Ground Turkey Rice Bowls (Printable)
Seasoned ground turkey over rice with crisp veggies and creamy sweet-spicy Bang Bang sauce for a quick weeknight dinner.
# What You'll Need:
→ Rice
01 - 1 cup jasmine or basmati rice
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
→ Ground Turkey
04 - 1 pound ground turkey
05 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
08 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
09 - 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
10 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
11 - 1 teaspoon sriracha (optional, for heat)
→ Bang Bang Sauce
12 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
13 - 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
14 - 1 tablespoon sriracha
15 - 1 teaspoon honey
16 - 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
→ Toppings and Vegetables
17 - 1 cup shredded carrots
18 - 1 cup thinly sliced English cucumber
19 - 1/2 cup thinly sliced red cabbage
20 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
21 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
# How-To Steps:
01 - Rinse the rice under cold running water until the runoff turns clear. Combine the rice, water, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Cover with a tight-fitting lid, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let the rice steam, still covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff gently with a fork before serving.
02 - While the rice cooks, heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until softened and translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the ground turkey, breaking it apart with a spatula or wooden spoon, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until evenly browned and no longer pink.
03 - Pour the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, black pepper, and sriracha over the browned turkey. Stir thoroughly to coat every piece and continue cooking for 2 minutes, allowing the sauces to caramelize slightly. Remove the skillet from heat.
04 - In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, honey, and lime juice until completely smooth and well combined. Taste and adjust the spiciness level as desired.
05 - Divide the cooked rice evenly among 4 bowls. Layer each with the seasoned ground turkey, shredded carrots, sliced cucumber, red cabbage, and green onions. Drizzle generously with the Bang Bang sauce and finish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The Bang Bang sauce is the kind of thing you will want to put on everything from roasted vegetables to leftover pizza crusts.
- Everything cooks in under 35 minutes, which means you can have dinner on the table faster than delivery could ever arrive.
- The crunch of fresh vegetables against the savory turkey and that creamy spicy drizzle creates a texture balance that keeps every bite interesting.
02 -
- Do not skip resting the rice with the lid on after cooking because those extra 5 minutes off the heat finish steaming the grains and prevent a gummy texture at the bottom.
- Breaking the ground turkey into smaller, consistent pieces rather than large chunks ensures every bite is evenly seasoned and there are no bland pockets of meat hiding in your bowl.
- The sauce thickens slightly as it sits, so if you are making it ahead, stir in a tiny splash of water or lime juice to loosen it back up before serving.
03 -
- Cook the turkey in a single undisturbed layer for the first two minutes before breaking it apart, because those golden browned bits on the bottom add a depth of flavor you cannot get any other way.
- Toasting the sesame seeds in a dry skillet for about a minute until they turn golden and fragrant takes 60 seconds but makes them taste exponentially more nutty and complex than raw ones straight from the jar.