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Ground turkey shows up where you least expect it, in the Best Turkey Tacos you’ve ever had. This recipe has a few tricks up its sleeve to make sure every bite is juicy and perfectly seasoned. Coming to tortillas near you in about 15 minutes.
Authentic? Absolutely not! Ground meat tacos in Mexico are pretty scarce as it is, and ground turkey tacos? Forget about it. It’s not a thing there. But just because something is inauthentic doesn’t mean it is BAD. These are absolutely delicious and have amazing flavor.
Ground turkey is a great alternative to ground beef if you don’t eat red meat or just want something a little lighter (but it still has a lot of protein which we love!). Taco recipes in general are great for meal prep because the meat can be used for salads, bowls, and wraps in addition to tacos.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Taco seasoning: Ingredients for homemade taco seasoning are right in the recipe card in the amount you need. Or, substitute one packet of store-bought taco seasoning.
- Ground turkey: Look for 93% lean ground turkey. If you get the 99% fat-free ground turkey breast, your meat is going to be dry.
- Brown sugar: Leave this out if it sounds weird to you.
Step-by-step instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together chili powder, cumin, paprika, coriander, cayenne pepper, and salt to taste (I like ½ teaspoon), Whisk in cornstarch if desired. (Or, substitute one packet store-bought taco seasoning).
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in taco seasoning, garlic, and oregano until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add ground turkey and cook, breaking up clumps with a wooden spoon, until almost cooked through but still slightly pink, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in tomato sauce, vinegar, and brown sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 4 minutes. Season to taste with kosher salt and pepper.
- Serve the meat hot with the tortillas and all your favorite taco toppings like lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, cheese, and diced avocado.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes about 4 cups (1 quart) of delicious Turkey Taco meat. That’s enough for 4 servings, 1 cup of meat each, enough to make 3 or 4 tacos per person.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Cool the cooked meat, then transfer it to a freezer-safe bag and press flat to gently squeeze out the air from the bag as it seals. Label, date, and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator (never at room temperature). Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- Slow cooker: Sauté the onions in a skillet on the stove. Add the taco seasoning, garlic, and dried oregano. Add the ground turkey and cook until almost done. Transfer the turkey to the slow cooker and add the sauce, brown sugar, cider vinegar, and tomato sauce. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2-3 hours or on LOW for 6-7 hours.
- Dried spices: Cooking out of the pantry? Substitute ½ teaspoon garlic powder and 1 tablespoon onion powder or 3 tablespoons dried onion flakes for the fresh garlic and onion.
- Taco toppings: Load it all up! Try lettuce, tomato, avocado (or avocado sauce), guacamole, shredded cheese, sour cream, black olives, minced white onion, cilantro, and minced jalapeños.
- Salsa: Try mild tomato salsa, hot salsa, green tomatillo salsa, or corn salsa.
- Crunchy taco shells: Fry corn tortillas until crispy on the stove or in the oven.
- Lettuce wraps: This taco meat is delicious on butter lettuce or romaine leaves.
- Taco salad or bowl: Add the cooked meat to a bowl with chopped lettuce, cooked black beans, tomatoes, scallions, and a creamy cilantro lime dressing. Add cooked brown rice to make a hearty turkey taco bowl.
- Add quinoa: Add cooked quinoa to the mixture to make it more filling or stretch it further.
- More ground turkey recipes: Turkey Meatloaf and Turkey Chili are tasty way to eat more ground turkey, and Turkey Meatballs are one of the most popular recipes on this site.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ground turkey is lower in cholesterol and saturated fat than ground beef, so by that measurement, it’s healthier. Lean beef can be enjoyed in moderation depending on your goals.
There are many recipes where ground turkey is a fantastic, maybe even preferable, substitute for beef. Meatloaf, meatballs, tacos, spaghetti sauce, and chili are some of the best ways. You won’t even miss the beef!
Olive oil and avocado oil are two great fats to consider when cooking with ground turkey.
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The Best Turkey Tacos
Equipment
Ingredients
For the taco seasoning (see note 1):
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- salt
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
For the tacos:
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 pound ground turkey (see note 2)
- 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar (see note 3)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Toppings for serving:
- corn tortillas or flour tortillas
- shredded lettuce
- diced tomatoes
- sour cream
- shredded cheddar cheese
- avocados pitted, peeled, and diced
Instructions
To make the taco seasoning:
- In a small bowl, whisk together chili powder, cumin, paprika, coriander, cayenne pepper, and salt to taste (I like ½ teaspoon), Whisk in cornstarch if desired. (Or, substitute one packet store-bought taco seasoning).
To make the tacos:
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in taco seasoning, garlic, and oregano until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add ground turkey and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost cooked through but still slightly pink, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in tomato sauce, vinegar, and brown sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
To serve:
- Serve the meat hot with the tortillas and all your favorite toppings like lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, cheese, and diced avocado.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Taco seasoning: Ingredients for homemade taco seasoning are right in the recipe card in the amount you need. Or, substitute one packet of store-bought taco seasoning.
- Ground turkey: Look for 93% lean ground turkey. If you get the 99% fat-free ground turkey breast, your meat is going to be dry.
- Brown sugar: Leave this out if it sounds weird to you.
- Yield: This recipe makes about 4 cups (1 quart) of delicious Turkey Taco meat. That’s enough for 4 servings, 1 cup of meat each, enough to make 3 or 4 tacos per person.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
Very good! Just made these for lunch and picky husband loved them!!!
I’m so glad you both loved them, Marianne! Take care! – Meggan
Soooo good!! Followed the recipe to a T – it had just the right amount of heat and the taste was so clean. You can definitely tell the difference between ground meat and processed taco seasoning. This is our new favorite…..I even sent the recipe to my kids.
The only adjustment….I added a little more OO bc the onions were sticking to my cast iron. Thanks for the work to create the perfect recipe!!
You’re so welcome, Megan! Thank you so much for sharing my recipe, I hope your kids love it, too! – Meggan
This recipe is so delicious and easy! I actually substituted the tomato sauce with tomato paste to make the sauce a bit thicker. It is absolutely amazing!
I’m glad you loved it, Hannah! Take care! – Meggan
This changed boring old taco night for us! The addition of onions and tomato sauce to the filling was a hit, however it was really overshadowed by the oven baked flour tortillas. It’s so easy to stuff the tacos with other toppings that way. Kids dug it. Thank you.
You’re so welcome, MK! I’m glad it was a hit! – Meggan
“5 Stars” from this family!
My son and teenage grandson said they were the best they have had and I agree.
Thank you so very much for this 5 star recipe!
You’re so welcome! I’m glad it was a hit. Take care! :) – Meggan
Fantastic recipe! I used the tomato paste option and left out the cayenne pepper & cornstarch. The meat needed no further seasoning! I’ll make a double batch next time to freeze half.
Thank you for your comment, Debbie! I’m so glad you loved it! – Meggan
This takes the typical turkey taco meat to another level! (Typically we just brown the meat & add taco seasoning). Loved the additional flavor added from sautéing onions & garlic beforehand. I did not have tomato sauce on hand, but substituted using some chopped adobo chipotle peppers (canned) and about 1/2cup chicken broth.
(Shout out to the fellow reviewer for that adobo suggestion!)
Served the meat over Insta-pot Mexican Quinoa with some diced sweet potato mixed in. An excellent bowl meal!
I’m watching my cholesterol so I was looking for good turkey tacos.
Wife was not looking forward to turkey tacos. Truth told, I was not expecting much.
I did make two additions. I added 1 finely chopped Chipotle in Adobo, and a couple of shots of Worcestershire Sauce.
These were SO GOOD!! Couple slices of avocado on tortilla and a little fresh cilantro.
If I can get this flavor from Turkey, I’m keeping it.
Thank you so much for this recipe!
You’re welcome, Joe! Thank you, too! Take care – Meggan
Love the flavors of this dish so much! We eat this on a bed of quinoa, which also has a ton of sauteed onion and garlick in it.
Sounds absolutely delicious, Deena! – Meggan