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These Teriyaki Turkey Rice Bowls are made with healthy ground turkey and veggies in a sweet teriyaki sauce served over white or brown rice.

We love quick and easy Asian inspired recipes, and have quite a few here on the site! Our favorites are included in our monthly dinner rotation, like Egg Fried Rice and Crockpot Orange Chicken and these delicious rice bowls.

light gray bowls with rice and healthy ground turkey teriyaki, chopsticks, sesame seeds, white napkin, green onions

Teriyaki turkey is one of my family’s favorites! The sweet and savory richness of the sauce really compliments the mild flavor of the ground turkey. Plus it’s loaded with veggies, which means my kids are eating them! You can pair this with steamed rice chow mein noodles, or wrapped in a tortilla or Lettuce Wrap.

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Ground Turkey Teriyaki Rice Bowls

Ground turkey recipes are always a winner in our house, like Turkey, Kale and Rice SoupTurkey Taco Stuffed Shells and Spicy Turkey Meatloaf. But these Teriyaki Turkey Rice Bowls always top the list of favorites.

This ground turkey is juicy and the teriyaki sauce is sweet and flavorful. Add in all the wonderful veggies and you’ve got a perfectly complete meal that makes great leftovers.

Why We Love This Recipe

  • It’s a quick and easy, a healthy alternative to ground beef, and an easy substitution in tons of recipes like chili and spaghetti sauce.
  • We include lots of veggies and dice them up small so it’s very kid friendly and a great way to get kids to actually enjoy eating their vegetables.
  • You can easily customize this recipe to include your favorite veggies or add a different base like rice or noodles.
Cooked ground turkey recipe in a skillet with vegetables and teriyaki sauce. Cast iron skillet.

How to Make Teriyaki Turkey Rice Bowls

  1. Cook the ground turkey. After cooking the meat with some onions and garlic, grate few carrots and chop some broccoli very fine, and toss them in with the meat. This gave the illusion that there weren’t very many vegetables in there, but they couldn’t avoid what they couldn’t see! *Note – if you are serving this as a rice bowl, you’ll want to start cooking the rice before you start cooking the meat.
  2. Make the teriyaki sauce. The teriyaki sauce is made from scratch and is incredibly easy. Some readers have commented on the amount of sugar in the sauce, and you can see in the recipe notes that you can reduce to your liking. Teriyaki sauce is typically sweet on it’s own, but you can adjust the levels based on your needs. It will still taste great!
  3. Assemble the rice bowls. The teriyaki sauce is combined with the meat and veggies and simmered for a few minutes to let the flavors blend and get all happy. Then scoop it on top of white or brown rice, noodles, into lettuce cups or even flour tortillas for some Asian-Mexican fusion!

How to Cook Ground Turkey

Ground turkey is a light, bright pink color when it’s raw or uncooked. As it cooks the color will change from pink to light brown.

Seasoning is important, since it has a very mild flavor that takes on whatever flavors you add. It’s delicious with just a little garlic, onion and salt added but you can also add it to chili, spaghetti, tacos and more by changing the seasoning.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use ground beef instead of turkey?

Yes, you absolutely can! Ground turkey can be easily swapped for ground beef, pork or chicken. You will want to make sure to drain it really well since ground beef lets out a lot of liquid, but it will work just as well as the ground turkey.

Can I cut back the amount of sugar?

Yes. I wrote this recipe to have a sticky sweet teriyaki sauce, but some people have said they prefer it a little less sweet. Feel free to cut back as much as you like. As you are cooking the sauce, give it a quick taste – you can always add more sugar if you want it sweeter.

How to Serve

Sprinkle some sliced green onions and sesame seeds on top before serving. It’s a pretty garnish and adds a little flavor, too.

My kids love to eat their rice bowl with chopsticks. If you don’t have any, you can find them here, or try these adorable training chopsticks for kids.

Recipe Variations

Feel free to customize this recipe to fit your own personal tastes. Use leftover veggies and sauté or steam them before adding them to the turkey and sauce.

Some other veggie options:

  • Bell peppers
  • Snow peas
  • Water chestnuts
  • Bok choy
  • Bean sprouts
  • Zucchini
  • Corn
  • Cauliflower
  • Water chestnuts
a hand with chopsticks, bowls with healthy ground turkey teriyaki, vegetables and rice

Storage Tips

How to Store Leftovers

  • Refrigerating leftovers: This dish will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge if properly stored in an airtight container. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove.
  • To freeze, allow to cool completely, then pour into a freezer bag or airtight container. Freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat as described above. Freeze rice or noodles separately from the meat.

Recipe Tips

  • Ground turkey recipes are the tastiest when the meat is seasoned properly.
  • Add some heat to this dish with some Sriracha or red pepper flakes.
  • Not fans  of rice? Use noodles instead. You can even use spaghetti noodles to mimic a lo mein and toss in some cabbage to saute it with.
  • Feel free to cut the amount of sugar in this recipe. It won’t affect the flavor too much but it will swing more towards the savory side.
bowl with lean ground turkey, rice and vegetables

More Ground Turkey Recipes

Recipe
Social media image of Teriyaki Turkey Rice Bowls

Teriyaki Turkey Rice Bowl

4.74 from 1193 votes
These Teriyaki Turkey Rice Bowls are made with healthy ground turkey and veggies in a sweet teriyaki sauce served over white or brown rice.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

Teriyaki Sauce

  • 1/2 cup Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
  • 1/4 cup Water
  • 2 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons Brown sugar or less as desired
  • 2 tablespoons Granulated sugar or less as desired
  • 2 teaspoons Minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon Ground ginger
  • 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons Warm water

Ground Turkey

  • 1 tablespoon Vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup Diced onion
  • 2 tablespoons Minced garlic
  • 1 pound Ground Turkey
  • 1 cup Broccoli finely chopped
  • 2 Large carrots peeled and grated
  • 2 Green onions diced, for garnish
  • 4 cups Cooked white or brown rice
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Instructions
 

Teriyaki Sauce

  • In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and warm water until cornstarch is completely dissolved. Set aside.
  • In a small saucepan over medium heat, gently whisk soy sauce, water, red wine vinegar, sugars, minced garlic and ground ginger until sugars are completely dissolved.
  • Slowly whisk in cornstarch mixture and simmer until thickened. Remove from heat and set aside.

Ground Turkey

  • Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced onions and cook, stirring frequently, until softened. If you notice the onions beginning to scorch, immediately turn down the heat.
  • Stir in minced garlic. Add ground turkey and break apart with a spatula. Cook, stirring occasionally, until turkey is cooked about halfway through; 4-5 minutes. Add grated carrots and chopped broccoli and continue to cook until turkey is no longer pink and vegetables are soft; 5-6 minutes.
  • Pour teriyaki sauce over the turkey and vegetables and stir. Simmer for about 5 minutes.
  • Divide cooked rice into bowls then top with the teriyaki turkey. Garnish with sliced green onions and serve immediately.

Notes

  • Teriyaki Sauce is generally sweet. However, feel free to cut back on the amount of sugar in the sauce. 1 tablespoon of each would suffice if you prefer a more savory flavor. 
  • The nutritional information is based on serving this teriyaki turkey over white rice. Use brown rice or just less rice to reduce calories and carbs.
  • Feel free to customize this recipe with your favorite vegetables.
  • A note about SERVING SIZE: A serving is approximately ¾ cup of rice and one cup of the meat/veggies.
  • The serving sizes are approximate and will vary depending on a variety of factors, like how much you cook your veggies down and what size your cuts of vegetables are. As a meal, this recipe will make 4-6 servings. 

Nutrition

Calories: 380kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 28gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 50mgSodium: 994mgPotassium: 606mgFiber: 2gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 4261IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 60mgIron: 2mg

Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.

Kristin Maxwell

Kristin Maxwell is the creator and main recipe developer, writer, and photographer of Yellow Bliss Road. A self-taught cook and self-appointed foodie, she specializes in easy, flavorful and approachable recipes for any home cook.

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4.74 from 1193 votes (809 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. Laura Ormando says:

    My whole family loved this meal!

    1. Kristin says:

      That’s awesome Laura! Thank you so much for stopping by.

  2. John says:

    Awesome recipe ! How much turkey does the nutrition facts account for per serving ? I see it says one cup of rice but I don’t see any measurements for the amount of turkey. Thanks !

  3. Marilyn Padilla says:

    We have had this 3 times in the last month. My 6 year old loves it!

    1. Kristin says:

      That’s awesome Marilyn! Thanks for stopping by.

  4. Jill from Southern NH says:

    I’m so glad I found this wonderful recipe! It was OUTSTANDING! I came across it while looking for something to do with ground turkey besides chili for a change. It completely blew me away when I tasted it – it tastes just like the restaurant lettuce wraps I love, down to the letter! I made it as directed, just skipped the white sugar and added some water chestnuts for crunch and served it over jasmine rice with scallions like you. My husband and I gobbled it up and there are still plenty of leftovers! This is going to be my new go-to appetizer with Boston bibb lettuce the next time we have friends over for drinks! It definitely feeds a crowd and.the delicious flavor combination is worth the prep!

    1. Kristin says:

      That’s so awesome Jill! Thank you for stopping by all the way from Southern NH!

  5. Lynn says:

    This was delicious! The only change made was using about 2 tsp fresh grated ginger instead of ground ginger and served over pad Thai noodles. We will definitely be making this again!

    1. Kristin says:

      Nice! Thanks for stopping by Lynn.

  6. Elenna Nickel says:

    The flavours were great and it was super easy to make – I had all of the ingredients in the house so that was also really nice. I used only 1 carrot and added 1 red bell pepper.

    1. Kristin says:

      Nice! Thanks for stopping by Elenna.

  7. Marisa Kierstead says:

    Wonderful recipe, thank you!

    1. Kristin says:

      You are so welcome Marisa! Thanks for stopping by.

  8. Kathy Santos says:

    Excellent! Actually gives ground turkey some flavor!

  9. Pam says:

    I was searching for something new to make with a pack of frozen ground turkey when I came upon your recipe. Hub and son loved it — we had it over linguini. A keeper!

    1. Kristin says:

      Nice! Glad you and your family loved it. Thanks for stopping by Pam.

  10. Suzanne says:

    Really enjoyed making this. Was a hit with my family especially my picky vegetable eater. Added a twist, For Veggies:

    Broccoli Rapini
    Shredded Carrots
    Green Chiles
    Peas from Pea Pod
    Garlic
    Onions

    Added Sesame Tahini
    added sautéed eggs

    Thank you! Great Recipe!

    1. Kristin says:

      Nice! Thanks for stopping by Suzanne.

  11. KIERSTEN SANDS says:

    I just recently started trying to cool “healthier” and found this recipe after searching through numerous ground turkey recipes. I made it and LOVED it! I have made it as my main meal for the last three weeks!! It has the protein and carbs for my workouts and tastes delicious! I cut the sugars to one teaspoon each and have added edamame and water chestnuts to it and it really good! Thanks a lot! I appreciate you!

    1. Kristin says:

      Glad you loved it Kiersten! Thanks for stopping by.

  12. Diana says:

    I cut down the amount of sugar by 1 tbsp. I added a lot more ginger & added some black pepper & added more carrots & broccoli. It was sooooo good. Husband said, “ It’s a keeper”.

    1. Kristin says:

      Nice! Thanks for stopping by Diana.

  13. Donna Schmidt says:

    This is one of our favorite dishes. Turns out delicious every time. It stores well and tastes just as good heated up.

  14. Nicole says:

    This was simple and delicious.

    1. Kristin says:

      Thank you so much for stopping by Nicole.

  15. Barbara Subject says:

    Hi, I know this recipe says 5 servings. Do you know what size servings? I am trying to figure Weight Watcher points.Thank you.

    1. Kristin Maxwell says:

      The recipe yields approximately 2 1/2 cups, so a serving would be around 1/2 cup.

  16. Lily Semerenko says:

    My first time making this dish and both me and my husband LOVED IT! this is now our favorite dish thank you for sharing the recipe with us! Only thing I did differently was instead of the 4 tablespoons of sugar I just added 2 tablespoons of brown sugar And it turned out just right!

    1. Kristin says:

      You are so welcome Lily! Thanks for stopping by.

  17. Marie says:

    This was fantastic! Easy to whip together after a long day! I even forgot to add the ginger and vinegar 🙂

    1. Kristin says:

      Hi Marie, thank you so much for stopping by and sharing your feedback.

  18. Jennifer says:

    This has become a staple in our rotation, because I usually have all the ingredients on hand, and the whole family likes it!

    1. Kristin says:

      Nice! Thanks for stopping by Jennifer.

  19. Gemma Conroy says:

    Thia was delicious. I used bottled sauce because I’m pressed for time.

    1. Kristin says:

      Nice! Thanks for stopping by Gemma.

  20. Celeste Hernandez says:

    Have not tried this yet but it looks very good! Could a person just use teriyaki sauce instead of making it?

    1. Kristin Maxwell says:

      Yes you could use bottled teriyaki sauce instead.

      1. Melissa G. says:

        How much would you suggest to add instead of making it? I just bought a jar of teriyaki sauce for another recipe and would like to use it.

        1. Kristin Maxwell says:

          Probably about a cup of sauce, but really you could do as much or as little as you want. Start with a small amount and increase based on your taste.