Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet

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This Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet is made in one pan and ready in under 30 minutes. Ground turkey is sautéed with sweet potato, onion, and smoked paprika for a flavorful, satisfying dinner that's perfect for weeknights. Gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free.

Turkey sweet potato skillet over rice in a bowl.

Making the Most of Frozen Vegetables

Having a stash of veggies in the freezer is one of my favorite tips for quick yet balanced weeknight meals. The benefit of using them is that they're usually already part-cooked and prepped, meaning they require little effort, yet still taste fresh and delicious. I use frozen sweet potatoes and diced onions here (along with ground turkey) which all get added straight to the skillet and cook up fast. Serve it up over rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice to make a filling meal, or scoop into lettuce cups for a lighter bite.

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Making the Most of Frozen Vegetables
Ingredients and Substitutions
How to Make Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet
Variations
Recipe tips
FAQs
More One-Pan Meals
📖 Recipe

Ingredients and Substitutions

Avocado oil - Helps everything caramelize properly in the skillet. Olive oil also works well here.

Ground turkey - A lean protein which cooks up fast. You can swap it out for ground chicken, beef, or pork, if preferred.

Smoked paprika - Adds a hint of smoky flavor. Use sweet-smoked paprika for a mild flavor, or hot-smoked for more spice.

Garlic - Brings a layer of savory flavor. Use fresh garlic here, or pre-chopped to speed up prep.

Frozen diced onions - Cuts down on prep time and cooks up fast! If you only have a fresh onion, you can simply dice it and add to the skillet as usual (it may take slightly longer to soften).

Frozen sweet potato - These part-cooked chunks of frozen sweet potato are an easy way to bring fiber and micronutrients to many a meal. Can be swapped for frozen, diced butternut squash for a lower-carb option.

Tamari - Enhances the savory flavors in the dish while seasoning it. Look for certified gluten-free tamari (or soy sauce), if needed.

Salt and black pepper.

How to Make Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet

Step 1: Heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey and cook, breaking it up, until browned and no longer pink. Add salt, smoked paprika, and pepper, stir to combine. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant.

Turkey and frozen sweet potatoes in a large pot.

Step 2: Add sweet potatoes and onions directly from frozen and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through and tender.

Step 3: Pour in tamari, stir to coat everything evenly, and cook 1 more minute before serving. Serve over rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice.

Variations

Change up the flavors for something new:

Add a packet of gluten-free taco seasoning in place of the smoked paprika, salt and pepper.
Omit the smoked paprika, stir in 2 teaspoon fresh, grated ginger along with the garlic. Finish with a drizzle of toasted sesame oil.
Add some fresh thyme leaves, chopped fresh rosemary or sage for a lovely herbal flavor boost.
Stir in a can of drained pinto beans for added fiber and protein.

Turkey and sweet potato skillet over rice.

Recipe tips

Use a large skillet (or even a wok) here so that there's enough surface area for everything to brown properly.
Double the batch and freeze the cooled leftovers in portions for easy meal prep.
Don't have frozen sweet potato? Prick a fresh sweet potato all over with a fork, microwave for 2 minutes, then peel and dice before adding to the skillet.

FAQs

How do I prevent ground turkey becoming dry?

I like to use ground turkey with 7-8% fat as it retains more juicy texture. If using leaner ground turkey, add a splash of chicken broth to the skillet to keep things moist.