Fried rice is one of those dinners that never fails in our house. This healthy Ground Turkey Fried Rice uses lean turkey breast mince and a whole head of broccoli, plus carrot, peas and green onion, so there are plenty of vegetables in every bowl. It reheats beautifully too, which makes it perfect for busy weeknights, packed lunches and meal prep. Plus it’s easily made gluten free!
If you’ve made my Veggie Loaded Ground Pork Fried Rice, then you’ll feel right at home with this fried rice with ground turkey. It’s the lighter, leaner version, and the turkey soaks up the tamari and hoisin so well that no one at the table misses the pork. Ground turkey is such an easy weeknight protein, so if you love it as much as we do, you might also like my Lemony Ground Turkey Stuffed Sweet Potatoes or The Best Zucchini Turkey Meatballs.
After more takeout-inspired dinners? Try my Ridiculously Easy Ground Chicken Stir-Fry, Asian Ground Chicken Rice Bowls or 30 Minute Teriyaki Salmon Bowls. And for even more busy-night inspiration, my round up of 30+ Healthy 30-minute Dinner Recipes has you covered.
Everything You Need to Make Ground Turkey Fried Rice
This ground turkey fried rice recipe uses simple ingredients that are easy to find. I’ve listed everything you will need below, including any notes and possible ingredient swaps. You can find the ingredient quantities in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- extra virgin olive oil – olive oil is my go-to oil for cooking. You can also use avocado oil.
- ground turkey – I’ve used turkey breast mince to keep things lean, but ground turkey thigh will give you a slightly juicier result. Ground chicken, ground pork or ground beef all work well too. This is also a great way to use up leftover turkey: shred the cooked meat and add it with the veggies so it just heats through.
- sauces – you will need tamari (or soy sauce), hoisin sauce, fish sauce and sesame oil. The tamari and hoisin get split between seasoning the turkey and the rice, so every part of the dish is full of flavour. I like to use toasted sesame oil for its nutty flavour.
- garlic – you will need 2 cloves garlic, minced. If using jarred minced garlic then use 1 teaspoon per garlic clove.
- vegetables – green onions, carrot, frozen peas and broccoli. Cut the broccoli into very small florets so it cooks at the same time as the carrot. Feel free to swap in corn, diced red capsicum (bell pepper), edamame, shredded cabbage or a bag of frozen mixed veggies.
- jasmine rice – you can cook 1 ⅔ cups of jasmine rice from scratch or use 5 cups of cooked rice. Day-old leftover rice from the fridge is ideal. Brown rice or microwave rice pouches also work.
- eggs – you will need 3 large eggs, whisked. They get scrambled right in the pan with the rice.
To serve
- a handful of fresh cilantro and a lime, cut into wedges. Don’t skip the squeeze of lime, it really brightens everything up!
Optional Extras
These are completely optional but a great way to make this fried rice your own.
- sriracha, chilli crisp or sliced fresh red chilli if you like a bit of spice
- toasted sesame seeds for some crunch
- a teaspoon of freshly grated ginger, added with the garlic
- crushed roasted peanuts or cashews (leave these out to keep it nut free)
Tips for Making the Best Ground Turkey Fried Rice
This ground turkey fried rice is a simple dinner to make, but here are a few of my top tips to make sure it turns out perfectly every time. You can find the full instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- rinse the rice – swishing the rice around in water and draining it a few times removes the excess starch, so the grains stay fluffy and separate instead of clumping together.
- use cold, cooked rice if you can – leftover rice that has been in the fridge is drier, so it fries rather than steams. If you’re cooking the rice fresh, spread it out on a tray for 10 minutes to let some of the steam escape before adding it to the pan.
- use a wok or large skillet – If the pan is too crowded, the rice and veggies will steam and go soggy instead of stir-fry and stay crisp.
- let the turkey brown – get the pan nice and hot over medium-high heat, break the turkey up with a spatula and then let it sit for a minute or two between stirs. Those golden brown bits are pure flavour.
- cut your veggies small – dice the carrot and cut the broccoli into very small florets so everything cooks quickly and evenly, and you get a little bit of everything in each bite.
- don’t overcook the veggies – you want them just tender and the broccoli bright green. They will keep cooking once the rice goes in.
- add the sauces in two stages – seasoning the turkey first and then adding the rest of the sauces with the rice means the whole dish is well seasoned, not just the rice.
- taste before serving – sauces vary in saltiness, so give it a taste and add a splash more tamari or a pinch of salt and pepper if needed.
Storage
This fried rice makes the best leftovers, so I always make the full batch.
- leftover fried rice – let it cool, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet or wok with a splash of water for 3-4 minutes, or in the microwave, until piping hot.
- freezing – portion the cooled fried rice into freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat until piping hot.
- toppings – keep the cilantro and lime wedges separate and add them fresh just before serving.
Ground Turkey Fried Rice Recipe
All the flavour of your favourite takeout in a dinner that’s actually good for you, this Ground Turkey Fried Rice is about to go on repeat. It’s loaded with veggies, packed with protein and comes together in one pan, with fluffy jasmine rice, lean ground turkey and a savoury tamari, hoisin and sesame sauce.
Equipment
- Sharp knife
- Chopping Board
- Wok or large skillet
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Large saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 500 grams turkey breast mince
- 2 tablespoons tamari, or soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 green onions, cut into 1cm pieces
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 head broccoli, cut into very small florets
- 1 2/3 cups jasmine rice, or 5 cups cooked rice
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 3 large eggs, whisked
To serve
- handful cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1 lime, quartered
Instructions
- To cook the rice, add the rice to a pan and top with water. Use your hands to swish the rice around to wash. Strain through a fine mesh sieve and return to the pan. Repeat this process another 2 times. Return the rice to the pan for a final time and top with 2 ¼ cups water. Place onto the stove and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and place the lid on. Continue to summer until most of the water has been absorbed. Turn off the heat and leave the lid on so the rice can continue to steam while you cook the pork and vegetables.
- Bring a large frying pan or wok to a medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add the ground turkey to the pan and use a metal spatula to break up. Once mince is browned, add 1 tablespoon tamari and 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce and stir through.
- To the pan add the garlic and sauté until fragrant. Add the green onions, diced carrot, peas and broccoli and fry until just tender.
- Add the jasmine rice to the pan as well as the remaining tamari, hoisin sauce, fish sauce and sesame oil. Stir through and fry until the rice is heated through.
- Push the fried rice to one side of the pan and add the whisked eggs. When the bottom of the egg starts to set, use the spatula to flip over and cook until the egg is cooked through. Break up the egg and stir through the fried rice. Turn off the heat.
- Divide fried rice between bowls and serve topped with fresh cilantro and a lime wedge.
Notes
Nutrition facts are an estimate only.
Rice: 1 ⅔ cups uncooked jasmine rice makes about 5 cups cooked. If using leftover cooked rice, skip step 1.
Gluten free: if you are gluten intolerant or coeliac, make sure that all of your sauces are gluten free before using them.
Protein swaps: ground chicken, ground pork, ground beef or shredded leftover turkey all work well. Add cooked leftover turkey with the vegetables so it just heats through.
Storage: store leftover fried rice in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat until piping hot before eating.
Nutrition
Calories: 505kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 38gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 216mgSodium: 1184mgPotassium: 1050mgFiber: 8gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 4171IUVitamin C: 159mgCalcium: 160mgIron: 5mg
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