Meal Prepping With Ground Turkey (Meal Prep Bowls)
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Meal prepping with ground turkey is a game changer! It is lean, versatile, and incredibly easy to cook with.
These Ground Turkey Meal Prep Bowls are a balanced and easy-to-make delicious meal that’s perfect for staying on track with your nutrition goals throughout the entire week.
This ground turkey meal prep recipe leverages the lean protein of ground turkey, the fiber-rich goodness of chickpeas and vegetables, and the sustaining energy from white rice. Easy to prep and packed with delicious flavor, these meal prep bowls will not only nourish your body, but also simplify your weekly meal plan.
More Meal Prep Ideas: Turkey Meatball Meal Prep, Meal Preps To Lose Weight, and High Protein Meal Prep Ideas
What You’ll Love About This Recipe
Recipe Ingredients
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this Ground Turkey Meal Prep Recipe:
Ingredient Notes
Ground turkey – I recommend using 93% lean ground turkey.
Rice: I opted for jasmine rice but feel free to use any variety of medium-grain or long-grain white rice – they would all pair nicely in this dish.
How to make Ground Turkey Meal Prep: Step by Step
Here are quick visual instructions. Be sure to check out the full instructions with exact ingredients in the printable recipe card below.
Step 1: In a large skillet pan or Dutch Oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. When hot, add ground turkey. Using a wooden spoon, break apart the meat into small pieces as it cooks. Cook the meat for 7 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
Step 2: Add diced bell peppers, onions, garlic powder, red pepper flakes to the skillet. Sauté for 7 minutes or until vegetables have softened.
Step 3: Add diced tomatoes and chickpeas. Continue cooking for 5 minutes.
Step 4: Add spinach and let it wilt for 2-3 minutes. Let the entire mixture of flavors come together.
How To Meal Prep
- Depending on the size of your containers, you will add ¼-½ cup cooked rice to each container.
- Divide the ground turkey veggie mixture evenly between the containers.
I order all of my meal prep containers from Amazon!! These glass containers are my favorite! These reusable plastic containers are a great option as well.
Check out my full guide on Meal Prep For Weight Loss.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
Cooking the Rice: To save time, you can cook the rice in advance or even use pre-cooked rice. If you’re cooking the rice while preparing the dish, start it before you begin with the turkey to ensure everything is ready at the same time.
Spices: Adjust the amount of garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and hot sauce according to your taste. If you like it spicier, feel free to add some chili powder.
Storage, Freezing, & Reheating
Storage: These Ground Turkey Meal Prep Bowls can be stored in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for up to 4-5 days.
To Freeze:
- Allow the cooked ground turkey mixture and rice to cool completely before portioning into freezer-safe containers or bags. Don’t add the fresh spinach at this point, as it doesn’t freeze well and can become soggy when defrosted.
- Seal the containers, making sure to remove as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn.
- Label the containers with the date, so you can make sure to use them within 2-3 months for the best quality.
Reheating: When you’re ready to enjoy your meal prep bowls, you can reheat it in the microwave. Start by microwaving it for 1 minute, then stir everything together. Continue heating in 30-second increments until heated through.
Additions, Substitutions, and Variations
SUBSTITUTIONS
Protein Swap: If you’re not a fan of turkey, you could substitute ground chicken, ground beef, or even tofu for a vegetarian version.
Rice Alternatives: Swap the white rice for brown rice, quinoa, or farro for a whole grain option. Or use cauliflower rice for a low-carb variation.
Spinach Substitute: You can replace the spinach with other leafy greens like kale, collard greens, or Swiss chard.
ADDITIONS
Additional Vegetables: You can bulk up the dish with other vegetables like green beans, zucchini, carrots, broccoli, or peas for added color and nutritional value.
Extra Protein: Add a bit of feta cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, or a boiled egg on top for extra protein.
VARIATIONS
Italian Style: Use Italian seasoning instead of red pepper flakes, swap the rice for pasta, and add some parmesan on top for an Italian spin on the dish.
Mexican Style: Add some taco seasoning to the turkey and replace the chickpeas with black beans. You can also add some corn and top with avocado, salsa, and/or sour cream for a Mexican-style bowl.
Asian Style: Use ground pork instead of turkey, swap the hot sauce for some soy sauce and sesame oil, and add a bit of ginger and green onions for an Asian-inspired version
Adjust to Meet Your Macro Needs
To customize the Ground Turkey Meal Prep Bowls recipe to meet your specific macro needs, follow these steps:
Need help figuring out your macro goals? Check out my macro guide or my Custom Macro Plans.
- Adjust protein portion: If you need more protein, increase the amount of ground turkey used in the recipe. Conversely, if you require less protein, reduce the quantity and compensate with other macro sources.
- Modify carbohydrate portion: To increase carbs, add more rice or include additional carb-rich ingredients like quinoa or sweet potatoes. For fewer carbs, reduce the rice or substitute it with low carb options like cauliflower rice or steamed vegetables.
- Adjust fat content: Customize the fat content based on your needs. If you need more healthy fats, you can drizzle some olive oil over the cooked ingredients or add avocado slices. If you would like to reduce the fat, minimize or omit the olive oil or choose a leaner cut of ground turkey.
- Add more fiber: To boost the fiber content in these bowls you can increase the vegetable quantity, swap white rice for brown rice, or add additional legumes like black beans. Sprinkle the bowls with fiber-rich seeds such as chia or flaxseeds before serving for an extra fiber boost and satisfying crunch.
Frequently Asked Questions
My Favorite
Healthy Ground Turkey Recipes
Meal Prepping With Ground Turkey (Meal Prep Bowls)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil can sub for avocado oil
- 1 pound ground turkey
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
- 1 red bell pepper seeds and stem removed, diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper seeds and stem removed, diced
- 1 white or yellow onion diced
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 can diced tomatoes with juices
- 1 can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1-2 tablespoons hot sauce
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 2 cups cooked white rice for serving
Instructions
- Cook the rice according to package instructions. Set aside.
- In a large skillet pan or Dutch Oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. When hot, add ground turkey. Break apart the meat into small pieces as it cooks. Cook the meat for 7 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Add diced bell peppers, onions, garlic powder, red pepper flakes to the skillet. Saute for 7 minutes or until vegetables have softened.
- Add diced tomatoes and chickpeas. Continue cooking for 5 minutes.
- Add spinach and let it wilt for 2-3 minutes. Let the entire mixture of flavors come together.
- How to Meal Prep it: Depending on the size of your containers, you will add ¼-½ cup cooked rice to each container. Add the ground turkey veggie mixture evenly between the containers.