I turn to this ground turkey and peppers stir-fry whenever I want a quick option from my Healthy High Protein Meals repertoire that combines lean turkey and colorful peppers for a fast weeknight dinner.
I love quick dinners that still feel like I made something worth a little bragging about. This easy ground turkey and peppers stir is bright, fast, and kind of addictive with those tender bell peppers and browned turkey bits that soak up every bit of sauce, so you keep going back for more.
I throw it together on nights I’m short on time, or when I want a simple, satisfying plate that still feels intentional. I even tag it under Ground Turkey Recipes Healthy and Healthy High Protein Meals because it checks the boxes for flavor and fuel, trust me you will wanna try it.
Ingredients
- Lean ground turkey packs protein, low fat, cooks fast, so it keeps the dish light.
- Bell peppers add fiber, vitamin C, sweet crunch and bright color, low in calories.
- Garlic gives big flavor and aroma, has allicin, may boost immunity a bit.
- Ginger brings warmth and zing, aids digestion and lifts the whole dish.
- Soy sauce supplies salty umami depth, balances flavors, use low sodium to cut salt.
- Hoisin adds sweet savory glaze and depth, swap with oyster for a different note.
- Scallions give fresh oniony crunch and color, great as bright garnish.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 lb (450 g) ground turkey, lean 93/7 it’s easier to cook
- 2 medium bell peppers, thinly sliced (mix colors if you want)
- 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated or finely chopped
- 1 tbsp vegetable or canola oil
- 3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp hoisin sauce (or 1 tbsp oyster sauce as a swap)
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp brown sugar or honey
- 1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth or water
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced plus extra for garnish
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes or a squirt of sriracha, optional
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Cooked rice or noodles for serving (about 3 to 4 cups)
How to Make this
1. Prep everything first so it goes fast: thinly slice peppers and onion, mince garlic, grate ginger, slice scallions, and whisk 1 tsp cornstarch into 1/4 cup cold chicken broth or water until smooth.
2. Make the sauce in a small bowl: 3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce, 1 tbsp hoisin (or oyster), 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp brown sugar or honey, a squirt of sriracha or 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes if you want heat. Set aside.
3. Heat 1 tbsp vegetable or canola oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until shimmering.
4. Add the sliced onion and peppers, cook 3 to 4 minutes until they start to soften and get a little char, then push them to the side or remove to a plate (you want them slightly crisp still).
5. Add the ground turkey to the hot pan, season lightly with salt and black pepper, then press and spread it out so it gets good contact with the pan. Let it brown without stirring for a minute or two, then break up and continue cooking until no pink remains, about 5 to 7 minutes. If lots of liquid appears, drain a little so you can brown.
6. Stir the garlic and grated ginger into the turkey, cook 30 to 45 seconds until fragrant (don’t burn it), then return the peppers and onion to the pan and mix.
7. Pour the sauce into the pan, then immediately add the cornstarch + broth slurry, stir well and bring to a simmer. Let it bubble 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the turkey and veggies.
8. Turn off the heat and stir in 1 tsp sesame oil and the sliced scallions (reserve some scallion for garnish). Taste and adjust with a pinch more salt, pepper, or soy if needed.
9. Serve hot over cooked rice or noodles (about 3 to 4 cups cooked). Garnish with extra scallions and an extra sprinkle of red pepper flakes or a squirt of sriracha if you like it spicy.
Equipment Needed
1. Large skillet or wok (12-inch) for browning turkey and stir frying peppers/onion
2. Cutting board for veggies and meat prep
3. Chef’s knife (sharp) for slicing and mincing
4. Microplane or fine grater for ginger, plus a small knife or garlic press for the garlic
5. Small mixing bowl for the sauce and to hold the cornstarch slurry
6. Measuring spoons and a 1/4 cup measuring cup
7. Whisk or fork to mix the sauce and slurry until smooth
8. Spatula or wooden spoon for breaking up meat and stirring
9. Pot or rice cooker for cooking rice or noodles to serve with the stir fry
FAQ
Easy Ground Turkey And Peppers Stir Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Ground turkey: ground chicken (same cook time, almost identical); ground pork (richer, more fat so drain less); firm tofu, pressed and crumbled (veg option, add a splash soy); tempeh, crumbled or chopped (earthy, holds up well)
- Bell peppers: zucchini or yellow squash, sliced (similar texture but more water); mushrooms (cremini or button, add umami); snap peas or snow peas, trimmed (keeps a nice crunch); thin carrot ribbons, julienned (takes a bit longer to soften)
- Hoisin sauce: oyster sauce (slightly less sweet, often listed as an option already); teriyaki or sweet soy sauce (sweeter, cut back on sugar); plum sauce or sweet chili sauce (fruitier or spicy sweet); mix 1 tsp miso with 1 tbsp honey + splash soy for depth
- Cornstarch: arrowroot powder (use 1:1, gives clear glossy sauce); potato starch (use 1:1, similar effect); all purpose flour (use about 2x the amount, cook a little longer); skip it and simmer sauce down to concentrate and thicken
Pro Tips
– Get a real sear on the turkey: heat the pan hot, add just a little oil, spread the meat out and leave it alone for a minute or two so it can brown. With 93/7 you might need to drain off a little liquid if it steams instead of browns. If the pan gets crowded cook in two batches so everything browns instead of steams.
– Don’t overcook the peppers and onions, slice them evenly so they cook at the same rate. You want some char and still a bit of snap, so pull them early and add back at the end. If you like them softer, splash a tablespoon of water and cover for 30-60 seconds, then finish uncovered.
– Make the slurry right and add it at the right time: whisk the cornstarch into cold broth so no lumps form, pour it in once the sauce is simmering and stir until it goes glossy, 1 to 2 minutes. If it clumps, strain the slurry through a small sieve first. And don’t boil it forever or the cornstarch will break down and thin out.
– Finish smart: stir the sesame oil in off the heat for max aroma, taste at the end and brighten with a tiny splash more rice vinegar or a pinch of sugar if it feels flat. Extra scallions, a squeeze of lime, or a little toasted sesame seeds at the table take it from good to restaurant-level.
Easy Ground Turkey And Peppers Stir Recipe
I turn to this ground turkey and peppers stir-fry whenever I want a quick option from my Healthy High Protein Meals repertoire that combines lean turkey and colorful peppers for a fast weeknight dinner.
4
servings
473
kcal
Equipment: 1. Large skillet or wok (12-inch) for browning turkey and stir frying peppers/onion
2. Cutting board for veggies and meat prep
3. Chef’s knife (sharp) for slicing and mincing
4. Microplane or fine grater for ginger, plus a small knife or garlic press for the garlic
5. Small mixing bowl for the sauce and to hold the cornstarch slurry
6. Measuring spoons and a 1/4 cup measuring cup
7. Whisk or fork to mix the sauce and slurry until smooth
8. Spatula or wooden spoon for breaking up meat and stirring
9. Pot or rice cooker for cooking rice or noodles to serve with the stir fry
Ingredients
-
1 lb (450 g) ground turkey, lean 93/7 it's easier to cook
-
2 medium bell peppers, thinly sliced (mix colors if you want)
-
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
-
3 garlic cloves, minced
-
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated or finely chopped
-
1 tbsp vegetable or canola oil
-
3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
-
1 tbsp hoisin sauce (or 1 tbsp oyster sauce as a swap)
-
1 tbsp rice vinegar
-
1 tsp sesame oil
-
1 tbsp brown sugar or honey
-
1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth or water
-
1 tsp cornstarch
-
2 scallions, thinly sliced plus extra for garnish
-
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes or a squirt of sriracha, optional
-
Salt and black pepper to taste
-
Cooked rice or noodles for serving (about 3 to 4 cups)
Directions
- Prep everything first so it goes fast: thinly slice peppers and onion, mince garlic, grate ginger, slice scallions, and whisk 1 tsp cornstarch into 1/4 cup cold chicken broth or water until smooth.
- Make the sauce in a small bowl: 3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce, 1 tbsp hoisin (or oyster), 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp brown sugar or honey, a squirt of sriracha or 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes if you want heat. Set aside.
- Heat 1 tbsp vegetable or canola oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Add the sliced onion and peppers, cook 3 to 4 minutes until they start to soften and get a little char, then push them to the side or remove to a plate (you want them slightly crisp still).
- Add the ground turkey to the hot pan, season lightly with salt and black pepper, then press and spread it out so it gets good contact with the pan. Let it brown without stirring for a minute or two, then break up and continue cooking until no pink remains, about 5 to 7 minutes. If lots of liquid appears, drain a little so you can brown.
- Stir the garlic and grated ginger into the turkey, cook 30 to 45 seconds until fragrant (don’t burn it), then return the peppers and onion to the pan and mix.
- Pour the sauce into the pan, then immediately add the cornstarch + broth slurry, stir well and bring to a simmer. Let it bubble 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the turkey and veggies.
- Turn off the heat and stir in 1 tsp sesame oil and the sliced scallions (reserve some scallion for garnish). Taste and adjust with a pinch more salt, pepper, or soy if needed.
- Serve hot over cooked rice or noodles (about 3 to 4 cups cooked). Garnish with extra scallions and an extra sprinkle of red pepper flakes or a squirt of sriracha if you like it spicy.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 373g
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 473kcal
- Fat: 13.1g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5g
- Trans Fat: 0.05g
- Polyunsaturated: 2.5g
- Monounsaturated: 5g
- Cholesterol: 96mg
- Sodium: 472mg
- Potassium: 500mg
- Carbohydrates: 50.6g
- Fiber: 2.2g
- Sugar: 7g
- Protein: 37.3g
- Vitamin A: 1000IU
- Vitamin C: 51mg
- Calcium: 55mg
- Iron: 2mg
