These Meal Prep Ground Turkey Stir Fry Bowls feature carrots, onions, kimchi, ginger, and garlic, along with garden fresh snap peas in a honey soy sauce with a kick! Made in one-pan, it’s so easy to prep ahead for the week!
Ingredients in this Meal Prep Ground Turkey Stir Fry:
This recipe is made with ground turkey, vegetables, and pantry ingredients you might already have on hand, especially if you cook Asian cuisine often. This recipe is generally flexible and adaptable to various diets, especially if you change up the side dish.
Here’s a little more in-depth info on each ingredient:
- water – Since we’re using ground turkey, I like to add water to the sauce to add moisture. This is also helps stretch your sauce a little further.
- soy sauce & sesame oil – Both of these add tremendous flavor to the meat and veggies. Depending on your soy sauce, you may or may not want to add extra salt at the end.
- honey – There’s a lot of spicy and savory ingredients in this dish, so I like to add a bit of honey in the sauce to offset all that heat.
- chili garlic sauce – The GOAT is Sambal Oelek. This is a common staple in a lot of Asian cuisines. It brings both heat and delicious garlic flavor.
- fish sauce – You just need a small amount for that umami kick! Don’t smell it!
- avocado oil or olive oil – Either one works fine, however I do prefer avocado oil for the higher smoke point. This means you can cook at high temperatures without the oil smoking.
- lean ground turkey meat – While you could swap for ground pork or ground beef (like my Ginger Ground Beef Bowls!), I like ground turkey for this one.
- salt – Even though there’s sodium in the soy sauce added later, we still want to add salt during other stages of the cooking process. Adding some salt with the ground meat helps infuse more flavor overall.
- onion, carrot & sugar snap peas – These are the veggies I used in this stir fry, but feel free to swap around for your favorites (broccoli would be good too!). I love the tiny hint of sweetness brought to the dish from the sugar snap peas going wild in my garden during the summer!
- fresh ginger & garlic – Our aromatics for the dish. I generally prefer to use fresh for both, but ground ginger and garlic powder would work in a pinch.
- kimchi – I used Lucky Foods Seoul Kimchi. Usually this is near the vegan items and produce in a little refrigerated aisle ender. The kimchi is a little bit spicy, but when dispersed into the whole dish, it gives a more mild overall spice. I’m loving the extra dimension it brings to the stir fry.
- white rice + cooking liquid – Your choice! I’ve included the method I always do, but feel free to go with your favorite grain and cooking method. The amount of liquid you need will vary depending on the cooking method, so double check that!
Related: Looking for more make-ahead lunches? Browse all of our meal prep lunches here!
Carrots in this recipe:
Have you ever julienned a carrot? This video does a quick and dirty demo of the process that’s actually super easy. This method of cutting the carrots is not a requirement, but I think in general, the shape and color provides a unique look and style to the stir fry dish.
Equipment you’ll need to make Meal Prep Ground Turkey Stir Fry:
Here are my recommendations on equipment you’ll need to make this recipe:
- For my knife, I use a Misen Chef’s Knife (affiliate link!). This knife is super high quality while being affordable. I’ve had mine for years (and there’s a lifetime guarantee!).
- For a cutting board, I recommend this Greener Chef XL Bamboo Cutting Board (affiliate link!). The XL size is perfect but not too huge. I use it for everything except cutting raw meat.
- For a cooking pan, I recommend a wok if you have it, but it’s not required. Pictured here is a GreenPan 12 inch Skillet (affiliate link!). I have several GreenPans and they’re my favorite non-stick option.
- If you’re cooking at high heat (classic stir fry), use a wok.
- Cook at medium high or lower if using a non-stick pan.
How to make these Ground Turkey Stir Fry Bowls:
Making this recipe is as simple as starting some rice in a rice cooker or Instant Pot, and then cooking all the stir fry ingredients in one pan. Mixing up the sauce ahead of time is also a good idea, so you can quickly dump it in later. Here’s a more detailed breakdown.
First, start your rice or grain of choice so it can cook while you work on the main dish. If you’re serving with white rice, follow the package instructions and then set it aside to cool. You can use a rice cooker, Instant Pot, or cook on the stovetop if that’s your preference.
I almost always cook rice in my Instant Pot for a hands-off method while I work on other parts of this meal. In that case, I follow a 1 to 1 liquid to rice ratio. This means if I’m using 1 1/2 cups white rice (rinsed), then I’m also using 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, and so on.
Rinse the rice in a fine mesh strainer, then add it to the Instant Pot liner along with the 1 1/2 cups chicken broth. Set it on High Pressure for 5 minutes, followed by a 10 minute Natural Pressure Release. Once done and the lid is off, fluff the rice with a fork and turn off the IP so the rice doesn’t dry out.
After you’ve started the rice, move on to mixing up the sauce. It’s very helpful to do this ahead of time so you can pour it right into the stir fry when it’s time. Pour all of the sauce ingredients into a mason jar.
Put the lid on and shake until combined, then set aside. You can also whisk everything together in a small bowl (but I like the mason jar method better!).
Heat half the oil in a wok or deep skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add ground turkey and salt. Let it brown for about 2 minutes to help develop some flavor, then use a wooden spoon to break up the meat, stirring frequently. Cook until the meat is just cooked through and no pink remains, about 8-10 minutes total.
Clear a spot in the center of the pan and add the remaining oil, followed by the onion and carrots. These veggies need a little more time to cook than the peas, which can overcook easily. Cook the veggies with the turkey meat for 4-5 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent.
Next, make space in the center of the pan again and add the ginger and garlic. Stir and cook for 1 more minute, until the garlic is fragrant, then reduce the heat and prepare the add the final remaining ingredients.
Grab your sauce jar and give it a couple shakes to remix, then pour it all into the pan. At the same time, add the kimchi and the snap peas. Stir everything together until all meat and veggies are coated in sauce. Let it simmer for about 3-4 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly and the pea pods are bright green.
When you serve the final fish, feel free to add extra kimchi if you like it! You can also skip adding it for cooking and put it all on later to preserve the probiotics. I also like to add toasted sesame seeds for appearance! Enjoy 🙂
Best tips for making Meal Prep Ground Turkey Stir Fry:
Here are my best tips for making this meal prep lunch recipe successfully in your own kitchen:
- It’s okay to slightly undercook the veggies; they’ll soften up more when you reheat the meal.
- Make sure the pan with oil is fully heated when you start cooking the turkey. This will help brown the turkey better and increase flavor.
Ways to customize this stir fry:
Here are some ideas on ways to customize this ground turkey stir fry recipe for your own taste buds:
- make it sweeter – double or triple the honey in the sauce to actually make it taste sweet compared to just toning down the spice.
- make it spicier – double the chili garlic sauce or add some sriracha to the sauce. Or add the mayo drizzle from this Gochujang Meat and Beans recipe!
- veggie options – add mushrooms, green beans, broccoli, a frozen veggie stir fry mix, any veggies you want can be stir fried!
- grain swap – Swap the rice for your favorite side; and it doesn’t have to be rice! You could even use rice noodles or ramen style noodles.
How to meal prep this recipe:
This recipe is a perfect fit for meal prep. Simply make the recipe as directed and you’ll end up with 4 good sized portions of Ground Turkey Stir Fry, plus whatever you decide to serve on the side. You could always add more veggies and double the sauce if you’d like to bulk it up a bit.
Store prepared Ground Turkey Stir Fry Bowls meals in airtight containers in the fridge and enjoy within 4 days.
To freeze, store portioned meal prep meals (or stir fry mixture only) in airtight containers in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of water over the meal (especially the rice) to help create steam. Loosely cover with the lid and microwave on High for 90 seconds, stirring and then continuing to heat in 30 second increments until it’s hot and steamy all the way through.
This meal reheats really well in a HotLogic Mini Portable Oven – see my full review here! Be sure to drizzle 1-2 tablespoons water over the rice to create steam.
From the freezer: Thaw frozen meal prep overnight before eating and then reheat normally, or defrost slowly in the microwave.
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Meal Prep Ground Turkey Stir Fry Bowls
These Meal Prep Ground Turkey Stir Fry Bowls feature carrots, onions, kimchi, ginger, and garlic, along with garden fresh snap peas in a honey soy sauce with a kick! Made in one-pan, it’s so easy to prep ahead for the week!
- Total Time35 minutes
- Yield4 servings 1x
Ingredients
For the sauce:
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce (I use Sambal Oelek)
- 1/2 tablespoon fish sauce
For the stir-fry:
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil (or EVOO), divided
- 16 ounces lean ground turkey meat
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 1 large carrot, julienned
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced (~1 inch piece)
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup kimchi, roughly chopped
- 2 cups loosely packed sugar snap peas
For the bowls:
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked white rice + cooking liquid (or grain of choice)
- extra toppings: toasted sesame seeds, more kimchi if you wish
Instructions
- Cook the rice: If you’re serving with white rice (1 1/2 cups dry), follow the package instructions, or your preferred method, and then set it aside to cool. I usually cook rice in my Instant Pot for a hands-off method while I work on other parts of the meal.
- For Instant Pot white rice, follow a 1:1 liquid to rice ratio. Example: Add 1 1/2 cups rinsed rice and 1 1/2 cups chicken broth to the IP liner. Set on High Pressure for 5 minutes, followed by a 10 minute Natural Pressure Release. Fluff with a fork when finished and turn off the IP.
- Make the sauce: In a mason jar, combine the water (1/4 cup), soy sauce (1/4 cup), sesame oil (1 tablespoon), honey (1 tablespoon), chili garlic sauce (1 tablespoon) and fish sauce (1/2 tablespoon). Put the lid on and shake until combined, then set aside. You can also whisk everything together in a small bowl.
- Cook the meat: Heat half the oil (1 tablespoon) in a wok or deep skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add ground turkey (16 ounces) and salt (1/2 teaspoon). Let it brown for about 2 minutes, then use a wooden spoon to break up the meat, stirring frequently. Cook until the meat is just cooked through, about 8 minutes total. Drain excess liquid if there is more than a small amount in the bottom of the pan.
- Add the veggies: Clear a spot in the center of the pan and add the remaining oil (1 tablespoon). Add the onion (1/2, roughly chopped) and carrots (1 large, julienned), and cook for 4-5 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent. Next, make space in the center of the pan again and add the ginger (2 teaspoons, minced) and garlic (2-3 cloves, minced). Stir and cook for 1 more minute, until the garlic is fragrant.
- Make it saucy: Reduce heat to low. Give the prepared sauce jar a couple shakes and then pour the liquid into the pan. In addition, add the kimchi (1/3 cup) and the snap peas (2 cups loosely packed). Stir until all meat and veggies are coated in the sauce. Let it simmer for about 3-4 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly and the peas are bright green. It’s okay to undercook veggies a little bit if reheating later!
- Serve & store: Serve immediately with rice and additional kimchi if you prefer, or portion into 4 equal containers with lids for meal prep. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Notes
Inspired by the sugar snap peas in my garden. Adapted from Spicy Thai Ground Turkey from Epicurious. Nutrition information estimated with MyFitnessPal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Thai-inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 514
- Sugar: 10g
- Fat: 9.7g
- Carbohydrates: 73.8g
- Protein: 29.3g
Did You Make This?
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This looks fantastic. Such a great idea for make ahead meal.
Thank you so much Edyta!