Looking for a little variety with your boring turkey and rice meals? I’ve got 7 variations of ground turkey and rice that are simple enough to make every single day.
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Healthy Ground Turkey Recipes
I’ve been eating ground turkey and rice for dinner the majority of the last two years. So, out of necessity, I decided to get creative.
I started eating ground turkey with rice when I started prepping for my first bikini show. (read what I was eating to lose 20 lbs here) All the meal plans I found online for body builders had the competitors eating it, so I figured, I better get used to it as part of my regular meals! And I actually LOVE it.
Ground turkey is a protein powerhouse! People like it because it’s a lean source of protein. It’s low in fat, has zero carbs, and a high amount of protein. All the recipes below were calculated with the 93% lean ground turkey. It’s only a good substitute for ground beef, if you choose the lean variety.
Rice is a clean source of carbs that people trying to get lean like. It’s gentle on the stomach (almost everyone can digest it and very few people have allergies or intolerances to white rice). I like white rice because it turns into energy quickly, and I love to workout. Brown rice is good, but I’d rather get my fiber from veggies than eat brown rice. (read more about rice here)
Ground Turkey Recipes Healthy meal prepping ideas
These dishes are easy to put together throughout the week if you prep your turkey and rice in one sitting!
- Cook all the ground turkey (4 ounces X 7 Meals = 28 ounces ground turkey)
- Cook all the white rice (1/2 cup cooked X 7 meals =3 1/2 cups cooked, so use 1 1/2 cups dry)
Each prep container should have 3 ounces cooked ground turkey with 1/2 cup white rice. Throughout the week, take one prepped dish, add the seasonings or sauce and the veggies! SUPER FAST AND EASY.
(ALL VEGGIES ARE MEASURED BY RAW WEIGHT)
1) BBQ turkey and rice
Turning my turkey and rice into a dish that tasted like BBQ, and to keep it low in calories, I added sugar free BBQ sauce. Sweet Baby Ray’s has one that you can find at most stores, and G Hughes also has a good one. Both are delicious!
All you need to do is to add the BBQ sauce while you’re cooking the turkey, or after to flavor it.
- 4 ounces ground turkey
- 2 tablespoon sugar free Sweet Baby Ray’s sauce
- 1/2 cup cooked white rice
- 2 cups broccoli
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2) Taco turkey and rice
Taco turkey and rice is easy! I tried some taco sauce (the Taco Bell brand because it was only 15 calories per tablespoon). And then, I just stirred it into the turkey after the ground turkey was cooked.
- 4 ounces ground turkey
- 1//2 cups cooked white rice
- 1 tablespoon light sour cream
- 1 tablespoon Taco Bell mild sauce (15 calories)
- 1 teaspoon Kernel seasonings Nacho cheddar (optional)
- 20 g avocado
- 4 cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup lettuce
3) Fajita ground turkey and rice
There’s a million ways to make healthy turkey and rice taste like fajitas, and that’s with fajita seasonings. I don’t have a brand to recommend, but I’ve even used the seasoning envelopes in my meat while I cooked it on a medium high skillet. This worked out great.
- 4 ounces ground turkey
- 1/2 cup cooked white rice
- 100 g red bell pepper
- 1/4 cup onion
- 25 g avocado
- 1 stalk green onion
- 1 teaspoon fajita seasoning
4) Greek turkey and rice
The Greek style dish is made with feta cheese, red onions, tomatoes, and cucumbers! I like to add an Italian dressing, because it really brings out the flavors in the veggies. I also add the dressing to the turkey AFTER it’s cooked.
- 4 ounces ground turkey
- 1/2 cup cooked white rice
- 2 mini cucumbers
- 1/4 red onion
- 5 cherry tomatoes
- 1/4 cup fat free feta cheese
- 2 tablespoons Olive Garden Light Italian Dressing (the 30 calorie one)
5) Italian turkey and white rice
To make this one Italian style, I used spaghetti sauce. Check your labels! Not all spaghetti sauce is good for you. Find one that is mostly tomatoes, with very little sugar, and you should be able to keep the calories low.
- 4 ounces ground turkey
- 1/2 cup cooked white rice
- 1 ounce spaghetti sauce (Hunts)
- 100 grams summer squash/zucchini
- 1/4 onion
- 3 cherry tomatoes
6) Turkey fried rice
Fried rice is a favorite of mine! Just adding soy sauce and an egg gives it a fried rice flavor. Of course, this one you’ll want to cook altogether in a skillet.
- 4 ounces ground turkey
- 1/2 cup cooked white rice
- 1 egg, whisked
- 1 cup frozen peas, carrots, corn, and beans.
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
7) Stir Fry Asian Turkey and rice
And finally, a Stir-fry copy cat, Asian Turkey and rice. I used bean sprouts, which are SHOCKINGLY low in calories, teriyaki sauce, and veggies! YUM!
- 4 ounces ground turkey
- 1/2 cup cooked rice
- 4 ounces bean sprouts
- 1 medium onion
- 1 large red bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon sugar free teriyaki marinade
Now it’s your turn to try to make a variation of ground turkey and rice! Tag me on instagram if you have some new ideas!
What can I make with ground turkey and rice?
Here’s some of the great ways I like to make my turkey and rice to keep my calories low, maximize weight loss, stay consistent, but also have a little variety at the same time! With these variations, your whole family will love dinner!
Ground Turkey and Rice Recipes FAQs
How much healthier is a turkey burger than beef?
Turkey burgers are healthier than beef burgers in that they contain fewer calories and less fat. The carbs and protein levels of both are similar.
– Turkey Burger Nutrients:A quarter pound (4 ounces) of cooked ground turkey containing both light and dark meat will have 193 calories, 0 carbs, 11g of fat, and 22g of protein.
– Beef Burger Nutrients:A quarter pound (4 ounces) of cooked 90% lean ground beef will have 225 calories, 0 carbs, 12g of fat, and 27g of protein.
What’s better ground chicken or turkey?
– Ground Turkey has fewer calories and less fat, but ground chicken has more protein.
– 4 ounces of cooked ground chicken has 265 calories, 0 carbs, 15g of fat, and 30g protein.
– Based on this information and the turkey information listed in the previous question, turkey is generally considered a more healthy protein option.
How do you cook ground turkey so it is moist?
Watch it closely while cooking. You can also add in broth or a tablespoon of butter.
Other recipe ideas for potential meals
- Ranch Turkey and rice
- Turkey and rice meatballs
- Cheesy turkey and rice
- Teriyaki turkey and rice
- Hawaiian turkey and rice
- Turkey and rice stuffed peppers
Ground Turkey Recipe Ideas
Eat ground turkey and rice, without getting bored. Try these variations for your next week of meals with 7 healthy ground turkey and rice recipes.
5 from 45 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese, Italian, Mexican
Diet: Gluten Free, Low Calorie, Low Fat
Keyword: ground turkey and rice
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Calories: 350cal
Ingredients
BBQ Turkey and Rice
- 4 ounces 93% lean ground turkey
- 1/2 cup cooked white rice
- 2 tablespoon sugar free BBQ Sauce
- 2 cups broccoli
Taco Turkey and Rice
- 4 ounces 93% lean ground turkey
- 1/2 cup cooked white rice
- 1 tablespoon light sour cream
- 1 tablespoon taco sauce
- 1 teaspoon kernel seasonings nacho cheddar
- 20 g avocado
- 4 small cherry tomatoes,
- 1/2 cup lettuce
Fajita Ground Turkey and White Rice
- 4 ounces 93% lean ground turkey
- 1/2 cup cooked white rice
- 100 g red bell pepper
- 1/4 cup onion
- 25 g avocado
- 1 stalk green onion
- 1 teaspoon fajita seasoning
Greek Turkey and Rice
- 4 ounces 93% lean ground turkey
- 1/2 cup cooked white rice
- 2 mini cucumbers
- 1/4 medium red onion
- 5 small cherry tomatoes,
- 1/4 cup fat free feta cheese
- 2 tablespoons Olive garden Light Italian Dressing
Italian Turkey and Rice
- 4 ounces 93% lean ground turkey
- 1/2 cup cooked white rice
- 1 ounce spaghetti sauce
- 100 grams squash, summer and zucchini
- 1/4 medium onion
- 3 small cherry tomatoes,
Turkey Fried Rice
- 4 ounces 93% lean ground turkey
- 1/2 cup cooked white rice
- 1 large Egg
- 1 cup frozen peas, carrots, corn, and bean mix
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
Stiry Fry Asian Turkey and Rice
- 4 ounces 93% lean ground turkey
- 1/2 cup cooked white rice
- 4 ounces bean sprouts
- 1 medium onion
- 1 large red bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon sugar free teriyaki marinade
Instructions
ALL VEGGIES ARE MEASURED BY RAW WEIGHT
For all recipes, cook 28 ounces 93% lean ground turkey and 3 1/2 Cups cooked rice. Portion it into individual containers to eat throughout the week.
For each dish, use about 3 ounces (for the cooked weight) of the cooked ground turkey and add the seasonings or sauces to it.
Cook the veggies in a skillet.
Combine the dish for dinner.
Nutrition
Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 350cal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 15g
Tried this recipe?Mention @healthbeet or tag #healthbeet!
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