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!
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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!
Curry ground turkey with rice and peas is full of warm, rich flavors but is super quick and easy to make! 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.Curry ground turkey with rice and peas
Ingredients
For serving:
Instructions
Notes
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
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!
Kathryn says
Yay, I’m so happy to hear you all loved it Margaret! Thanks so much for sharing! 😊
Margaret McNeill says
(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
Yum! That sounds like a great addition!
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.
Kathryn Doherty says
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! 😊
Michelle says
This did not lack flavor. It was so delicious.
Kathryn Doherty says
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this Michelle! Thanks so much for sharing! 😊
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!
Kathryn Doherty says
Oh I’m so happy to hear you loved it Dannielle!! Thanks so much for sharing! 😊
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!
Kathryn Doherty says
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
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
Yay, I’m so happy to hear you all loved it! Thanks so much for sharing! 😊
Caitlin says
This looks delicious and easy! Could I sub fresh tomatoes for the canned? I have a bumper crop to use.
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!
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!
Kathryn Doherty says
I’m so happy you enjoyed it Sandi!
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 🙂
Kathryn Doherty says
I’m so glad you both enjoyed it! Thanks so much for sharing Maxine!
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!
Kathryn Doherty says
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this so much Mary! Thank you so much for sharing! 😊
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
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!
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!
Kathryn Doherty says
I’m so happy to hear you loved it Jenna! Thanks so much for sharing. And yes, the leftovers are fabulous! 😊
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!
Kathryn Doherty says
Oh I’m so happy to hear you love it Tiffany!! Thanks so much for sharing. And great idea, I love the kale and rice vinegar additions – yum! 😊
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.
Kathryn Doherty says
Yay, I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for sharing! 😊
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.
Kathryn Doherty says
Sorry to hear you didn’t love it. Sounds like a different curry recipe, without tomatoes, might be a better fit for you.