Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Bake (Printable Version)
Hearty turkey and sweet potato casserole with vegetables, spiced to perfection and baked until golden.
# Ingredient List:
→ Meats
01 - 1 lb ground turkey
→ Vegetables
02 - 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (about 3 cups)
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
06 - 2 cups baby spinach
→ Pantry & Spices
07 - 2 tbsp olive oil
08 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
09 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme
10 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
11 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
12 - 1/4 tsp chili powder
13 - 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
14 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
15 - 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
→ Toppings
16 - 1/2 cup shredded dairy-free cheese or regular cheddar cheese
17 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and bell pepper, sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened.
03 - Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add the ground turkey, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook until browned and cooked through, about 5-6 minutes.
05 - Stir in smoked paprika, thyme, oregano, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
06 - Add the diced sweet potatoes to the skillet. Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sweet potatoes begin to soften.
07 - Stir in the baby spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 minute.
08 - Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon olive oil.
09 - Sprinkle with shredded cheese, if using.
10 - Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
11 - Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes until the sweet potatoes are tender and the top is golden.
12 - Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Everything cooks in one pan before hitting the oven, meaning less cleanup and more flavor development
- The sweet potatoes become perfectly tender while soaking up all those savory spices
- It reheats beautifully for lunch the next day, maybe even better than fresh
02 -
- Don't skip the step of simmering the sweet potatoes in the skillet, they'll finish cooking in the oven but this head start ensures they're creamy not crunchy
- The foil tent in the first 20 minutes of baking is crucial, it traps steam to cook the potatoes through before the final browning
03 -
- Cut your sweet potatoes slightly smaller than you think you need, they shrink during cooking and larger pieces take forever to soften
- Let the ground turkey get really browned in spots before adding the spices, those crispy bits add incredible depth