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These easy-to-make ground turkey tacos come together in just 30 minutes and are seasoned with warm spices like chili powder, cumin, and coriander, plus a touch of tomato sauce for richness. Topped with cool, crisp romaine, juicy tomatoes, scallions, cilantro, shredded cheese and a drizzle of zesty lime crema, they’re a satisfying spin on taco night that could become your new go-to.
Key Ingredients
Here’s what you need to know about the key ingredients in this recipe. The complete list, including quantities, is in the printable recipe card below.
- GROUND TURKEY: We recommend using regular ground turkey, not ground turkey breast because it is too lean and would have a tendency to be dry. You can also use ground chicken or lean ground beef.
- FLOUR TORTILLAS: Choose a brand of soft flour tortillas about six to eight inches in diameter (usually labeled soft taco size). Low-carb versions work fine.
- TOMATOES: Because they’re not quite as juicy as other types of tomatoes and won’t be as likely to make the tortillas soggy, plum/Roma tomatoes are a top choice for making soft tacos.
- MEXICAN-INSPIRED SPICES: Chili powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, and cayenne pepper are all common spices used in Mexican cuisine. Add them separately instead of using a packaged taco seasoning mix so you can control the degree of heat to your taste and cut back on excess sodium.
- CREMA WITH LIME: Like sour cream, Mexican crema can be drizzled on everything from fresh fruit to enchiladas. You can buy ready-made crema at the supermarket, but for this recipe, it’s just as easy to whisk some fresh-squeezed lime juice and grated lime zest into regular sour cream.
Overview
How to Make Ground Turkey Tacos
Planning to make this recipe? Here’s a quick overview of how it’s done. Detailed, step-by-step instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
COOK THE TACO FILLING: Heat some olive oil in a large frying pan, sauté the onion until softened, then add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the ground turkey, season and sauté. Stir in the tomato sauce and Mexican spices. Combine and continue cooking for a few minutes to maximize flavor.
MAKE THE CREMA: Make the crema by combining the sour cream, lime juice, and lime zest in a small bowl.
ASSEMBLE THE TACOS: Layer some lettuce in the center of each tortilla and top with tomatoes and some of the meat. Sprinkle with shredded cheese, chopped scallions, and cilantro. Drizzle each taco with crema and serve.
More Easy Taco Recipes
Soft tacos made with fresh, wholesome ingredients are one of our favorite options for easy weeknight meals. If you’d like a few more recipes to add to your taco lineup, try our Mexican fish tacos made with broiled fish (mahi, snapper, or halibut), and topped with crisp slaw, avocado, and a tangy cilantro-lime dressing. Or, give taco night a twist with Asian-style shrimp tacos – spicy stir-fried shrimp, a fresh slaw, and a drizzle of sriracha mayo.
Ground Turkey Tacos
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb ground turkey, see notes
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, divided
- Cayenne pepper to taste
For the lime crema:
- 1 cup sour cream
- Juice and zest of 1 lime
For the tacos:
- 8 flour tortillas (8-inch)
- 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce, loosely packed
- 2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
- 1 cup finely shredded Mexican cheese blend, or more to taste
- 4 scallions, chopped
- 1 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves, loosely packed
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer.
- Add the ground turkey along with 3/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Sauté until lightly browned, breaking the meat up as much as possible while it cooks.
- Stir in the tomato sauce, chili powder, coriander and 1 teaspoon of the ground cumin. Combine well and continue cooking, for about 3 minutes, stirring often.
- Season to taste with cayenne and adjust the salt and pepper as desired. Reduce the heat to low to keep warm.
- Make the crema by combining the sour cream, lime juice, lime zest and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin in a small bowl.
- To assemble the tacos, place a portion of lettuce in the center of each tortilla. Top with tomatoes and a portion of the meat mixture.
- Sprinkle with shredded cheese, chopped scallions and cilantro. Using a spoon, drizzle each taco with some of the crema and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
