Description
A quick, family-friendly dinner featuring juicy ground turkey coated in a sweet-salty soy glaze with ginger, garlic, and sesame oil. Perfect for busy weeknights and customizable with your favorite veggies or proteins.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb ground turkey (93% lean recommended)
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil (canola, grapeseed, or avocado oil)
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced (reserve some for garnish)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely grated (or 1 teaspoon ground ginger)
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1–2 teaspoons sriracha or chili garlic sauce (optional)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water (slurry for thickening)
- Sesame seeds (optional, for topping)
- Extra green onion (optional, for topping)
- Thinly sliced red chili or jalapeño (optional, for topping)
Instructions
- Thinly slice green onions, mince garlic, and grate ginger. Reserve some green onions for garnish.
- In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and sriracha (if using). In a separate cup, mix cornstarch with water until smooth. Set both aside.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey and break it up with a spatula. Cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink and starting to brown, about 6-8 minutes. Spoon off excess liquid if needed.
- Stir in garlic, ginger, and most of the green onions. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, lowering heat if necessary to avoid burning.
- Stir the glaze, then pour it over the turkey. Stir well to coat. Let bubble for 1-2 minutes, then add cornstarch slurry. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until sauce thickens and turns glossy, about 2 more minutes. Add a splash of water if too thick.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with extra soy sauce, honey, or sriracha as needed. Add a drizzle more sesame oil for depth if desired.
- Serve hot over rice, in lettuce cups, or with steamed veggies. Garnish with reserved green onion, sesame seeds, and sliced chili if desired.
Notes
For gluten-free, use tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce. Add extra veggies like carrots or bell peppers for more nutrition and color. Ground chicken, pork, or crumbled tofu can be substituted for turkey. Taste and adjust the glaze to your preference. Leftovers keep well and flavors deepen overnight.
- Prep Time: 8 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe (about 4 oz cooked turkey with glaze)
- Calories: 270
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 13
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Carbohydrates: 12
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 22
Keywords: turkey, soy glaze, Asian dinner, easy recipe, family meal, ground turkey, weeknight dinner, healthy, gluten-free option, meal prep