Ground turkey stir fry is a quick and flavorful dinner that is perfect for busy weeknights. This easy recipe features ground turkey cooked with a shredded cabbage mix and a simple homemade stir fry sauce. It is a lighter twist on an Asian-inspired favorite with plenty of flavor.
What's great about this recipe
- Minimal prep required - With prepackaged coleslaw mix and a quick homemade sauce, this recipe is easy to pull together on a busy night.
- Budget-friendly - It uses affordable ingredients and pantry staples without sacrificing flavor.
- Great for meal prep - Leftovers store and reheat well for easy lunches or dinners later in the week.
Ingredients you'll need
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- Turkey - Use lean ground turkey, but not turkey breast. Choose 93/7 (93% lean and 7% fat) to keep the fat content down without sacrificing flavor. If you prefer, 85/15 works well too.
- Pantry - Basic pantry staples like cornstarch, brown sugar, and a neutral oil with a high smoke point (such as canola, vegetable, or avocado oil) are all you need for this stir fry.
- Condiments and spices - Soy sauce (we recommend reduced-sodium), hoisin sauce, garlic, ginger powder, salt, and crushed red pepper bring loads of flavor to this dish.
- Vegetables - We use a prepackaged coleslaw mix for this recipe. It typically includes shredded green cabbage, a bit of red cabbage, and carrots for color and texture. You'll find it in the supermarket refrigerated section near the prepackaged lettuce mixes. Sliced green onions add extra flavor and make a great garnish.
- See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.
How to make ground turkey stir fry
- Mix the cornstarch and water in a jar or medium bowl. Stir with a fork or small whisk until the cornstarch dissolves completely.
- Add the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and crushed red pepper (if using) to the jar or bowl. Stir the sauce vigorously until fully combined.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the turkey, cook for 6-7 minutes, stir occasionally and break it up, until it is browned and the liquid cooks out.
- Add the cabbage to the skillet with the cooked turkey.
- Stir-fry the turkey and cabbage together, cooking the turkey further and softening the cabbage.
- Pour in the stir fry sauce and stir to combine. Cover, cook for 5 minutes to let the flavors meld together. Stir occasionally.
Add the green onions and serve with white rice or noodles, if desired.
Recipe tips and notes
If you're serving this dish with rice or noodles, have them almost ready before you start cooking because this recipe comes together quickly.
If the sauce sits for a few minutes, give it a good stir before adding it to the skillet because the cornstarch will settle on the bottom.
Add just a little salt while browning the turkey. The sauce already contains a good amount, so you may not need much more.
Have everything prepped and ready before you start cooking since things move quickly.
Substitutions and variations
- A bagged coleslaw mix keeps prep easy, but broccoli slaw works well too. If you want to shred your own, use green cabbage sliced very thin and add a little red cabbage and carrot if desired.
- You can swap the hoisin sauce for oyster sauce if you want a different flavor, or add a splash of rice vinegar for a little extra tang. Adjust the brown sugar to taste.
- Leave out the crushed red pepper for a milder version, or add more red pepper flakes, sriracha, or chili paste for extra heat.
Storing and reheating
Let leftovers cool, then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
To freeze, place cooled leftovers in a freezer-safe container, leaving a little room for expansion, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheat leftovers in a nonstick skillet over medium to medium-low heat with 1-2 tablespoons of broth or water, cover, and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until heated through. To microwave, place the desired portion in a microwave-safe dish, cover loosely with a damp paper towel, and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until hot and steaming.
For food safety, do not leave cooked food out for longer than two hours, or for more than one hour if the temperature is above 90°F. Reheat leftovers to an internal temperature of at least 165°F. For more information on food storage and safety guidelines, visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture or foodsafety.gov.
If you liked this recipe, try our beef and vegetable stir fry or beef and broccoli for more easy homemade takeout favorites. House special fried rice is also a great option when you want to make it a full takeout-style meal.
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📖 Recipe
Ground Turkey Stir Fry
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Water
- 1 tablespoon Corn Starch
- ¼ cup Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce
- 2 tablespoons Hoisin Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Brown Sugar
- 2 Large Garlic Cloves grated or finely minced
- 1 teaspoon Ginger Powder use fresh if you have it on hand (grated or minced)
- Pinch of Crushed Red Pepper or to taste - leave it out if you don't like spicy
- 1½ tablespoons Oil use a neutral (flavorless) oil with a high smoke point (canola oil, avocado oil, vegetable oil, etc.)
- 1 pound Ground Turkey use lean but not turkey breast (93/7 or 85/15 work well)
- 1 teaspoon Salt we use kosher salt
- 12 ounces Shredded Cabbage Mix about 6 cups packed down lightly (we use a prepackaged cole slaw mix that contains shredded green cabbage, red cabbage and carrots)
- 2-3 tablespoons Green Onions sliced - plus extra for garnish, if desired
Instructions
- Add the water and cornstarch to a jar or medium bowl. Use a fork or small whisk to stir the mixture until the cornstarch dissolves.
- Add the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and crushed red pepper (if using). Stir vigorously until well combined. Stir the sauce again just before using.
- Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the ground turkey to the skillet, breaking it up slightly and spreading it into a single layer. Cook for 2 minutes without stirring.
- Stir the turkey while breaking it up further, then spread it into a single layer again. Cook for another 2 minutes.
- Continue stirring and breaking up the turkey, cooking for 2-3 more minutes until it is browned and the liquid has evaporated. Stir frequently to prevent clumping.
- Add the shredded cabbage mix to the skillet. Stir well to combine and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Lower the heat to medium-low. Add the stir fry sauce and stir well to coat the turkey and cabbage evenly.
- Cover the skillet and cook for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the sliced green onions and serve with white rice or noodles, if desired.
Notes
- This dish cooks quickly, so if you're serving it with rice or noodles, have them nearly ready before you start cooking.
- Cornstarch settles at the bottom if the sauce sits. Stir it well before adding it to the skillet to ensure it's fully incorporated.
- Add just a little salt while browning the turkey. The stir fry sauce contains enough salt to season the dish, and you can always adjust at the end.
- This recipe comes together fast, so make sure all your ingredients are measured and ready to go before you start cooking.
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Nutrition
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
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