Description
A quick and healthy one-pan dinner, this Ground Turkey Zucchini Skillet combines lean turkey, tender zucchini, and bold spices into a flavorful 30-minute meal. Perfect for busy weeknights, meal prep, or anyone looking to eat clean without sacrificing taste.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound lean ground turkey (or lean ground beef if preferred)
- 1 teaspoon salt (divided)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper (divided)
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1½ tablespoon olive or avocado oil
- 2 medium zucchini, cubed
- 1 bell pepper (any color), cut into ¾ inch pieces
- ½ white or yellow onion, cut into ¾ inch pieces
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 5 ounces fresh baby spinach
Instructions
- Add ground turkey to a large skillet on the stovetop. Use a spatula to crumble the meat. Cook on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until browned.
- Stir in salt, pepper, chili powder, oregano, paprika, and minced garlic. Sauté for one more minute so garlic is golden in color. Remove meat mixture from pan and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add oil to skillet with zucchini, onion, and bell pepper. Sprinkle with salt, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, basil, paprika, and pepper. Stir and sauté until onion is translucent and vegetables are tender, about 5-10 minutes.
- Return cooked ground turkey to the skillet. Add water, tomato paste, and fresh spinach. Stir, cover, and simmer for 5-10 minutes until warmed through and spinach is wilted.
Notes
- Don’t overcrowd the pan when browning turkey – this ensures proper browning instead of steaming
- Cut all vegetables to similar sizes for even cooking and better presentation
- Ground turkey can dry out quickly, so don’t overcook it during the initial browning phase
- Fresh spinach wilts dramatically, so don’t be alarmed when 5 ounces reduces to a small amount
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in airtight containers
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Skillet
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 590mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 80mg
Keywords: turkey skillet dinner, ground turkey meal, zucchini recipes, low-carb skillet, one-pan dinner, turkey and veggie stir fry, healthy meal prep, 30-minute dinner