Korean-Style Ground Turkey (Printable)

Spicy-sweet ground turkey with garlic, ginger, and sesame. Quick weeknight dinner ready in 30 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Sauce

01 - 1/4 cup soy sauce, low sodium preferred
02 - 2 teaspoons cornstarch
03 - 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar, packed
04 - 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes

→ Turkey

05 - 2 tablespoons sesame oil
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
08 - 15 ounces ground turkey

→ Finishes and Garnish

09 - 6 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
10 - 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

→ To Serve

11 - Steamed white or brown rice
12 - Steamed or sautéed vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, or carrots

# Directions:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, cornstarch, brown sugar, and red chili flakes until cornstarch is fully dissolved. Set aside.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sesame oil. Once hot, add minced garlic and grated ginger; stir-fry for approximately 30 seconds until fragrant.
03 - Add ground turkey to the skillet. Cook, breaking it up with a spatula, until no longer pink and cooked through, approximately 5 to 7 minutes.
04 - Pour the prepared soy sauce mixture into the skillet. Stir well to coat the turkey. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on high heat, allowing the sauce to thicken and turn glossy. Add 1 tablespoon of water if the sauce becomes too thick.
05 - Stir in chopped chives, reserving some for garnish. Remove from heat.
06 - Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and remaining chives. Serve hot over rice with vegetables of choice.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in the time it takes to steam rice, making it perfect for those nights when takeout feels tempting but homemade sounds better.
  • The sauce clings to every bit of turkey and creates this glossy, restaurant-quality finish that makes you feel like a kitchen genius.
  • You can dial the heat up or down without losing any of the deep, toasted sesame flavor that makes it so craveable.
02 -
  • If your sauce gets too thick and starts to look dry instead of glossy, add water one tablespoon at a time and stir it in, I learned this after my first batch turned into a sticky mess.
  • Don't skip toasting the sesame seeds, the difference between raw and toasted is the difference between flat and incredible nutty flavor.
  • Let the garlic and ginger sizzle just until fragrant but not browned, burnt garlic will make the whole dish taste bitter and acrid.
03 -
  • Use a large skillet or wok so the turkey has room to brown instead of steam, crowding the pan will make it release too much moisture and turn gray instead of golden.
  • Grate the ginger on the smallest holes of your grater so it almost turns into a paste, this distributes the flavor evenly and prevents anyone from biting into a big chunk of raw ginger.
  • Taste the sauce before adding it to the turkey and adjust the sweetness or heat to your liking, it's much easier to fix it in the bowl than in the pan.
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