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Curry Ground Turkey with Rice and Peas

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Curry ground turkey with rice and peas is full of warm, rich flavors but is super quick and easy to make! This 20-minute recipe is great for a weeknight dinner!Curry ground turkey with rice and peas is full of warm, rich flavors but is super quick and easy to make! This 20-minute recipe is great for a weeknight dinner! #curry #turkeycurry #groundturkey #easydinners #quickdinners

(Pssst… check out my new video! 👇 Or watch it here.)

We spent the weekend in Florida for a family Irish wake (timed to coincide with St. Patrick’s Day). 🍀

My husband’s uncle passed away a few months ago and we gathered family from far and wide to celebrate his life.

It was really wonderful to see and visit with so many of his family members. And it was really special to have everyone together to remember his uncle. ❤️

I’m coming back to a ridiculously busy week, however, and I’ve got all kinds of unpacking and grocery shopping and household stuff to catch up on after being gone for the weekend. Eek!

Enter the need for some simple dinners that I can make with my eyes closed.

So, you guys know I love me some curry recipes. I’ve shared my quick chicken curry, quick and easy vegetarian curry and my 20-minute coconut chicken curry.

All are worth checking out, even if I am a bit biased. 😉

And I’m happy to be bringing you another favorite today!

So, the flavor is what made me fall in love with this curry ground turkey recipe.

Curried ground turkey and peas served with rice in a white bowl

It’s warm, rich and has so much depth from all the great spices that go into it. And the sweet green peas add both a pop of color and a hint of sweetness to balance out this recipe.

Seriously delicious! 😍

But y’all, I have to admit, I also really love how easy this is!

I’m always looking for new easy ground turkey recipes and this one is on the regular rotation because it’s so simple to throw together. Great for those nights when you’re just not feeling it.

Yes, even as a food blogger, I have those too!

(I love this Italian ground turkey skillet for another easy dinner that’s really family friendly. And check out this collection of easy ground turkey recipes for more inspiration!)

You can also see the Google web story for this curry ground turkey recipe.

Curry turkey and peas with tomatoes cooked in a large skillet Cooked ground turkey curry with peas and tomatoes in a large skillet

In this recipe, you basically chop an onion and then just add everything else to the pan to cook. (You don’t even have to thaw the peas if they are frozen. Just add them right on in to thaw and warm through.)

Dinner is done!

And it only takes 20 minutes! Talk about weeknight winning! 🙌

(Oh, and this recipe is also gluten-free, paleo, whole 30 and can be low-carb, depending on how you serve it.)

Notes on curry ground turkey with peas:

  • I use a 93% lean ground turkey for this recipe. You can use whichever kind you prefer, just drain off any excess grease in the pan if you have some.
  • You could probably also substitute ground beef, pork, lamb or chicken in this recipe, though I haven’t tried it like that yet.
  • Either curry powder or Garam masala will work in this recipe. I’ve tried both and loved it both ways.
  • Want to add a spicy kick? Chop a jalapeño or red chili pepper and sauté it along with the onion. Or you could add 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes with the other spices to give it some heat. 🌶

Curry ground turkey with peas and rice served in a white bowl with a glass of wine nearby

Also, just a note that you’ll want to get your rice cooked and prepped separately. I left that out of the instructions because it depends on what you choose.

And there are plenty of options depending on your tastes – or what’s in your pantry!

What rice should I serve this with?

– We love steamed brown rice in my house and that’s what I always have on hand.

– This would also work with regular white rice as well as basmati rice.

– It’s also great with easy cauliflower rice for a low-carb option.

– You could even use a frozen pre-cooked rice to make this meal even easier. (I have some of the Trader Joe’s frozen brown rice on hand in case of weeknight emergencies. 👍)

Curry ground turkey with rice and peas is full of warm, rich flavors but is super quick and easy to make! This 20-minute recipe is great for a weeknight dinner! #curry #turkeycurry #groundturkey #easydinners #quickdinners

I hope you give this a try the next time you need a super flavorful but also really quick and easy dinner!

Happy cooking!

XO,

Kathryn

P.S. You can check out all of my turkey recipes for more cooking inspiration!

Yield: 4 servings

Curry ground turkey with rice and peas

Curry ground turkey with rice and peas is full of warm, rich flavors but is super quick and easy to make! This 20-minute recipe is great for a weeknight dinner! #curry #turkeycurry #groundturkey #easydinners #quickdinners

Curry ground turkey with rice and peas is full of warm, rich flavors but is super quick and easy to make!

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 small onion, diced small
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 lb. lean ground turkey (I use 93% lean)
  • 1 tablespoon curry powder or garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes (undrained)
  • 1 cup frozen peas

For serving:

  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
  • Steamed brown rice

Instructions

  1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add olive oil.
  2. Add onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes, until softened. Add garlic and cook another minute.
  3. Add ground turkey the pan and and cook until browned through, about 7-8 minutes.
  4. Add the curry, cumin, coriander, salt, turmeric and ginger and stir well to combine.
  5. Stir in the tomatoes and peas until warmed through, 2-3 minutes.
  6. Serve the curried turkey and peas over steamed rice. Sprinkle with fresh parsley or cilantro and enjoy!

Notes

I use a 93% lean ground turkey for this recipe. You can use whichever kind you prefer, just drain off any excess grease. You could probably also substitute ground beef, pork, lamb or chicken in this recipe, though I haven’t tried it like that yet.

Either curry powder or Garam masala will work in this recipe. I’ve tried both and loved it both ways.

Want to add a spicy kick? Chop a jalapeño or red chili pepper and sauté it along with the onion. Or you could add 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes with the other spices to give it some heat.

Also, just a note that you’ll want to get your rice cooked and prepped separately. Brown rice, white rice, basmati rice and even cauliflower rice are all good serving options.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 310Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 118mgSodium: 585mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 4gSugar: 4gProtein: 34g
© Kathryn Doherty
Cuisine: Asian / Category: Main dishes
Curry ground turkey with rice and peas is full of warm, rich flavors but is super quick and easy to make! This 20-minute recipe is great for a weeknight dinner! #curry #turkeycurry #groundturkey #easydinners #quickdinners

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Comments

  1. Margaret McNeill says

    This was FABULOUS! I served it over couscous instead of rice, and naan bread on the side. My family absolutely LOVED IT!! (I also “upped” the measurements of most of the spices, since we really like “Indian” flavors…Will definitely make this one again!! Thank you!

    Reply

  2. Kelsey says

    This is a good base recipe and I appreciate how quick it is, although I did find it lacking in flavour. I doubled the tomatoes as I like more sauce and also increased the spices. It definitely needs spice and acidity.

    Reply

  3. Dannielle says

    This recipe is AMAZEBALLS. I didnt have cumin so I had to use chili instead and cut up tomatoes with a little water. And it was still so yummy!

    Reply

  4. Margaret says

    This was really good ! My husband has told me for year he doesnt like curry and I decided I didnt believe him .. and I was right. He totally liked it!

    Reply

  5. Jessica says

    My family doesn’t eat a lot of meat but I wanted to try this. Me, my husband and 2 young kids loved it. I didn’t have any coriander so skipped it and I doubled the garlic. I also used from corn as that’s what I had. Delicious. Will be putting it in the rotation as it’s hard to find meals we all enjoy.

    Reply

    • Kathryn Doherty says

      Hi, yes, I think you could sub fresh tomatoes. I would add them with the onion so they can cook down a bit. You may need to drain off any excess liquid they give off as well. Hope that helps!

      Reply

  7. Sandi says

    This was very good. Based on some of the other reviews, I added both garam masala and curry along with 2 tbs of tomato paste. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply

  8. maxine callahan says

    This was amazing! I made dinner for my boyfriend and I and he is not a fan of many flavors, so I skipped out on the curry and added ginger and a bit more garam masala and he loved it! Definitely adding to my recipe book 🙂

    Reply

  9. Mary says

    Doubled all of the spices and added a diced jalapeño to cook with my onion. I also added a heaping tablespoon of hot red curry paste. This was the best ground turkey I think I’ve ever had! Thank you!

    Reply

  11. Theresa says

    Hi, there,
    I was wondering does the nutritional values include the rice? If so, could you provide the nutritional values for just the turkey preparation. Thanks

    Reply

    • Kathryn Doherty says

      Hi Theresa! I just recalculated to make sure the numbers were correct without the rice or parsley/cilantro for serving, so the numbers you see now are just the turkey preparation. It’s 310 calories, 15 grams of fat, 11 grams carbs and 43 grams protein per serving. (Other nutrition details are in the recipe card.) I hope that helps!

      Reply

  12. Jenna says

    I just made this and it was delicious! It was flavorful and smelled amazing while cooking. I served it over Jasmine rice. I can tell it will make for great leftovers too!

    Reply

  13. Tiffany Johnson says

    This is truly one of the easiest most delicious recipes I’ve made!! Thank you so much!! I added some sauteed kale as a side with a little rice vinegar, nice addition! I’ve sent this to so many friends!!! Thanks again!

    Reply

  14. Kayla says

    It was delicious! The first time I’ve ever made curry! I looked through the comments prior to making and also added a can of coconut milk and a bit more curry powder. Will make again.

    Reply

  15. bobi says

    I’m sorry. I really wanted to like this recipe but it wasn’t my favorite. I wound up adding 1/4 tsp of onion, garlic, and cardamom powders, more curry powder and salt. I like tomatoes but I think I’m finding I don’t like them in my curry. Both DH and I enjoyed the use of the ground turkey though.

    Reply

  16. Danielle says

    This was delicious! I used curry powder and garam masala and it was the perfect spice. We served/mixed it with cilantro lime rice. Thank you for this recipe!

    Reply

  17. Court says

    This is fantastic! I used about 12 oz crushed tomatoes instead of 14.5 oz diced tomatoes and it still turned out soo well! Thanks so much!

    Reply

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