Spiced Turkey Rice Bowls (Printer-Friendly)
Aromatic spiced ground turkey over fluffy rice with fresh vegetables and zesty yogurt sauce. A wholesome weeknight dinner.
# What You'll Need:
→ Turkey & Spice Blend
01 - 1 lb ground turkey
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
06 - 1½ tsp ground cumin
07 - 1 tsp ground coriander
08 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
09 - ½ tsp ground cinnamon
10 - ½ tsp red pepper flakes
11 - 1 tbsp tomato paste
12 - 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
13 - Salt and pepper to taste
→ Rice
14 - 1½ cups uncooked jasmine or basmati rice
15 - 3 cups water or broth
16 - ½ tsp salt
→ Vegetable Toppings
17 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
18 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
19 - 1 carrot, julienned
20 - ½ cup red cabbage, shredded
21 - ¼ cup fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
22 - 1 lime, cut into wedges
→ Sauce
23 - ½ cup plain Greek yogurt or non-dairy yogurt
24 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
25 - 1 garlic clove, minced
26 - Salt and pepper to taste
# How to Make It:
01 - Rinse rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Combine rice, water or broth, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest, still covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff gently with a fork before serving.
02 - In a small mixing bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt or non-dairy alternative, lemon juice, minced garlic, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Stir until smooth and refrigerate until ready to serve.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté until translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and grated ginger, cooking for an additional minute until fragrant. Add ground turkey, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, and cook until no longer pink, about 5 to 6 minutes. Sprinkle in cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, cinnamon, and red pepper flakes, stirring thoroughly to coat the meat evenly. Add tomato paste and soy sauce, mixing well to incorporate. Continue cooking for 2 to 3 more minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
04 - Halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber, julienne the carrot, shred the red cabbage, and chop the fresh cilantro or parsley. Cut the lime into wedges. Arrange all toppings in separate bowls or sections of a cutting board for easy assembly.
05 - Divide the fluffy rice evenly among four serving bowls. Spoon the spiced turkey mixture generously over each bed of rice. Arrange the prepared vegetables and fresh herbs artfully around the bowl. Tuck a lime wedge into each serving and drizzle with the yogurt sauce just before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The warm spice blend transforms plain ground turkey into something that tastes like it took three hours, not twenty five minutes.
- It is endlessly adaptable so whatever vegetables are hanging around your crisper drawer will work beautifully on top.
02 -
- Do not stir the spices into the turkey too early or they will burn and turn bitter before the meat finishes cooking.
- Letting the rice rest covered off the heat for five full minutes makes the difference between sticky and fluffy.
03 -
- Bloom the spices in the oil for thirty seconds before adding the turkey and you will unlock a depth of flavor that tossing them in later simply cannot match.
- Use day old rice if you have it because slightly drier grains hold up better under the saucy turkey and vegetables.