Korean-Style Ground Turkey (Printable Version)

Flavorful ground turkey with Korean spices, sesame oil, and soy glaze. Ready in 30 minutes, perfect over rice.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Sauce

01 - 1/4 cup soy sauce, low sodium preferred
02 - 2 teaspoons cornstarch
03 - 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar, packed
04 - 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes

→ Turkey

05 - 2 tablespoons sesame oil
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
08 - 15 ounces ground turkey

→ Finishes and Garnish

09 - 6 tablespoons chives, chopped
10 - 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, cornstarch, brown sugar, and red chili flakes until cornstarch is fully dissolved. Set aside.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add sesame oil. Once hot, add minced garlic and grated ginger, stirring constantly for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
03 - Add ground turkey to the skillet, breaking it apart with a spatula. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until no longer pink and cooked through.
04 - Pour the prepared sauce mixture into the skillet and stir well to coat the turkey. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on high heat, allowing the sauce to thicken and become glossy. Add 1 tablespoon water if sauce becomes too thick.
05 - Stir in chopped chives, reserving some for garnish. Remove from heat.
06 - Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and remaining chives. Serve hot over steamed rice with vegetables of choice.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It tastes restaurant-quality but actually comes together faster than ordering takeout.
  • The spicy-sweet sauce is addictive enough that you'll find yourself eating it straight from the pan when no one's looking.
  • Ground turkey suddenly becomes exciting instead of just a healthy default protein.
02 -
  • If your sauce breaks and separates, it means your cornstarch wasn't fully dissolved at the beginning; next time whisk it longer with a little water before adding the soy sauce.
  • Ground turkey can dry out in a heartbeat if you cook it too long or break it up aggressively, so treat it gently and keep the heat reasonable even though you want everything fast.
03 -
  • Toast your sesame seeds in a dry skillet for about 2 minutes before using them, because that step alone transforms them from okay to incredible.
  • If you want more heat without making it unbearable, add gochujang or gochugaru instead of relying entirely on chili flakes, because Korean heat has layers that regular flakes don't.
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