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5 from 5 votes
Home By Course Main Entrees Proteins

Mexican Ground Turkey Taco Meat (15-minute)

Make this Mexican Ground Turkey Taco Meat any night of the week to build a quick and easy healthy, high protein meal! It's so good to throw into tacos, use for a taco salad, quesadillas, rice bowls, so much. Make a double or triple batch for leftovers (makes life easy!)

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By: Lauren published: Jul. 05, 2022 updated: Sep. 04, 2024 2 Comments

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Ground turkey taco meat in a pot.
Contents hide
About This Recipe
Why You’ll Love This Ground Turkey Taco Meat
Ingredients and Substitutions
Optional Variations and Dietary Adaptations
How to Make Ground Turkey Taco Meat
How To Store & Reheat
FAQ: Ground Turkey Taco Meat
Taco Meat Serving Suggestions
More Easy High Protein Recipes
Mexican Ground Turkey Taco Meat (15-minute)
MyFitnessPal Entry
Did You Make This?

About This Recipe

Three words to sum up ground turkey taco meat: healthy, convenient and DELISH! Ready in just 15 minutes and loved by everyone, it’s truly one of the best emergency dinner meals. Really there’s a reason taco Tuesday comes around every week 😉

This is high protein taco meat recipe can be used many different ways. We love a classic taco station to build ground turkey tacos. But you can also use Mexican ground turkey to build taco salads, burritos, quesadillas, burrito bowls or taquitos, the list goes on!

If you don’t like spicy, don’t worry, it’s really not spicy at all. The spice level all depends on the taco seasoning you use so just use a mild one (or make your own). But if you want it to have more of a kick for real, add some red pepper flakes or drizzle with sriracha!

For more easy protein recipes, check out my Korean ground beef, Greek chicken bites, air fryer grilled chicken nuggets, steak bites, and 15-minute bang bang salmon bites.

Ground turkey taco meat in a bowl.

Why You’ll Love This Ground Turkey Taco Meat

  • Versatile! Use this taco meat for tacos, burritos, enchiladas, taco salads, etc.
  • High in protein making it easy to hit daily protein goals
  • Great to meal prep or prep in bulk
  • Lower in fat and calories than traditional taco meat recipes
  • Can keep all ingredients stocked in pantry and freezer for an easy go-to dinner 

Ingredients and Substitutions

Labeled ingredients for Mexican ground turkey.
  • Ground turkey – I used 93/7. 93% lean is my favorite ground turkey to use since its lower fat than the standard but still has some flavor and you can make it taste really good, which is harder with the 99% lean. But they all work, so take your pick!
  • Tomato paste – Tomato paste is what gives this Mexican ground turkey depth! If you need to replace in a pinch, try tomato sauce.
  • Taco seasoning – you can use store-bought or make your own homemade taco seasoning
  • Brown sugar – The brown sugar gives this healthy taco meat the most delicious subtle sweetness to balance some of the heat from the taco seasoning. It’s my secret ingredient for making this taco meat taste super yummy! We’ll just be using a little bit, but you can also use a sugar substitute, like Truvia brown sugar blend or even coconut sugar.
  • Apple cider vinegar – The vinegar and brown sugar work together to balance out the strong flavors of the taco seasoning. They help give this taco meat a more well rounded flavor profile.

Optional Variations and Dietary Adaptations

  • This taco meat is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free. Just make sure your taco seasoning is gluten-free as this could vary amongst brands. Check here for a list of gluten-free brands (or just make your own taco seasoning at home).
  • Switch out the protein: Instead of ground turkey, you could use ground beef or ground chicken.
  • Lower the fat: 93/7 ground turkey is already lower in fat than regular ground turkey and what I would recommend but if you needed to use 99% lean, I would add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar (or other vinegar) to the skillet when adding the taco seasoning. This will help keep the lean turkey a little more juicy.

How to Make Ground Turkey Taco Meat

The full printable recipe is below, but let me walk you through the process so you know what to expect when you’re making it!

1. Grease a skillet and set to medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey and cook for about 4-5 minutes, breaking into small pieces with a meat chopper or wooden spatula as you go until brown.

2. Add the water, taco seasoning and tomato paste and stir to combine. Reduce heat and simmer for about 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Ground turkey taco meat in a skillet.

3. Stir in brown sugar if using. Let simmer for another minute or two then remove from heat.

4. Use turkey taco meat for tacos, salads, quesadillas, burritos, taquitos, etc!

How To Store & Reheat

  • Store: Store leftover ground turkey taco meat in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
  • To freeze: Alternatively, you can easily freeze this ground turkey to pull out at a later date! To freeze, let turkey cool to room temperature then store in a freezer-safe bag for 2-3 months.
  • To defrost & reheat from frozen: Allow turkey to defrost in the fridge overnight for best results. Then reheat in a skillet or in the microwave like you usually would, until warmed through.
Ground turkey taco meat in a skillet.

FAQ: Ground Turkey Taco Meat

Is ground turkey taco meat healthy?

Ground turkey taco meat is an excellent healthy option. Of course I am a firm believer that everything is ok in moderation (including beef), but on paper ground turkey is a healthier option because it contains less saturated fats and more polyunsaturated fat (the healthy type of fat).

Ground turkey is also packed with good quality protein which is good for your bones and important for maintaining and increasing muscle mass and strength. It’s also beneficial in fat loss. Read more about all the health benefits of protein here.

How is ground turkey taco meat best served?

Tacos are the classic choice, but you can also use this turkey taco meat to build taco salads or burrito bowls. Or stuff it in a tortilla to make burritos, quesadillas or taquitos (just replace the chicken).

Can you make turkey taco meat ahead of time?

For sure! I love to do this to make life easier (I don’t want to be cooking and cleaning late in the day!😆) Prepare the meat when you have time and then just reheat when ready to enjoy. The perfect prep-in-advance meal and great for nights when everyone eats at a different time!

How long does ground turkey taco meat stay fresh for?

Leftover ground turkey stored in an airtight container stays fresh in the fridge for 5 days. It stays fresh in the freezer for 2-3 months.

Taco Meat Serving Suggestions

  • Set up a taco bar with all your favorites! Tortillas (or taco shells), chopped lettuce, fresh tomatoes, shredded cheese, black beans (or refried beans), sour cream (or Greek yogurt), sliced avocados or guacamole!
  • Yellow rice
  • Cilantro lime brown rice
  • Cilantro lime cauliflower rice (low carb, high volume side)
  • 7 layer bean dip (high protein)
  • Rainbow corn salad
  • Cilantro lime sauce – flavor maker!!
  • Pico de gallo – the perfect fresh addition and so easy to make!

More Easy High Protein Recipes

Bang Bang Salmon Bites (Air Fryer) on a plate.

15-Minute Bang Bang Salmon Bites (Air Fryer)

Garlic steak bites in a skillet with a wooden spoon.

12-Minute Easy Garlic Steak Bites (Air Fryer or Skillet)

Salsa verde chicken in a slow cooker.

Crock Pot Salsa Verde Chicken

Air fryer grilled chicken nuggets on a plate.

The Best Air Fryer Grilled Chicken Nuggets (Pickle-Brined)

Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure leave a review, tag me on Instagram or TikTok at @LaurenFitFoodie or hashtag #LaurenFitFoodie so I can see your creations!

Ground turkey taco meat in a pot.
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5 from 5 votes

Mexican Ground Turkey Taco Meat (15-minute)

? Dairy-Free ? Gluten-Free ? High Protein ? Low Carb ? Macro-friendly
Make this Mexican Ground Turkey Taco Meat any night of the week to build a quick and easy healthy, high protein meal! It's so good to throw into tacos, use for a taco salad, quesadillas, rice bowls, so much. Make a double or triple batch for leftovers (makes life easy!)
Yield: 4 servings
Prep: 5 minutes mins
Cook: 10 minutes mins
Total: 15 minutes mins
Calories: 176kcal
Protein: 22.3g
Fat: 8g
Carbs: 3.7g

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. ground turkey 93% lean
  • 1/4 cup water (60g)
  • 3 Tbsp Taco seasoning
  • 2 Tbsp tomato paste (32g)
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • 1-2 tsp apple cider vinegar

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes. Scroll for macros and MyFitnessPal code.

Instructions

  • Grease a skillet and set to medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey and cook for about 4-5 minutes, breaking into small pieces with a meat chopper or wooden spatula as you go until brown.
  • Add the water, taco seasoning and tomato paste; stir. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for another 5 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.
  • Stir in brown sugar and apple cider vinegar (these aren't necessary but they help balance out the strong flavors of the taco seasoning and give this taco meat a more well-rounded flavor profile). Let simmer for another minute or two then remove from heat.
  • Use turkey taco meat for tacos, salads, quesadillas, burritos, taquitos, etc!

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1/4 of turkey (108g), Calories: 176kcal (9%), Carbohydrates: 3.7g (1%), Protein: 22.3g (45%), Fat: 8g (12%), Saturated Fat: 2.5g (16%), Fiber: 0.3g (1%), Sugar: 2.1g (2%)

Nutrition is hand-calculated and accurate. No autocalulations! However, note that values can vary based on the brands you use and if you substitute ingredients.

MyFitnessPal Entry

LFF Mexican Ground Turkey

© Author: Lauren

Ground turkey taco meat in a pot.

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Lauren

Lauren lives with her husband, Simon and two dogs, Finley and Cookie, in the Carolina’s. She has college degrees in Nursing and Exercise Science, is a NASM certified trainer and spent many years as a macro coach before transitioning to full time blogging. She loves staying active, being creative and recreating her favorite comfort food dishes into healthier, lightened up versions. Desserts are her speciality!

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