I probably make some version of tacos every other week. It’s such a quick, easy and flavorful meal , whether you serve the meat in traditional corn tortillas, or over lettuce. The variety of condiments you can serve alongside is endless, making it a fun dish for parties.
Sometimes I’ll make them with shredded rotisserie chicken and green salsa, or I’ll make them fajita-style with chicken thighs, peppers and onions, or fish tacos with cabbage and cilantro-lime crema. So check back for those recipes in the future.
Today I’m sharing a basic recipe for taco meat made with ground turkey. Lately I’ve been adding minced mushrooms to the meat, to bulk it up with extra flavor and nutrition.
I started by sauteing diced onions and ground turkey in a pan. If you don’t have mushrooms or bell peppers on hand, then it’s OK to leave them out. The basic turkey and onion mixture, along with the spice blend is all you really need.
While the meat and vegetables are cooking, you can prepare your spices. The spice blend is enough for one recipe, but if you want to double or quadruple the spices, you can store it in an airtight container and have it available for several more meals.
Once you add all of the spices to the pan, continue to simmer for a few more minutes.
Then you can prepare your condiments. Here I just have some lettuce, Pico de Gallo and shredded cheese, but you can include cooked beans, guacamole, jalapenos, hot sauce, or anything you like.
My husband prefers his on flour tortillas, while I usually make a salad. However you like it, this recipe can be adapted any way you prefer. For example, use ground beef instead of ground turkey.
I hope you will try it. Why not make tonight Taco Night!
Zesty Turkey Taco Salad
Servings: 4
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil (or olive oil)
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 (8-ounce) package of button mushrooms, minced
- 1 medium onion, or half of a large onion, diced
- 1 red or green bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Taco Spice Blend (see below)
- Chopped romaine lettuce
- Shredded cheese, cheddar, Monterey jack, or a blend
- Pico de Gallo (see below)
- Sour cream, optional
Taco Spice Blend
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
Pico de Gallo
- 1 large tomato, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons onion, finely chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon or lime juice
- A pinch of salt, to taste
Directions:
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat, add the oil and ground turkey. Saute for a few minutes until starting to brown. Add the onions and peppers and continue cooking until soft.
Add the garlic, Taco Spice Blend and stir. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Serve over lettuce with the condiments of your choice. Some options are: shredded cheese, pico de gallo, sour cream, guacamole, sliced raw or pickled jalapenos, chopped scallions, cooked beans.
Variations: Add a minced jalapeno, poblano or other pepper for more heat. Add a couple handfuls of fresh spinach leaves at the end, cook just until wilted.