Greek Ground Turkey pairs perfectly seasoned turkey, lemon-parsley rice, and sun-dried tomatoes alongside fresh veggies and a drizzle of tzatziki.
Greek Ground Turkey
I’ll admit it—ground turkey wasn’t always my favorite. But that all changed when I swapped the beef for turkey in my Egg Roll in a Bowl recipe, turning it into my Ground Turkey Stir Fry. I was instantly hooked!
Seasoned just right, ground turkey is a total flavor powerhouse. My family can’t get enough of this White Turkey Chili, and these Turkey Tacos are a must every month.
So, inspired by my fave Greek Chicken Bowls, I swapped in ground turkey, and it has quickly become a new go-to meal!
Lemon-Parsley Rice
The base of these Greek Ground Turkey bowls is lemon rice packed with herbs. It’s almost as easy as regular rice but adds so much flavor.
Start by prepping everything at once: dice onion, mince garlic, zest lemons, and juice lemons.
Shortcuts to Save Time:
- Use pre-diced onion from the store or frozen diced onion.
- Try jarred minced garlic or a garlic press.
- Use a small grater for quick lemon zesting.
- A juicer makes squeezing lemons super fast.
Greek-Seasoned Ground Turkey
- Cook the Turkey: While the rice cooks, prepare the turkey and toppings. Turkey cooks quickly, so avoid overcooking to keep it juicy and flavorful.
- Seasoning: The seasoning may seem like a lot but ensures the turkey is full of flavor—no bland, dry turkey here!
- Finishing Touches:
- Add lemon juice, lemon zest, olives, and tomatoes at the end.
- The turkey has a bold lemon flavor (which I love), but you can use less lemon if you prefer.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Use julienne-cut, herb and oil-packed tomatoes for extra flavor. They’re pre-sliced, so no extra chopping is needed.
The Sauce
- Make Ahead: The flavor gets better as it sits in the fridge and makes dinner faster later.
- Use Full-Fat Yogurt: Full-fat Greek yogurt makes the sauce creamy and tasty.
- Prep Cucumber:
- Pick English or Persian cucumbers—they’re less watery.
- Squeeze out extra water with paper towels or cheesecloth.
- Fresh Lemon:
- Use fresh lemon juice and zest for the best flavor.
- Avoid the bitter white part (just zest the yellow part).
- Season: Don’t forget plenty of salt and pepper to bring out the flavors.
Greek Ground Turkey Toppings
- Pita Bread or Chips: Serve with charred pita bread or store-bought pita chips for crunch. To char pita: spray both sides with olive oil, grill over medium-low flame for 10-15 seconds per side, or warm in the microwave under a damp paper towel.
- Veggies: A quick mix of cherry tomatoes and cucumbers is so tasty! Raw or pickled red onion is another great addition.
- Fresh Lemon, Herbs, and Feta: Finish with feta for a creamy saltiness, a squeeze of lemon for freshness, and chopped parsley for extra flavor. No feta? Add an extra pinch of salt to the bowls.
Meal Prepping Greek Ground Turkey
- Pack the Base: Divide rice into four containers and add Greek ground turkey on top.
- Pack the Toppings: Put veggies, feta, and a lemon wedge (if using) in another container or small bag, and add sauce to a small container.
- Reheat and Assemble: Microwave rice and turkey for 45 seconds with a damp paper towel (don’t overheat).
- Add Toppings: Top with veggies, feta, a squeeze of lemon, and sauce right before eating.
More Ground Turkey Recipes:
- Turkey Chili made with sweet potatoes
- Turkey Bolognese over spaghetti
- Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet with black beans
- Turkey Meatloaf with loads of “hidden” veggies
- Turkey Picadillo with potatoes & Mexican-inspired seasoning blend
Greek Turkey Bowls
Greek Ground Turkey delivers herby turkey, tangy olives, and rich sun-dried tomatoes over fluffy lemon-parsley rice, topped with veggies and a drizzle of tzatziki.
Equipment
- Small pot with a lid
- Large non-stick skillet
Ingredients
Ground Turkey
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 cup finely diced yellow onion divided
- 4 teaspoons minced garlic divided
- 16 ounces lean ground turkey 93/7
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons beef bouillon powder
- 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced kalamata olives optional
- 1/3 cup coarsely chopped sun-dried tomatoes
Lemon Parsley Rice
- 3/4 cup basmati rice (or long-grain white)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons chicken stock
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 lemon
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley
Toppings
- 1 batch tzatziki sauce
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup English cucumber cut into half-moons
- Toppings as desired see note 1
Instructions
- Make the tzatziki sauce using the linked recipe above. Chill in the fridge while preparing the rest of the meal.
- Rinse rice under cold water and set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small pot over medium heat. Sauté 1/2 cup diced onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the rice and toast for 3 minutes. Add chicken stock, water, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 10-12 minutes. Let rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork, then mix in 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 2-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice, and parsley. Adjust seasoning as needed.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the remaining onion until soft, about 3-5 minutes. Add remaining 2 teaspoons garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add turkey seasoned with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Brown for 1 minute on each side, then break it into crumbles, cooking until mostly cooked through, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in oregano, basil, onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, and bouillon powder. Cook for 2 more minutes or until no longer pink. Off heat, mix in 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 2-4 tablespoons lemon juice (to taste), olives, and sun-dried tomatoes. Cover and set aside.
- In a bowl, combine cherry tomatoes and cucumber. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste.
- Divide rice evenly among four bowls. Top with turkey, tomato-cucumber mixture, and tzatziki sauce. Sprinkle feta on top and garnish with parsley and lemon wedges. Squeeze lemon juice over everything before serving.
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: I love adding some fresh parsley or dill, a handful of feta cheese, and additional lemon wedges to the bowls. Hummus and pickled red onions are also nice additions.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 616kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 682mg | Potassium: 1172mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 996IU | Vitamin C: 46mg | Calcium: 138mg | Iron: 4mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Wife picked up a couple 1 lb packages of Turkey burgers on sale for $1.80. Saw this and thought would be a perfect use for them. Wow Chelsea, what a flavor party! This was a delicious dish! Thanks for all your delicious recipes. It’s been a Chelsea Messy Apron week, your chicken and yellow rice yesterday, Greek ground turkey today.
I am so thrilled to hear this! You made my day! Thanks for your support! 🙂
My family LOVES this. In our top five, for sure.
WAHHOOO!! What a compliment! Thanks Tracy! 🙂
The turkey turned out so flavorful. I didn’t flavor the rice because of all the other competing flavors . Overall a great recipe but it was very time consuming to put together.
I am so happy to hear this! Thanks so much Janice! 🙂
I’ve made this recipe a few times now and it is definitely quickly becoming a regular. There are quite a few steps, but the instructions are easy to follow and the end product is totally worth it. The ground turkey mix is definitely the star of the show, it is so flavorful! Sometimes I sub the rice and serve with pita, but you really can’t go wrong with this recipe.
I am so happy to hear this! I love the idea of serving with a pita! Thanks Mel! 🙂
I made the ground turkey only for tonight and I had to substitute chicken bouillon instead of beef and I didn’t have olives. I added it to couscous cooked in chicken broth with cooked grape tomatoes and mozzarella (ran out of feta). It was AMAZING! 100% the seasoning made the dish, alongside the deliciousness of the sun dried tomatoes. Love your recipes as usual!
This ground Turkey recipe is phenomenal!!! I did no sun dried tomatoes (because they are evil), added in a ton of chopped baby Bella mushrooms in at the end (since I wasn’t making the rice) and probably doubled the olives. This ended up being filling and oh so satisfying. I will be making this repeatedly. Thank you!
Hahaha, I am so glad you loved this dish! Thank you so much Anastasia! 🙂
Hi! I’m excited to try this recipe. Do you have recommendations of what I can substitute the beef bouillon powder for?
Thank you!
I don’t have a great substitute for that, sorry! You can leave it out and up the other seasonings and salt if preferred
I substituted for chicken bouillon and came out wonderful.
So thrilled to hear! Thanks Brianna! 🙂
I have made it a few times using gravy powder! So tasty although probably not exactly what the author had in mind. You could also try it with a crumbled beef stock cube.
So glad you’re enjoying! 🙂
This was so simple and so delicious! Thank you!
I am so happy to hear you loved this Greek Ground Turkey! Thanks for your comment Natalie! 🙂
My family and I really enjoyed this meal. Thank you for the easy weeknight meal idea.
So glad to hear that! Thank you for the comment 🙂
EXCELLENT! Fresh, delicious & healthy! Amazing combination of flavors. This will be a repeat recipe!
Yay! So happy to hear this was a hit; thanks Sam!