This Korean Ground Turkey recipe is a fast, healthy, and convenient family weeknight dinner. With no prepping this meal comes together in only 20 minutes! Great served along with steamed vegetables, this is a meal you will come back to time and time again!
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So this recipe is a total cheater recipe, it is many times removed from the original Korean Beef that it is based after, so before anyone calls me out on it not be authentic I 100% realize this. I was most interested in coming up with a cheap, healthy, and fast version of this beloved dish that anyone can make. Korean Ground Turkey & Rice Bowls are so incredibly easy, it is a recipe that literally anyone could make and it is done fast, like dinner on the table in 20 minutes fast.
So why’d I do all these switches:
• I wanted to ditch the red meat and go with a leaner white meat option.
• Ground turkey where I live & shop (costal New Hampshire Market Basket’s) is way cheaper then ground beef. This might not be the case for everyone everywhere but I have come accustomed to grabbing for the ground turkey instead of beef.
• You can use very low fat ground turkey and it will still taste amazing, a lot of times ground turkey can be a little tasteless, not in this recipe the sauce adds so much flavor, to quote my husband, ‘I didn’t know you could make ground turkey taste this good’.
• I tried to keep the sauce simple but I did change out the traditional brown sugar for honey. I try to keep my family away from refined sugars and try to stick with natural sweeteners if necessary. In this recipe my husband actually preferred the honey flavor over the brown sugar flavor!
Overall I hope you enjoy these Korean Ground Turkey & Rice Bowls for a super quick weekday dinner or lunch!
How do I make Korean Ground Turkey?
With essentially no prep this meal comes together incredibly easy!
To start you will want to get your rice cooking, depending on your method or package instructions this will likely take longer than then it takes to cook the turkey, so get it started first. Follow the package instructions or hop over to my post about How to Cook Rice on the Stovetop for an easy method!
To get the turkey going you will heat a large skillet over medium heat. Crumble and brown the ground turkey 8-10 minutes until fully cooked. Drain out grease if needed.
While turkey is cooking, make the sauce. Add garlic, honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, red pepper flakes, and black pepper to a bowl. Mix together.
Once turkey is fully cooked add the sauce to the skillet. Cook 3-4 minutes until the sauce thickens/absorbs into the turkey.
To serve fluff and scoop rice into bowls. Divide the turkey over the rice and garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.
Serve immediately and enjoy! Goes great with steamed broccoli or carrots.
TIPS & TRICKS:
• For the rice: use whatever rice (or grain) you prefer. In my opinion white rice tastes best but might not be the best option for you, choose brown rice or even cauliflower rice for a healthier option.
• This dish goes great with some steamed broccoli
• Remember to start your rice cooking before you start on the ground Turkey, it takes longer 🙂
• I have gotten a lot of feedback that people love to double the sauce, so by all means double the sauce!
Korean Ground Turkey & Rice Bowls

flavorful Korean style ground turkey served over steaming rice and garnished with green onions & sesame seeds
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 2 cups uncooked rice (white or brown)
- 4 cloves garlic, grated or minced
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- green onion & sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Cook rice according to package directions.
- In a large skillet, over medium heat brown the ground turkey 8-10 minutes until fully cooked.
- While turkey is cooking, make the sauce. Add garlic, honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, red pepper flakes, and black pepper to a bowl. Mix together.
- Once turkey is fully cooked add the sauce to the skillet. Cook 3-4 minutes until the sauce thickens/absorbs into the turkey.
- Serve the turkey over the rice. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Amount Per Serving: Calories: 617.14Total Fat: 11.64gSaturated Fat: 2.79gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 120mgSodium: 943.64mgCarbohydrates: 96.83gFiber: 0.32gSugar: 17.51gProtein: 30.33g
Nutritional data is automated, final nutritional information will depend on ingredients used and any changes made.
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Peace & Love
Lauren, The Schmidty Wife
(post updated 04/30/2019 to include additional information)
P.S. Looking for other quick dinners? Try my 20 Minute Chicken Stir Fry, One Pot Southwest Quinoa or my Thai Peanut Chicken & Veggie Bowls.
I loved this recipe! I used fresh ginger instead, and added chopped up kale at the end, and served it with cabbage slaw with rice – like bibimbap! Thank you!
I am so happy you enjoy this recipe Denise! I love the changes you made, sounds absolutely delicious!
Tried this & it was delicious! Loved the kick from the red pepper flakes & ginger! This was so easy and I had all of the ingredients! My family loved it we will definitely make this again!
I love that you enjoyed it!! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
Wow this was an easy and flavorful recipe! The only change I made was to use brown sugar instead of honey because it’s what I had on hand. Served over cauliflower rice with broccoli. I will be making this again and again!
So glad you enjoyed it Tiffany! Love the idea of the cauliflower rice substitute!
This is an awesome recipe that makes a quick and tasty meal. I add vegetables to the ground turkey to bulk it up. My family loves it. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much Kevin!
I’m confused. What’s Korean about this? No black bean sauce, no kimchi, no spicy chili, no gochujang…
We made this tonight and it was quick and easy! Served it over cauliflower rice and may add snap peas and red bell pepper next time or have broccoli as a side dish. Tasty! Thanks!
So glad you enjoyed it Tara!
Yum! I served it with baby bok choy and made it with brown rice.
Fast and healthy. Thank you. This is a keeper.
Made this today and it was great – super easy and tasty. Passed the husband test.
So good I’m in love with this recipe!! So making it again!!!
So happy you enjoyed it Katie!
Ok I NEVER comment on recipes but this one was so good! All of my three picky kids liked it, and that very rarely happens. It was so easy to make and delicious! A great way to switch up cooking with ground turkey.
You just made my day Candice! I am so happy everyone enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment.
This was absolutely delicious and easy!
Delicious recipe with the perfect amount of spice!!