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!

(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.

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!

(Check out this collection of easy ground turkey recipes for more inspiration!)

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. 🌶

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. 👍)

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

Name: Curry ground turkey with rice and peas
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Asian
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; 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro; Steamed brown rice

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

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add olive oil.
Add onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes, until softened. Add garlic and cook another minute.
Add ground turkey the pan and and cook until browned through, about 7-8 minutes.
Add the curry, cumin, coriander, salt, turmeric and ginger and stir well to combine.
Stir in the tomatoes and peas until warmed through, 2-3 minutes.
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:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 310Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 118mgSodium: 585mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 4gSugar: 4gProtein: 34g

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

Comments

Margaret McNeill says
June 11, 2019 at 11:49 AM
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!
- Kathryn says
  June 12, 2019 at 6:38 AM
  Yay, I’m so happy to hear you all loved it Margaret! Thanks so much for sharing! 😊
  - Margaret McNeill says
    June 29, 2019 at 4:02 PM
    (Oh, I also forgot to mention that J also added in a whole can of coconut milk, since the sauce seemed very thick, and I wanted to “stretch” it to feed 4 people generously!)
    - Kathryn says
      July 1, 2019 at 10:19 AM
      Yum! That sounds like a great addition!
Kelsey says
August 5, 2019 at 10:33 PM
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.
- Kathryn Doherty says
  August 7, 2019 at 1:25 PM
  Hi Kelsey, I’m sorry it wasn’t flavorful enough for you on its own but I’m glad you found some ways to make it fit your tastes! 😊
Dannielle says
August 8, 2019 at 10:40 PM
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!
- Kathryn Doherty says
  August 9, 2019 at 7:05 AM
  Oh I’m so happy to hear you loved it Dannielle!! Thanks so much for sharing! 😊
Margaret says
August 12, 2019 at 7:57 PM
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!
- Kathryn Doherty says
  August 13, 2019 at 2:00 PM
  Haha, I’m so glad you tried it out on him – and glad that you both enjoyed it! Thanks so much for sharing! 😊
Jessica says
September 5, 2019 at 7:27 PM
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.
- Kathryn Doherty says
  September 9, 2019 at 4:28 PM
  Yay, I’m so happy to hear you all loved it! Thanks so much for sharing! 😊
Caitlin says
September 21, 2019 at 9:12 PM
This looks delicious and easy! Could I sub fresh tomatoes for the canned? I have a bumper crop to use.
- Kathryn Doherty says
  September 23, 2019 at 7:41 AM
  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!
Sandi says
October 16, 2019 at 8:19 PM
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!
- Kathryn Doherty says
  October 18, 2019 at 8:51 PM
  I’m so happy you enjoyed it Sandi!
maxine callahan says
December 26, 2019 at 10:59 PM
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 🙂
- Kathryn Doherty says
  December 30, 2019 at 10:20 AM
  I’m so glad you both enjoyed it! Thanks so much for sharing Maxine!
Mary says
February 4, 2020 at 1:05 AM
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!
Kathryn Doherty says
February 5, 2020 at 9:50 AM
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this so much Mary! Thank you so much for sharing! 😊
Theresa says
April 16, 2020 at 1:24 PM
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
- Kathryn Doherty says
  April 16, 2020 at 1:46 PM
  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!

Curry ground turkey with rice and peas