Ground Turkey Rice Bowls

Hey everyone! It’s Hane the Dietitian here, and I’m all about making healthy eating simple. For those who appreciate nutritious and satisfying meals, like a healthy superfood shepherd’s pie recipe, today, I’m excited to share my go-to recipe for ground turkey rice bowls.

Why These Bowls Are Great

If you’re looking for a meal that really fills you up but also keeps things balanced and nutritious, these ground turkey rice bowls are a fantastic choice. They’re substantial without feeling heavy.

One of my favorite things about this recipe is how easy it is to prep ahead. You can cook the ground turkey and rice in advance. This makes throwing dinner together on a busy weeknight a breeze, saving you so much time.

Making a big batch of both the rice and turkey at home is usually much cheaper than buying a similar meal out. Plus, you get to control the ingredients! You can make enough for dinner and have leftovers for lunch the next day, or even a few days later, similar to preparing an easy one-pan ground beef and rice meal.

Cooking at home also lets you tailor your portions. I like to aim for about a quarter of the plate for rice, a good quarter for protein, and then really load up the other half with veggies. It makes for a truly satisfying and healthy meal.

Ingredients

For the Tomato Rice

• four large tomatoes (on the vine)
• olive oil
• salt
• pepper
• frozen crushed garlic cubes: four cubes
• brown jasmine rice: two cups
• water: three cups

For the Ground Turkey

• olive oil
• diced onions: 10 ounce (about one onion)
• crushed garlic: eight cubes
• all natural fresh ground turkey: three and a half pounds
• organic no salt seasoning
• everything seasoning
• garlic powder
• chopped onions (flakes)
• smoked paprika
• salt
• black pepper

For the Seasoned Chickpeas

• can of chickpeas
• olive oil
• lemon juice: juice of about half a lemon
• salt
• black pepper

For Assembling and Toppings

• shredded lettuce (pre shredded iceberg lettuce)
• tziki (vegan one for myself as a lactose free option)

How to Make Them

1. Let’s get the tomato rice going.
2. Dice four large tomatoes pretty small. Make sure to catch all that juice – it adds so much flavor!
3. Heat some olive oil in a pot.
4. Add the diced tomatoes to the hot oil. Let them cook down a bit, almost forming a quick sauce.
5. Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper.
6. Give that a good stir.
7. Toss in four cubes of frozen crushed garlic. Let them melt into the tomatoes.
8. Now, add two cups of brown jasmine rice to the pot with the tomatoes.
9. Stir it all together and cook for about one to two minutes. This helps the rice soak up some of that lovely tomato flavor.
10. Pour in three cups of water.
11. Give it a final stir.
12. Cover with a lid and cook the rice according to the package directions.
13. Next up, the ground turkey.
14. Start with a little olive oil in a hot pan.
15. Add 10 ounces of diced onions (that’s about one medium onion) and cook for one to two minutes until they start to soften and turn a bit see-through.
16. Add eight cubes of crushed garlic. Stir and cook for another one to two minutes.
17. Now, add three and a half pounds of fresh ground turkey.
18. Time for seasonings! Sprinkle in organic no-salt seasoning, everything seasoning, garlic powder, chopped onion flakes, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.
19. Break up the turkey with your spoon and mix all those spices in really well.
20. Cook until the turkey is no longer pink and all the juices have cooked away, much like when you prepare a quick homemade hamburger helper.
21. For the seasoned chickpeas, grab a can of chickpeas.
22. Pour them into a strainer and rinse them thoroughly under cold water until no more bubbles appear. This helps get rid of that canning liquid.
23. Once rinsed and drained, put the chickpeas in a bowl.
24. Drizzle with some olive oil, squeeze in the juice from about half a lemon, and season with salt and black pepper. Stir to coat.
25. Ready to build your bowl? Here’s how I like to do it:
26. Spoon a good base of that tomato rice into the bottom of your bowl.
27. Add a generous helping of the ground turkey on top of the rice.
28. Next, pile on the seasoned chickpeas.
29. Add a handful of shredded lettuce.
30. Finish with a dollop of tzatziki. (I use a vegan one since I’m lactose-free!)
31. Give it a mix and enjoy!

My Best Cooking Tips

A little tip for the rice: If your tomatoes are really juicy, you might want to hold back a little on the water. I once added an extra half cup and it made the rice a bit too mushy. Three cups of water for two cups of rice usually works well, but trust your gut if your tomatoes are super wet.

Cooking rice ahead of time and chilling it can actually help lower its glycemic index.

Ground turkey can sometimes be a bit mild in flavor, so don’t be shy with the seasonings to achieve a rich taste, similar to enhancing a flavorful creamy beef pasta dinner.

When using smoked paprika, I tend to go a bit lighter. Too much can make everything taste only like paprika.

I always try to keep the sodium low where I can, so adjust salt to your preference.

Breaking up ground meat and making sure all those spices get mixed in evenly can be a bit of an arm workout. Take your time with it!

If you have a larger pan, it really helps when cooking ground turkey. More surface area means it browns more evenly.

For the chickpeas, rinsing them really well until you see no more bubbles is key to washing away that canning liquid.

I like my chickpeas pretty lemony, but feel free to add more or less lemon juice to your liking.

Don’t forget that little bit of olive oil and seasoning at the bottom of the chickpea bowl – pour that into your rice bowl for extra flavor!

I put a good amount of tzatziki on mine! I use a vegan version because it helps me avoid some of the bloating that can come with regular dairy.

Honestly, if you’ve prepped the rice and turkey ahead, assembling these bowls on a weeknight is seriously so quick and easy.

Ideas for Customizing Your Bowl

The great thing about these bowls is how flexible they are! You can swap out ingredients to suit your taste or what you have on hand.

For the rice, you don’t have to stick to tomato rice. Plain rice, a multi-grain blend, or even a mix with quinoa or cauliflower rice would all work. It’s a fun way to change up the texture and nutrients.

Not a fan of ground turkey? No problem! Chicken or even fish, such as an easy baked salmon with garlic lemon glaze, would be great protein options here.

And of course, feel free to add or change up the veggies. I always try to include some kind of leafy green, like the shredded lettuce. It really makes it feel like a hearty rice salad!

Thanks for checking out this recipe! I hope it gives you some good ideas for making healthy and delicious rice bowls at home. Have a wonderful day!