Family-friendly Turkey Taco Meat made with ground turkey, rice, canned tomatoes, everyday veggies, and a few pantry ingredients. Enjoy as an entree or as a Mexican filling. Includes stove and Instant Pot instructions.
Turkey Taco Meat with Rice
Here’s a super simple Mexican dish. It’s ground turkey taco meat made with rice…in one skillet…or in the Instant Pot. Boom!
It’s perfect for game day, Taco Tuesday, or busy-week burrito meal prep that you’re planning to freeze.
I love it that one pot of this can be so flippin’ delicious, and versatile, and gets me through a busy week!
If I’m using it for meal prep, once it’s cooked and cooled, I simply store it in the fridge in an airtight container. I then dish it out through the week into a taco salad, burritos, enchiladas, nachos…you name it!
That’s if I’m being civilized, of course, because sometimes I just scoop it right out of the skillet with tortilla chips…and call it dinner!
I know…so classy!
Turkey taco meat: Stove Instructions
Ground turkey, white rice, tomatoes, and taco seasonings are simmered to create a quick skillet dinner or a tasty filling for your favorite Mexican foods. Here’s the step by step with photos. You can grab the full recipe below!
Step 1. Saute onion and garlic in olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
Step 2. Add ground turkey and cook through, stirring as needed. Then add uncooked rice and saute briefly.
Step 3. Add canned tomatoes, chicken stock, and seasoning.
Step 4. Bring it to a boil, cover, and simmer until the rice is cooked through; serve warm as an entree or as a filling for your favorite Mexican foods.
Turkey taco meat: Instant Pot Instructions
Step 1: Place stainless insert in the Instant Pot, press the “Saute” button and add olive oil. When the Instant Pot liner is hot, add and saute onions and garlic, stirring as needed. Add ground turkey and saute until cooked through.
Step 2: Then add remaining ingredients to the Instant Pot: rice, tomatoes, chicken broth, water (if needed), and seasonings. Stir to combine.
Step 3: Close and lock the lid, turn the steam release knob to “sealed” position; set Instant Pot to Manual +4 minutes.
Step 4: When the cooking cycle is complete, allow the pot to sit, untouched for about 15 minutes. This is called natural pressure release. Then, carefully turn the steam release knob to fully depressurize the Instant Pot (takes 2-4 minutes). Stir the pot for even distribution of ingredients. Serve warm as an entree or use as a filling for your favorite Mexican recipes.
* see full recipe below
Turkey Taco Meat Ingredients
olive oil – You can also use extra-virgin olive oil or any neutral-flavored oil for that matter.
red onion – I’m crazy about red onions…what can I say?! Any onions will work for taco meat.
fresh garlic – Huge fan of fresh garlic for just about everything! You could use garlic powder if you have no fresh on hand.
ground turkey – Try to buy lean ground turkey (white meat) as opposed to non-lean, which can be just as fatty as beef.
long-grain white rice (uncooked) – The beauty of this recipe is that you don’t have to cook the rice separately. Everything is done in one pot.
canned diced tomatoes – Try to buy the low sodium version of diced tomatoes so you can be in control of the salt.
chicken broth – This is another ingredient where you can buy a low sodium broth…I always do!
water – This is only necessary if you feel you need to add more water to cover your ingredients in the skillet or in the instant pot.
taco seasoning – Who doesn’t love the convenience and flavor of taco seasoning?
Kosher salt – You can also use fine sea salt, but you’ll want to cut the amount in half that of the Kosher salt.
Recommended Kitchen Tools
- chef knife and cutting board
- Non-stick skillet or 6 qt Instant Pot
- silicone spoon
Hey wait! No beans?
Nope.
It’s crazy, but not everyone can eat beans…and sometimes I like to take breaks from them.
So, this recipe is dedicated to my bean-free readers.
But, if you want ’em…knock yourself out! Just add a can of drained, rinsed beans to the skillet before you simmer it. Boom!
Grab these healthy, Mexican recipes
10-Minute Cilantro Lime Brown Rice
Restaurant Style Salsa in 5 Minutes
30-Minute Vegetarian Skillet Enchiladas
Turkey Taco Meat Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1/4 large Red Onion diced
- 4 cloves Garlic finely grated
- 1 lb Ground Turkey
- 1 cup Long Grain White Rice uncooked
- 1 14.5-oz can No Salt Added Diced Tomatoes don’t drain
- 1 cup Reduced-Sodium Chicken Broth
- 1 cup Water may need to adjust
- 2 Tbsp Taco Seasoning
- 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
Instructions
Taco Meat Stove Instructions
- Heat OLIVE OIL In a nonstick skillet on medium-high heat.
- Add ONIONS and GARLIC; saute until tender (about 2 minutes).
- Add GROUND TURKEY and break into small pieces with a cooking utensil; saute until cooked through, stirring as needed (4-5 minutes).
- Add UNCOOKED RICE, TOMATOES, CHICKEN BROTH, WATER, TACO SEASONING, and SALT; stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil and maintain that for about 5 minutes, stirring as needed.
- Cover; reduce heat to med-low and simmer 15 minutes or until rice is cooked through. You can cook a little longer if there's excess liquid, or add a little water if you like it saucier.
- Serve warm as a filling/topping for burritos, nachos, tacos, or quesadillas. Garnish with any of the following: green onions, lime, cilantro, sour cream, Mexican cheese.
Taco Meat Instant Pot Instructions
- Select "Sauté" on the Instant Pot and heat the OLIVE OIL.
- When the display reads "Hot", add ONIONS and GARLIC; saute until tender (about 2 minutes).
- Add GROUND TURKEY and break into small pieces with a cooking utensil; saute until cooked through, stirring as needed (4-5 minutes).
- Then add UNCOOKED RICE to the pot and allow it to saute for a few minutes, stirring as needed.
- Stir in TOMATOES, CHICKEN BROTH, WATER, TACO SEASONING, and SALT.
- Press the "Cancel" function on the Instant Pot. Secure the lid and turn the pressure release valve to the "Sealing" position.
- Select "Manual" and set the Instant Pot on "High" pressure for +4 minutes.
- When the cycle completes, allow the Instant Pot to sit for 10 minutes, undisturbed, for a natural pressure release (NPR).
- Then, using an oven mitt for protection, release any remaining steam by turning the pressure release valve to the "Venting" position.
- The cooker automatically goes into "Keep Warm" mode until you shut it off.
Serving and storage instructions
- Serve warm as a filling for all Mexican food (tacos, burritos, nachos, enchiladas, and quesadillas.Refrigerate in an airtight container up to five days.
RECIPE NOTES
Nutrition
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I love how healthy and delicious this looks! Also I am a fan of cooking in the skillet like you. Great family dinner recipe right here!
Thanks, Adrianne! Yep I love the skillet AND the instant pot for taco meat 🙂 Both are easy and delicious!
Yum this looks so good! We are pretty crazy about tacos over in my house, but I’ve never made them with ground beef together with the rice! I’m sure the tomatoes make it very soft- looks delicious.
Thanks so much, Estelle! Sounds like you’ll really enjoy this recipe 🙂
What a delicious recipe! I am adding this to my dinner line up for the week! Yum!
Awesome, Sara! Enjoy this one! We sure do 🙂
How delicious. I love the way the rice cooks with the turkey and all of the flavors. Would love having a big batch of this at the ready all week long!
Thanks, Valentina! You have the exact idea…enjoy! 🙂
I made this for dinner last night and it was so incredible! Thank you so much for sharing the recipe!
Awesome, Jessica…so glad you enjoyed it 🙂 We really love this taco meat!
This looks and sounds so delicious and easy! I love one pot meals on busy days coming up as schools start next week!
★★★★★
Thanks, Sonia! Hope you love this one! Happy school year to you 🙂
This is so quick and easy to make! Perfect for a quick and easy dinner.
Thanks, Sapana! Yes, hope you enjoy it! 🙂
I love taco seasoning and easy Mexican recipes. This skillet is absolutely amazing. I will be making it often.
Thanks Edyta! So glad you enjoy it! 🙂
Oooh this is so perfect for busy nights! I like making Instant Pot turkey tacos but it’s so nice to have a skillet option, too, sometimes it’s actually faster that way!
Thanks, Monica! I love making this in my Instant Pot too, but the skillet version was my first love 😉
Such a simple and fun meal, great for a weeknight. I am a big fan of turkey and love using it for the extra protein boost.
Thanks, Ksenia! Yes, I’m all for that protein boost and simple ways to get it 🙂
Just made this in the Instant Pot and knocked it out of the park! Perfect filling for tacos, enchiladas, and burritos. I’m not the cook in our house, but I am tonight with THIS recipe. Thanks Kitchen Girl!
Aww thanks, Jeff! The Instant Pot is your new secret weapon 😉
This looks so quick and flavourful!
Thanks Kate! I may be biased, but I have to say…it is both 😉
awesome idea for easy weeknight meals. so many different ways to make this too! and i love that ground turkey is healthy.
Thanks Danielle! Yes…SO many ways! It’s a staple around here 🙂
I love making tacos with turkey instead of beef!! So good!
Thanks Tisha! I’m right there with you…so tasty too!
I love all things taco and especially love one-pot/pan meals. This is definitely ticking all of the boxes for me! My husband would be very into this, too.
Thanks Lauren! Hope you can enjoy it sometime 🙂
This looks so tasty! And super simple for those busy week nights!
Thanks Kristina…yep, perfect for busy weeknights 🙂
This looks so comforting and delicious, it’s on my list of this to make this week!
Wooohooo! Hope you love it like we do! 🙂
Taco flavored anything is a hit in our house. Love Mexican food. Love how easy this dish is too!
Saaaame here, Jenn! And it is so easy 🙂
I can see this in our weeknight rotation!!
Yaaay Marvellina! I’d be honored 🙂
What a creative way to use turkey, I love it! Ground turkey is so convenient and healthy, but I never seem to have enough recipes for it, thanks!
Thanks Sue! Great feedback 🙂