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Home | Recipes | Korean Ground Turkey Rice Bowls

Korean Ground Turkey Rice Bowls

Published on August 31, 2023 by Stephanie Kay

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Ready in 20 minutes, full of color and flavor, these Korean-inspired ground turkey and rice bowls are perfect for a healthy, quick, and easy weeknight dinner.

Ground turkey rice bowls with Korean sauce, cucumber, carrots, green onion, and sesame seed with chopsticks.

These ground turkey rice bowls are perfect for a night you want a tasty meal but you’re short on time. Whether it’s been a long day at the office or you’re in a rush to get the kids to practice, these bowls go from fridge to table in minutes without forgoing nutrition or flavor.

Not to mention, they keep well in the fridge and freezer, which makes them a wonderful make-ahead meal that you can prep and enjoy for healthy lunches or dinners for days or weeks to come.

Closeup of Korean ground turkey and rice in white bowls with gochujang and cucumber on the side.

Why You’ll Love This Ground Turkey Rice Bowl Recipe

  • Quick and Easy – This recipe can be made in less than 20 minutes and is super simple to prepare.
  • High in Protein – With almost 30 grams of protein per serving, these ground turkey and rice bowls are protein-packed.
  • Full of Flavor – Covered in a sweet, salty, and spicy Korean-inspired sauce, these bowls are full of flavor and you can make them as spicy as you like.
  • Great for Meal Prep – These turkey and rice bowls are a great meal prep recipe for lunches.
Ingredients for Korean ground turkey rice bowl recipe; ground turkey, soy sauce, gochujang, garlic, rice, shredded carrots, and sliced cucumber.

Ingredients You’ll Need

  • Ground Turkey – You can use white or dark, 99% or 94% lean ground turkey. You could also use ground chicken or ground beef.
  • Rice – You can use jasmine rice, basmati rice, long-grain rice, or brown rice.
  • Sesame Oil – To cook the ground turkey and add some flavor. You can also use olive oil or avocado oil.
  • Soy Sauce – To season the turkey and make the sauce.
  • Brown Sugar – To balance the saltiness. You can use honey or maple syrup if you prefer.
  • Rice Vinegar – To balance the saltiness and sweetness. If you don’t have rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar will also work.
  • Gochujang – This fermented Korean chili paste adds heat and flavor. If you can’t find gochujang, you can use sambal oelek, sriracha, or another red chili paste.
  • Green Onion – To flavor and season the ground turkey.
  • Garlic – To flavor the turkey.
  • Carrots – To add some color and fiber. You can add the carrots cooked or raw.
  • Cucumber – To add some crunch and balance the spice.
  • Sesame Seeds – A sprinkle to serve.

If you want to make these bowls extra spicy, you can add additional red chili paste, hot sauce, or serve them with red pepper flakes on top.

Dietary Adaptions

To Make it Dairy-Free: No adaptations are needed, this recipe is dairy-free.

To Make it Gluten-Free: Swap the soy sauce for gluten-free tamari or coconut aminos.

To Make it Low-Carb: Serve the bowls with cauliflower rice instead of white rice.

To Make it Low-Sodium: Use low-sodium soy sauce.

Cooked ground turkey in a cast iron skillet with sesame oil.
Cooked ground turkey in a cast iron skillet with soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, garlic, green onion, and gochujang on top.

How to Make Ground Turkey Rice Bowls

  1. Cook the rice. Add rice and water to a pot, bring to a boil, and cook until rice is tender and fluffy.
  2. Make the sauce. In a small bowl, add the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and brown sugar and whisk to combine.
  3. Cook the turkey. Warm the sesame oil in a pan on medium-high heat, add ground turkey and green onions, and cook, breaking up the turkey with a spatula.
  4. Add the sauce. Add the soy sauce mixture, garlic, and gochujang, mixing until the sauce has thickened and is well incorporated with the ground turkey.
  5. Make the bowls. Once the rice and turkey are fully cooked, assemble the bowls with rice, turkey, carrots, cucumber, and sesame seeds on top. You can also add some red pepper flakes for extra heat, as desired.
  6. Serve and enjoy!

You can find the detailed instructions in the recipe card below.

Cooked Korean ground turkey.

Red’s Nutrition Tip

These ground turkey rice bowls are high in protein and full of complex carbohydrates and healthy fats. If you wanted to add more fiber, I would recommend adding more carrots, or some cabbage, broccoli, or green beans.

Make Ahead Tips

To make these ground turkey rice bowls ahead of time, I recommend cooking all the ingredients and assembling the bowls with the rice, ground turkey, and carrots in separate storage containers, and only adding the cucumber, green onion, and sesame seeds when you are ready to serve.

White bowl with cooked rice, cooked turkey in spicy Korean sauce, and veggies.

Best Type of Rice to Use

I used jasmine rice in my recipe; however, basmati or long-grain white rice will also work. You could also use brown rice if you prefer. Moreover, you can use parboiled rice if you want to reduce the cooking time.

Other Ways to Serve this Korean Ground Turkey

In addition to working well in rice bowls, this Korean-style ground turkey works well with noodles, in lettuce cups or lettuce wraps, in instant noodle cups, or on top of an Asian-inspired salad.

Closeup of a Korean ground turkey rice bowl with gochujang, sesame seeds, green onion, sliced cucumber, and shredded carrots.

Storage + Reheating

To Store: Allow the bowls to cool completely, then cover them with a lid in airtight meal prep containers and store them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

To Freeze: Once the bowls have cooled completely, cover them with a lid in an airtight container, and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To Reheat: You can reheat thawed turkey meal prep bowls in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or until warm. If using frozen bowls, remove them from the freezer and allow them to that overnight in the fridge before reheating.

More Easy Ground Turkey Recipes:

  • Teriyaki Ground Turkey Meal Prep Bowls
  • Turkey Pumpkin Chili
  • Spinach and Feta Turkey Burgers
  • Turkey Taco Skillet
  • Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs
Print
Ground turkey rice bowls with Korean sauce, cucumber, carrots, green onion, and sesame seed with chopsticks.

Korean Ground Turkey Rice Bowls

Author: Stephanie Kay

These ground turkey and rice bowls are perfect for a quick and easy weeknight dinner or meal prep idea.

  • Author: Stephanie Kay
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4 bowls
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Asian
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Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups white rice, dry
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 pound ground turkey
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons gochujang, or other red chili paste
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups carrots, shredded
  • 1 cup cucumber, thinly sliced
  • Sesame seeds, to serve

Instructions

  1. In a pot, combine the rice with 3 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, and allow to cook covered for 15 minutes, or as per package directions, until it can be fluffed with a fork.
  2. In a small bowl, add the soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar and whisk until well combined. Set aside.
  3. In a large skillet or cast-iron pan on medium-high heat, warm the sesame oil, then add ground turkey and cook, breaking it apart with a spatula or wooden spoon into small pieces, for 2-3 minutes until partly cooked. Add sliced green onions (white parts only) and cook for an additional minute until the turkey is mostly cooked.
  4. Pour the soy sauce mixture over the turkey and add minced garlic and gochujang on top. Mix until well incorporated in the turkey, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until the sauce has thickened and coated the turkey.
  5. Optional: While the turkey is finishing cooking, add the shredded carrots to a separate small pan with a small drizzle of sesame oil and cook for 2-3 minutes until slightly tender. If you prefer to add the shredded carrots raw, you can skip this step.
  6. Once the ground turkey and rice are cooked, assemble the bowls by layering the bottom of the bowl with some fluffy rice, topping it with some cooked ground turkey, a bit of shredded carrot and sliced cucumber, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds and sliced green onions (green parts only).
  7. Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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    Comments

    1. Sara C says

      September 12, 2023 at 3:44 pm

      Thanks for this which is already a family favourite. It’s so quick and easy to make and absolutely delicious!

      Reply
      • Stephanie Kay says

        September 13, 2023 at 8:51 am

        I’m happy to hear it’s a family favorite! 🙂

        Reply
    2. Françoise says

      September 12, 2023 at 5:40 pm

      Very good

      Reply
    3. Nancy T says

      September 12, 2023 at 6:45 pm

      Really enjoyed this. I did sauté the carrots ahead of time and liked the way it worked in the bowl.

      Reply
      • Stephanie Kay says

        September 13, 2023 at 8:47 am

        Thank you for sharing!

        Reply
    4. Erin says

      September 13, 2023 at 10:40 am

      Absolutely perfect, we loved it!

      Reply
    5. Jane Apiata says

      September 14, 2023 at 10:17 am

      The meals are different but very filling colorful as well which makes you wanna eat love the recipes thank you

      Reply
    6. Beth says

      January 13, 2024 at 2:02 am

      What is the nutritional information without the rice?

      Reply
      • Stephanie Kay says

        January 13, 2024 at 6:57 am

        Without the rice, they are 267 calories, 24 grams protein, 12 grams fat, 16 grams carbohydrate, 9 grams sugar, and 2 grams fiber.

        Reply
    7. Julie says

      March 20, 2024 at 8:50 am

      I found the koean ground rice bowls to be delicious! They are easy to make, have a lot of
      flavor! I can’t wait to try the other bowls!

      Reply
      • Stephanie Kay says

        March 20, 2024 at 11:14 am

        I’m happy you liked them Julie, thank you for sharing!

        Reply
    8. Fran says

      July 16, 2024 at 5:49 pm

      Quick, easy and very tasty. A healthy hit with all ages

      Reply
    9. Gretchen Toolan says

      July 16, 2024 at 7:35 pm

      My husband said “ This is freaking fantastic!” He ate a couple more bites and said, “This is Fantastic!”. As he made a second bowl, he said, “This is fantastic!” I think it’s safe to say that he enjoyed this dish. I used half the gouchang to keep the heat down. I did sauté the carrots as well as some bok choy and summer squash. Will make again for sure!

      Reply
      • Stephanie Kay says

        July 19, 2024 at 6:03 am

        Wow! I’m honored and so happy to hear that, thank you for sharing, Gretchen. 🙂

        Reply
    10. Susan says

      November 5, 2024 at 3:24 pm

      Easy to make. Absolutely delicious. A new family favorite.

      Reply
      • Stephanie Kay says

        November 6, 2024 at 7:57 am

        So happy to hear it, thanks for sharing, Susan!

        Reply
    11. Nancy says

      November 5, 2024 at 3:57 pm

      This recipe has become a regular in my meal rotation. I introduced this to my daughter and her husband and is now one of their favorites that they make on a regular basis.

      Reply
    12. Amanda Mills says

      January 5, 2025 at 8:10 pm

      Made this recipe for the first time tonight and it is SO DELICIOUS!!! I didn’t have cucomber, so I added edamame instead, and it was a perfect bowl! Immediately shared the recipe with some girlfriends!

      Reply
      • Stephanie Kay says

        January 6, 2025 at 3:40 pm

        So happy you liked it Amanda, thanks for sharing!

        Reply
    13. Anonymous says

      March 19, 2025 at 8:52 am

      Another favourite in our household! Even our toddler enjoyed it (we used a little less red chili paste to help manage the spice level). We all went for seconds – doubling the recipe next time!

      Reply
    Stephanie Kay Nutrition

    Hey, I’m Stephanie

    – AKA RED –

    I’m a nutritionist on a mission to change the way you look at food and teach you how to make real food work for real life in a realistic way.

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