Kristin Maxwell
Published on
Burrito Bowls with Ground Turkey
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These easy Chipotle-inspired Burrito Bowls are loaded with flavorful ground turkey taco meat, rice, black beans, and a variety of other toppings. Everyone can customize their own Mexican bowls for a winning dinner that will quickly become a favorite!
Fill your burrito bowl with all your favorite Mexican sides and toppings, like Mexican Rice, Black Beans, and Pico de Gallo.
Table of Contents
Why We Love Burrito Bowls
- Cheaper and Faster – If you’ve ever eaten at Chipotle, you know the love people have for their delicious Burrito Bowls. The real beauty is, you can actually make them at home for a fraction of the price and in about as much time as it takes to drive there.
- Customize – Just like the restaurant, you can line up the toppings so each person can easily customize their own turkey taco bowl with their favorite toppings.
- Healthy Dinner Alternative – I used ground turkey for the protein, so these bowls are lighter than the average one you might get from take-out. And you can skip the rice or use brown rice if you prefer, then just pile on the beans and veggies.
Ingredients for Burrito Bowls
Similar to a Taco Bowl, but still unique on its own, Burrito bowls are so versatile, you can fill them with just about anything you like!
- Taco Meat – My bowl is topped with flavor-packed taco meat, made a little lighter with lean ground turkey. The taco meat is made with ground turkey, salsa, and taco seasoning, but you could also add some additional veggies, like peas and carrots, to round out this dish as a full meal.
- Rice – In the recipe below, and for simplicity, the base of the burrito bowl is white rice, but you could whip up a batch Cilantro Lime Rice, Coconut Rice, Spanish rice, or even Rice Pilaf.
- Toppings – You can top your burrito bowl with all sorts of delicious flavors, like corn and black beans, creamy avocado, shredded cheese, tomatoes, green onions, and sour cream. Every bite is packed with all the flavors, or your favorite loaded burrito without the tortilla.
Fun Fact:
The ground turkey taco meat is the same base that I used for my Turkey Taco Pasta and Stuffed Peppers.
How To Make Burrito Bowls
This is a visual overview of the steps to make this recipe. Get a detailed list of ingredients & instructions in the recipe card below.
This recipe couldn’t be easier! Just whip up some taco meat and choose your favorite toppings.
Make the taco meat. Cook a pound of ground turkey with some onion and garlic. If your turkey is releasing a lot of liquid during cooking, you may want to drain it before adding anything else. Add your favorite salsa, some taco seasoning and water and simmer for 10-15 minutes. The mixture will reduce and thicken a bit as it – it’s done when it’s reduced by about half. Sometimes I’ll stir in some cheese, too.
Prep the toppings. While the turkey taco meat is simmering away, prep the toppings. We almost always have some leftover rice in the freezer so I just heat that up, however you could whip up a fresh batch if you like. Toppings can be whatever you enjoy; I will usually put out a variety of options to let every one customize their own bowl.
Serve. Scoop some rice and meat in flat-bottomed bowls and let your family go to town choosing their favorite toppings!
FAQs
Can you freeze leftover taco meat?
Sometimes I will make a double or even triple batch of the taco meat and yes, it freezes beautifully! Just scoop out the portion you plan to freeze to a separate bowl and let it cool completely. Then transfer it to a freezer bag, label it and freeze for up to 6 months.
Can you make the meat ahead of time?
Cook the taco meat up to a day ahead, then reheat in a skillet or even the microwave when it’s time to eat. Most toppings can be prepped ahead of time as well.
Toppings Suggestions
Anything you might put in a burrito, you can put in these bowls! Here are some of my favorite toppings:
- Rice or quinoa
- Slow Cooker Mexican Beans
- Avocado slices or guacamole
- Salsa: Fresh Homemade Salsa, Peach Salsa, Mango Salsa, or Pineapple Salsa
- Cheese
- Diced tomatoes
- Green onions
- Limes
- Sliced jalapenos
- Sour cream
- Jalapeno Ranch
Expert Tips
- Use any kind of protein you like. Ground turkey is my personal favorite, but ground beef, fish, shredded chicken, or Carne Asada are some other delicious options.
- Set up a toppings bar. Let everyone customize their own bowls with the toppings they want.
- Serve some fresh Homemade Flour Tortillas on the side for the ultimate burrito feast.
- Store leftover meat in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in a skillet or in the microwave.
More Mexican Recipes You’ll Love
- Dorito Taco Salad Casserole
- Authentic Tacos Al Pastor
- Taco Stuffed Baked Potatoes
- Creamy Taco Pasta Salad
- Taco Stuffed Bread
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Ground Turkey Burrito Bowl
Burrito Bowls are loaded with flavorful ground turkey, rice, black beans and a variety of toppings. Easy to customize for a winning dinner!
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 35 mins
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey
- ¾ cup diced onion
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup salsa
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- ¾ cup water
- 2 cups cooked rice
- Optional toppings: Shredded cheese, diced tomatoes, corn, black beans, avocado, green onions, shredded lettuces, lime wedges, cilantro
Instructions
- Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until soft; 3-4 minutes. Add ground turkey and garlic and cook until meat is no longer pink; about 5 minutes. Drain any liquid and return meat mixture to the pan.
- Stir in salsa, taco seasoning and water. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until sauce is thickened and reduced.
- To assemble: Layer cooked rice into the bottom of 4 serving bowls. Top with turkey taco meat and other toppings as desired.
Notes
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and does not include optional toppings.
Store leftover meat in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in a skillet or in the microwave. Meat can also be frozen for up to 6 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 265kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 30gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 62mgSodium: 621mgPotassium: 597mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 458IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 42mgIron: 1mg
I love this over Spanish rice.
Nice! Thanks for stopping by Rebecca.