Healthy Ground Turkey Lettuce Bowls (Printable)
Fresh ground turkey with vegetables in crisp lettuce bowls
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 lb lean ground turkey
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 large head Romaine or Butter lettuce, leaves separated and washed
03 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
04 - 1 small carrot, shredded
05 - 1 small red onion, finely chopped
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1/2 cucumber, diced
→ Sauces & Seasonings
08 - 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
09 - 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
10 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
11 - 1 tsp sesame oil
12 - 1/2 tsp chili flakes
13 - Salt and pepper to taste
→ Toppings
14 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
15 - 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
16 - 1 lime, cut into wedges
# How-To Steps:
01 - Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add ground turkey and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 6-7 minutes.
02 - Add the chopped onion, garlic, and bell pepper to the turkey. Continue cooking for 3-4 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
03 - Stir in soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Cook for another 2 minutes to combine flavors.
04 - Remove skillet from heat and mix in shredded carrot and diced cucumber for a fresh crunch.
05 - Arrange lettuce leaves in shallow bowls. Spoon the turkey mixture evenly into the lettuce cups.
06 - Top with fresh cilantro and toasted sesame seeds. Serve with lime wedges on the side.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The contrast between cold crisp lettuce and warm savory turkey is honestly addictive
- Everything cooks in one pan and comes together in under thirty minutes
- You can customize toppings and heat levels to make everyone happy
02 -
- Overcooking the turkey makes it dry and tough so remove it from heat as soon as it is browned through
- Adding the cucumber and carrot after cooking keeps them crunchy which is the whole point of this dish
- Double up on lettuce leaves because some will inevitably tear or be too small to hold much filling
03 -
- Chop all your vegetables before starting cooking because this recipe moves fast once the pan hits the heat
- Pat the lettuce leaves completely dry with paper towels so the sauce clings to the meat instead of running off