45 best ground turkey recipes

Step by Step

Step 1

On medium heat, preheat large ceramic non-stick skillet and swirl oil to coat. Add onion, cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 2

Add ground turkey and cook for 5-7 minutes, constantly breaking into pieces and stirring.

Step 3

Add zucchini, stir and cook for another 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 4

Turn off heat, add tomatoes and pesto, then stir.

Step 5

Garnish with Parmesan cheese and serve on its own or over greens for a low carb meal, or with Instant Pot brown rice or Instant Pot quinoa for complete with complex carbs meal.

Tips and Warnings

Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Do not freeze as zucchini do not freeze well. If this recipe is too much, cut it in half.
Reheat: Reheat on a skillet with a splash of water while covered. Simmer on low, check and stir every 3 minutes until warmed through.
Tomatoes: Regular tomatoes will work too, they just break down more.
Parmesan cheese: Freshly grated Parmesan adds more flavor.
Onion: Replace with about 1 tbsp of onion powder or flakes.
This recipe makes a lot: And since you can’t freeze leftovers, if you are cooking for 2 people, cut recipe in half.
Make sure you have proper cooking vessel: I use 14″ Green Pan, this 12 ” skillet might work too because it seems deeper. A Dutch oven would be great!
Stop cooking zucchini before they look ready: Zucchini contains 90% if not more water, to avoid mushy veggies, do not overcook. Stop cooking while squash still looks firm and crisp, it will get there with residual heat.
Other cheeses zucchini skillet: Instead of Parmesan cheese you can add slices of fresh mozzarella cheese and let them melt under the lid. Or even crumbled feta cheese or regular cheese.
Ground meat: Ground chicken, beef, venison or lamb will work as well.