Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet

This Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet is the easiest healthy dinner that only has 5 ingredients. Serve over lettuce for weeknight taco bowls!

Tacos and burrito bowls are an underrated weeknight dinner, because they're so delicious and come together in under an hour. From a nutrition perspective, these meals are also naturally balanced with protein, colorful veggies and healthy fats, making them both filling and satisfying.

The only thing easier is a turkey sweet potato skillet, which you can easily turn into taco bowls for dinner. This is a one pan skillet with only 5 ingredients, but you have the option of serving with crunchy romaine lettuce and your favorite salsas, guacamole and sour cream for extra flavor. So simple, yet so good!

Why This Recipe Is Dietitian Approved

1. 5 ingredients. I love a simple recipe that still packs in flavor and nourishment. Dinner doesn't have to be complicated!
2. Budget friendly. There's no fancy ingredients here, just grocery staples like ground meat, sweet potatoes, onion, cheese and seasoning.
3. 30 minutes. You only need around 30 minutes of hands on time, so this one pan skillet is perfect for busy evenings.

Ingredients

Ground turkey. This is our lean protein of choice, but ground chicken or beef also works.

Cheese. I opted for a cheddar, but any shredded cheese will work. I recommend shredding your own, as pre-shredded cheeses don't melt a well.

Onion. Our aromatic ingredient that adds texture and flavor.

Taco seasoning. I use a low-sodium blend for ease, but you can also use your own using the notes in the recipe card.

Sweet potato. A great source of vitamin A, fibre and complex carbs. You can use any potato of choice, but I love the sweetness of a sweet potato paired with the other savory ingredients in this recipe.

The complete ingredient list with measurements can be found in the recipe card below. 

Instructions

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat add ½ tablespoon olive oil. Once hot, add ground turkey. Cook, stirring frequently until no longer pink in colour.

2. Add the turkey to a plate and set aside. To the same skillet, heat remaining ½ tablespoon olive oil. Once hot, add diced onions and sweet potatoes. Season with salt and black pepper. Stir. Cover and reduce heat to low-medium until the sweet potatoes are soft (about 10-15 minutes). You may need to stir periodically to ensure the potatoes are not sticking to the bottom of the skillet. 

3. Once the potatoes are soft and onions fragrant- add the turkey meat back into the skillet along with the package of taco seasoning. Stir well (you may need to add 2 tablespoon of water to ensure all the seasoning is absorbed). 

4. Top with cheese and either cover until cheese is melted or place under the broiler for about 5 minutes until bubbly. Serve over lettuce topped with Greek yogurt, salsa and guacamole.

Substitutions and Variations

This is a simple 5 ingredient skillet, but feel free to make it your own.

• For more vegetables: add shredded zucchini, shredded carrots or chopped kale and spinach into the ground turkey 
• For more protein or fiber: stir in 1 cup of black beans to the skillet once cooked.

Ground turkey can be swapped with any ground meat of choice.

To make your own taco seasoning, combine: 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1.5 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon paprika, ¼ garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, ¼ teaspoon dried oregano 

Equipment

• Skillet

Storage

This is a great recipe for a quick weeknight meal or meal prep friendly recipe, as leftovers can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. 

For longer storage, divide the skillet can be divided into glass containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Alternatively, the skillet can be transferred to a freezer-safe glass or aluminum dish, covered tightly and frozen for up to 3 months. 

To reheat- place in the fridge to thaw overnight before placing in the oven at 325 for about 30 minutes. 

Frequently Asked Questions

More Weeknight Dinner Recipes

Weeknight dinners are all about efficiency, while still tasting yummy and nourishing. Try these next:

• Turkey Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
• One Pan Lazy Enchilada Skillet
• Simple Turkey Burrito Bowl
• Vegetarian Mexican Taco Skillet

📖 Recipe

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4.89 from 9 votes

Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet

This Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet is the easiest healthy dinner that only has 5 ingredients. Serve over lettuce for weeknight taco bowls!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time40 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: one pan

Servings: 5

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• 1 tablespoon olive oil divided
• 1 lb lean ground turkey
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 1 large sweet potato diced small
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 package of low sodium taco seasoning or see below for homemade * ensure the seaosning is gluten free if you are gluten free
• 1.5 cups cheddar cheese shredded

Optional for serving:

• Romaine lettuce finely chopped
• Greek yogurt
• Salsa
• Guacamole or mashed avocado

Instructions

• In a large skillet over medium-high heat add ½ tablespoon olive oil. Once hot, add ground turkey. Cook, stirring frequently until no longer pink in colour.
• Add the turkey to a plate and set aside. To the same skillet, heat remaining ½ tablespoon olive oil. Once hot, add diced onions and sweet potatoes. Season with salt and black pepper. Stir. Cover and reduce heat to low-medium until the sweet potatoes are soft (about 10-15 minutes). You may need to stir periodically to ensure the potatoes are not sticking to the bottom of the skillet.
• Once the potatoes are soft and onions fragrant- add the turkey meat back into the skillet along with the package of taco seasoning. Stir well (you may need to add 2 tablespoon of water to ensure all the seasoning is absorbed).
• Top with cheese and either cover until cheese is melted or place under the broiler for about 5 minutes until bubbly. Serve over lettuce topped with greek yogurt, salsa and guacamole.

Notes

If you are looking for added veggies, shred one zucchini or finely chop a few handfuls of kale and add to the ground turkey meat while cooking.

For added fiber, add 1 cup of black beans into the skillet when the ground meta is added.

For homemade taco seasoning you can use: 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1.5 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon paprika, ¼ garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, ¼ teaspoon dried oregano

*I have included an estimation of the nutrition information for this recipe below. However, always remember a recipe is so much more than just nutritional content and these numbers do not need to dictate your food choices. Please don't forget that both your body and soul need nourishment! The owner of this website is not liable for this estimation.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 332kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 322mg | Potassium: 555mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 10029IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 268mg | Iron: 1mg

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