Juicy Ground Turkey Tacos
These turkey tacos are ready in 20 minutes and made with a homemade spice blend and tomato paste that keeps the meat juicy and full of bold Tex-Mex flavor.
Servings 8 tacos
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, or avocado oil
- 1 pound ground turkey (93% or 85% lean recommended)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ¾ cup water
- 8 flour or corn tortillas
- 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese
- shredded lettuce
- diced tomatoes
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, salt, garlic powder, cumin, onion powder, and black pepper. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey and break it up with a spoon as it cooks. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until the turkey is fully cooked through and no longer pink. Keep cooking until most of the liquid in the pan has evaporated before moving on.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the spice mixture, tomato paste, and water. Stir until the turkey is evenly coated. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and clings to the meat. If the pan looks dry before the sauce thickens, add 1-2 tablespoons of water and keep stirring. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Heat tortillas in a dry skillet for 30 seconds per side, or wrap them in a damp paper towel and microwave for 30-45 seconds.
- Divide the turkey mixture among the tortillas and top with shredded cheese, lettuce, and diced tomatoes. Serve immediately.
Ground turkey can dry out quickly. Cook it just until it’s no longer pink, and all the extra liquid in the pan has evaporated.
Notes
To make it spicy: Add ¼-½ teaspoon of cayenne or chipotle chili powder to the spice blend.
Make it ahead: Cook the taco meat and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water to loosen it back up.
Meat tastes flat? Add a small pinch of salt. With any spiced meat dish, salt is what pulls all the flavors together.
Nutrition
Serving: 1taco | Calories: 230kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g
