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Spicy Korean-Style Ground Turkey Recipe

Spicy Korean-Style Ground Turkey Recipe

This Spicy Korean-Style Ground Turkey Recipe is a quick and flavorful weeknight meal that combines lean ground turkey with bold Korean spices like gochujang, garlic, and sesame oil. Ready in under 30 minutes, it delivers a perfect balance of heat, sweetness, and umami, making it ideal for rice bowls, lettuce wraps, or noodle dishes. Versatile and easy to customize, this dish is both healthy and family-friendly.

Ingredients

Scale

Main Ingredients

  • 1 lb lean ground turkey
  • 2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chili paste)
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
  • 3 green onions, sliced
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Instructions

  1. Prep Your Ingredients: Finely mince the garlic and ginger, wash and slice the green onions, and measure out the gochujang, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes to have everything ready for cooking.
  2. Sauté the Aromatics: Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and ginger and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant but not browned to create a flavorful base.
  3. Cook the Ground Turkey: Add the ground turkey to the skillet, breaking it up with a spatula. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the turkey is no longer pink and begins to brown, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking.
  4. Add the Sauce Mix: Stir in gochujang, soy sauce, brown sugar, and optional red pepper flakes. Mix thoroughly so the meat is evenly coated, and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
  5. Finish With Sesame Oil and Green Onions: Turn off the heat, drizzle sesame oil over the turkey mixture, toss in the chopped green onions, and stir gently for an added burst of fresh flavor and color.

Notes

  • Use fresh gochujang for the best flavor; good-quality alternatives are available if fresh is not accessible.
  • Allow the turkey to brown well to enhance flavor through caramelization.
  • Adjust soy sauce and brown sugar amounts to balance the sweet and spicy flavors to your liking.
  • Add red pepper flakes gradually, tasting as you go, to control the heat level.
  • Serve immediately for best taste, though leftovers store well and reheat nicely.

Nutrition

Keywords: spicy, Korean, ground turkey, quick, healthy, weeknight dinner, gochujang, sesame oil, lean protein