This Easy Ground Turkey Curry has it all — it’s healthy, full of flavor, and so easy to make! You only need ground turkey, spices, rice, and 30 minutes and you’ll be digging into a delicious dinner even the pickiest eaters will love!
Table of Contents
We all have our go-to dishes. Sometimes they’re quick, other times they are super tasty.
But every now and then, a little bit of magic happens in the kitchen and you get a dish that is BOTH easy and delicious.
And boy does this dish fit the bill.
Why Is This Recipe the Best?
- It’s ready in under 30 minutes.
- The spices give the ground turkey a ton of flavor (with some common pantry staples).
- The full-fat coconut milk makes it so creamy and keeps it dairy free.
- Even the PICKIEST eaters will love it.
Ingredients
Notes about the ingredients needed for this Ground Turkey Curry recipe are below. Jump to recipe for the exact measurements.
- Ground turkey. Choose a lean 85/15 blend of turkey to keep the dish light, plus it absorbs the spices beautifully. You can go with another ground meat, like chicken or beef, as well.
- Onion. A finely chopped white onion is needed to create the base of the flavor.
- Coconut milk. Definitely go for full-fat coconut milk for the creamiest texture and absolute best taste.
- Spices. While this list might seem a little daunting, most of these can be found in the spice aisle. You’ll need curry powder, garam masala, cumin, turmeric, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Do NOT skip the garam masala.
- Rice. Basmati rice will yield the most authentic dish, but another type of white rice will work as well.
How to Make Ground Turkey Curry
Please see the recipe card below for more detailed ingredient amounts. Jump to recipe for the printable instructions
1. Cook the onion and ground turkey.
Heat a large skillet over medium, then drizzle the olive oil over the bottom. Carefully add the onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. The onions should become translucent.
Stir in the garlic and ground turkey. Cook for another 7 to 8 minutes. Be sure to crumble the turkey with a meat or potato masher as you’re cooking.
2. Add the seasonings and coconut milk.
In a small bowl, stir together the curry powder, garam masala, cumin, turmeric, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper.
Sprinkle the seasoning mix over the turkey and onion, then stir in the coconut milk. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for another 10 minutes.
3. Serve the turkey curry.
Add some cooked basmati rice (you can make Instant Pot basmati rice, too).
Add a scoop of turkey curry on top, then sprinkle with cilantro.
Serve it with a side of grilled or steamed veggies and you have yourself a healthy and filling dinner!
FAQs
While both turkey and chicken are quite healthy, turkey does have a lower fat content than chicken.
Garam masala is a flavorful and warm blend of spices, typically cloves, cardamon, peppercorns, coriander, cumin, and cinnamon.
What to Serve with Ground Turkey Curry
This ground turkey curry is just what the doctor ordered, full of healthy ground turkey and finished with some easy to find Indian spices. Add these sides for a complete meal.
Keep it easy with Steamed Broccoli, or go with Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower.
You can also choose Herb Roasted Carrots, Air Fryer Carrots, or even Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes.
More Curry Recipes
Curry is so satisfying, dig into a bowl of any of these recipes for a perfect meal.
- Crockpot Curry Chicken
- Pumpkin Curry
- Instant Pot Chicken Curry
- Salmon Curry in Coconut Milk
- Thai Yellow Chicken Curry
- Curry Roasted Cauliflower with Yogurt Sauce
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Easy Ground Turkey Curry
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Ingredients
- ½ white onion finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves finely minced
- 1 pound 90/10 ground turkey
- 1 ¼ cups full-fat coconut milk
- 1 ½ teaspoons curry powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ⅛ teaspoon turmeric
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Cooked basmati rice for serving
- Finely chopped cilantro for serving, optional
Instructions
- Add olive oil and onion to a large skillet or pan over medium heat and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until onions become translucent.
- Add garlic and ground turkey. Cook for another 7-8 minutes over medium heat, crumbling as you do, or until meat is cooked no longer pink.
- Whisk together the curry powder, garam masala, cumin, turmeric, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper in a small bowl. Add seasonings and coconut milk to the pan and stir until combined. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Serve turkey curry over rice and sprinkle with cilantro.
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Notes
- Feel free to add in additional vegetables such as carrots, bell peppers, or peas.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Absolutely delicious 😋 !! Served over quinoa with slices of avocado ! Newly diagnosed with diabetes, so I’m new to healthy eating ! This recipe will be prepared at least once a week !
Yay, Kelley! So happy to have helped you out with this dish. Let me know if you have any specific recipes you’re looking for on your diabetes journey. Thanks for your comment and rating 🙂
I love curry and wanted something easy to put together with ground turkey. This was a hit. I’m also a fan of Garam Masala! I actually doubled the recipe because I had a good feeling that this would be delicious. I also added zucchini and mushrooms just to make it a larger dish.
Oh I love the idea to add mushrooms and zucchini, Liz! So nutritious! Thanks so much for your comment and rating!!
Easy and delicious!!! We added a can of tomato paste at the recommendation of my Indian friend and omitted the coconut milk (so we did also have to add some water towards the end for moisture). We also added frozen spinach, corn, cauliflower, and carrots. We will be making this again for sure!
That sounds delicious, Maryann! So happy you enjoyed the recipe – thanks for the comment and rating 🙂
I am low on cholesterol, but also low on iron and red blood cells, so I eat mostly red meats. I am going to substitute extra lean ground sirloin for the turkey. I’ll let you know how it comes out.
What a great idea! I can’t wait to hear what you think, Janice!
I tried this tonight and left out the chilli as I was making it for our family including two young kids. Everyone loved it and it was soo easy to make, this will now be a staple in our household. Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Yay, Susanna!! I’m so happy to hear the littles enjoyed it, too! Thanks so much for your comment and rating! 🙂
Hi,
Looking for the oz for the serving size you have listed for this recipe
Hi Megan! Sorry, but I do not have an exact oz measurement for these servings. I just divide the entire recipe into 4 equal portions. Thank you for your question!
Such a good, easy weeknight recipe! I served over cauliflower rice and spinach and added chopped carrots.
Love how you added all of the extra veggies. Thanks so much for your comment and rating 🙂
I don’t have Garmin Marsala. Is there anything I could sub for it instead?
Great question, Erin! You can substitute the garam masala with 1/4 teaspoon extra of cumin 1/4 teaspoon extra of curry powder, 1/4 teaspoon coriander (OK if you do not have this!) and a pinch of cinnamon. Can’t wait to hear how it turns out for you!
Love this recipe! Wondering if you think it would work with chicken thighs in a slow cooker?
So happy you enjoy it, Jenn!! That is a wonderful idea and I think it absolutely would! I would probably recommend getting the boneless, skinless so you can shred them easily once it is done cooking and do it on High – 4-5 hours, or Low – 6-8 hours. You also might want to add just a touch more liquid so it does not burn! Would love to know how this turns out for you!
If I wanted to add in some riced cauliflower( frozen) when should I at it in? After the turkey coooks…or maybe just last few mins?
Hi Lisa! Great question! Personally, I like my cauliflower rice a little on the crispy side and would suggest sauteeing it up with a bit of butter or oil in a separate skillet and then serving the curry on top. You can also try adding it into the curry during the last 5 or so minutes, but it might get a bit soggy! Would love to know what you end up trying and how it works out for you! 🙂
This came out great! I did sauté the riced cauliflower in a separate pan with a little evoo, salt, pepper and a dash of curry and it was perfect! This will definitely be in regular rotation! Thanks for sharing this awesome easy weeknight recipe! Definitely will be sharing with my foodie freinds!!
Yay, Lisa!! I am SO happy it came out great with the riced cauliflower. Thanks so much for letting me know and for your rating 🙂