing the turkey teriyaki mixture – not the cooked broccoli or rice.

Transfer the turkey mixture to freezer safe bags or containers and place in the freezer. It will keep for a couple of months!

Love this recipe? Check out some similar ones below…

Asian Inspired Recipes

Healthy Dinner Recipes

Connect With Me!

If you make these turkey teriyaki bowls or any of my other recipes, I would absolutely love to know! Tag me @wellnessbykay on Instagram so I can see and share your recreations.

Love this recipe? Leave a comment and a rating! I love to see and it helps me continue to develop delicious recipes for this blog.