Ground Turkey Rice Bowls (Printable)
Seasoned ground turkey over rice with crisp vegetables and sweet-spicy Bang Bang sauce for a quick weeknight meal.
# 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 lb 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 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 & Vegetables
17 - 1 cup shredded carrots
18 - 1 cup thinly sliced cucumber
19 - 1/2 cup thinly sliced red cabbage
20 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
21 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
# How-To Steps:
01 - Rinse rice under cold running water until the runoff turns clear. Combine rice, water, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a rolling boil. Cover with a tight-fitting lid, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, still covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff grains with a fork before serving.
02 - While the rice cooks, heat 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 ground turkey, breaking it apart with a spatula, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until evenly browned and cooked through.
03 - Pour soy sauce, hoisin sauce, black pepper, and sriracha over the browned turkey. Stir thoroughly to coat every piece and continue cooking for 2 minutes until the sauce caramelizes slightly. Remove the skillet from heat.
04 - In a small mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, honey, and lime juice until completely smooth and well combined. Taste and adjust the heat level by adding more sriracha if desired.
05 - Divide the cooked rice evenly among 4 bowls. Layer each with seasoned ground turkey, shredded carrots, sliced cucumber, red cabbage, and green onions. Drizzle generously with Bang Bang sauce and finish with a sprinkling of sesame seeds.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The bang bang sauce comes together in under a minute and tastes like something from a restaurant, not your own kitchen.
- Ground turkey cooks fast and absorbs the savory hoisin and soy flavors beautifully.
- Everything is customizable so you can use whatever vegetables you have on hand.
02 -
- Do not lift the lid while the rice cooks because escaping steam ruins the texture.
- Break the turkey into small, even pieces so every bite is well seasoned rather than chunky and bland.
- The bang bang sauce thickens as it sits so make it first if you prefer a looser drizzle.
03 -
- Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan for one minute and your entire bowl will taste more complex with zero extra effort.
- Make double the bang bang sauce because you will absolutely want it on sandwiches, roasted vegetables, or just straight from a spoon.