The BEST EVER Ground Turkey Casserole Recipe Made In Just 30 Minutes

This ground turkey casserole is overflowing with savory flavors and rich spices. Seasoned ground turkey combines with an assortment of herbs, veggies, beans, cheese, and rice to make one of the most delicious one-pan dishes you'll ever have. Best of all though, it takes just 30 minutes to make it.

The Best Ground Turkey Casserole

If you love loaded nachos, then you are going to love this ground turkey casserole recipe. From the seasoned ground turkey and tex-mex veggies to the melty cheese on top, every bite is just so, so good!

Also, there's just something about having the option to eat it with a fork or tortilla chips that's super satisfying too. Honestly, I can't stop making this casserole on busy weeknights, especially when I, or the fam, are craving nachos.

Plus, since it takes just a few simple steps and 30 minutes to whip up, it really makes the perfect quick weeknight meal. Not to mention, it's super easy to customize this ground turkey casserole. So, you can easily make it fit everyone's tastebuds, dietary needs, and preferences in a cinch. 

By the way, this casserole goes great with these air fryer tortilla chips. Whenever we make this recipe we always make some of those chips to go along with it. They're always gone in a flash, so I highly recommend making a bunch.

Ingredients

As mentioned above, this is a super customizable recipe, so don't worry if you don't have all of the ingredients.

But, with that said, they're so simple that you might have everything you need in your kitchen already.

Anyway, here's what you'll need to make this turkey casserole:

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1–1.5 pounds ground turkey 
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• ½ tsp. cumin
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• ¼ cup Salsa Verde (or your favorite salsa)
• 2 cups Rice, cooked
• ¼ cup Cilantro, chopped
• 1 Lime
• 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese

And for topping the casserole:

• Chips
• Sour cream
• Cilantro
• Green onions

Pretty simple stuff, right?

By the way, if you have the ingredients listed above - or most of them - then you have basically everything you need to make this ground chicken casserole, walking taco casserole, or stuffed pepper casserole next!

Ingredient Substitutions And Suggestions

So, let's start from the top and work our way down.

While this is a recipe for ground turkey casserole, if you ever want to change it up you totally can! I've used ground beef and ground chicken before to make this same recipe and it always turns out just as delicious.

As for the rice, any kind of rice you prefer will work great! I've used white rice, brown rice, and even Mediterranean rice before,  and all of them taste great in this recipe. By the way, if you're trying to cut back on the carbs, you can swap the regular rice for cauliflower rice as well!

Now, when it comes to the cheese, I personally like mozzarella best. But, with that said, you can really use any kind of shredded cheese you want. Pepper jack, cheddar, and Mexican cheese all work really well to enhance the taco flavors - and vibes - in this casserole.

Oh, and for the toppings, really anything that normally goes well in tacos will be delicious in this dish too. Things like sliced avocado, sliced jalapenos, and pickled onions are some other toppings I like to add from time to time to it. So, feel free to get creative!

How To Make Ground Turkey Casserole

Alright, so, as I mentioned before, this ground turkey casserole recipe is super easy to make.

In fact, just 3 simple steps are all you'll need to follow to make it. And from start to finish, the whole process should take you less than 30 minutes. Not too shabby, eh?

Also, since everything cooks in one pan, not only is making it a breeze, but clean-up is too.

Anyway, with all of that said, let's stop wasting time and get into how to make ground this turkey casserole.

Step 1: Cook Turkey

So, first things first, you'll want to heat the olive oil in a non-stick skillet set to medium-high heat.

Then, once your pan is hot, you can add the ground turkey to it and season it with plenty of salt and pepper. Let the meat cook for a few minutes until browned on all sides.

Step 2: Build The Casserole

Next, you'll want to add all of the spices to the skillet. So that would be the chili powder, garlic powder, and cumin. Then, after you've added those, you can add the frozen corn, diced tomatoes, black beans, and salsa to it as well.

Now, once you've got the veggies in the skillet, you can let everything cook for around 15 minutes. Just make sure to stir everything occasionally to make sure it all cooks evenly. Then, once your turkey mixture is fully cooked, add the cooked rice and mix everything until it is well combined.

Finally, to finish off the casserole, top the turkey mixture with the shredded mozzarella cheese and cover your pan with the lid to allow the cheese to melt.

Step 3: Garnish And Serve

Now, once the cheese is nice and melted, you can either add your toppings directly to the casserole dish or you can serve it up and allow your guests to add their own toppings!

I usually like to dish the casserole out into bowls and then add the fresh cilantro, lime wedges, sour cream, and green onions to each one separately. Then, I'll serve it with tortilla chips on the side for dipping. 

Enjoy!

How To Store Ground Turkey Casserole

This recipe for ground turkey casserole will make about 6 servings. So, as I said, it's perfect for a big family dinner!

Now, this may seem obvious, but casseroles really do make the best leftovers. So, if you think your guests will want seconds, then definitely consider making a double - or triple - batch of this recipe!

With that said, to store your ground turkey casserole leftovers, just transfer them from the skillet to a casserole dish with a lid or another kind of airtight container. Stored this way, it'll keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.

By the way, if you want your casserole to last longer, you can freeze it for up to 6 months.

Oh, also, I recommend storing the toppings separately from the casserole, as this will make it easier to reheat the following day.

How To Reheat Ground Turkey Casserole

So, the easiest way to reheat a large portion of the casserole is to put it in a baking dish and warm it in a heated oven at 350°F for about about 10-12 minutes or until thoroughly warm.

Alternatively, to heat it up quicker, you can put some of this ground turkey casserole in a microwave-safe bowl and heat it in 30-second increments, stirring between each one until warm.

Lastly, when it comes to reheating a frozen casserole, I recommend reheating it in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the cheese melts and it's warmed through.

FAQs About This Ground Turkey Casserole

What to add to ground turkey to give it flavor?

Ground turkey tastes best when it is seasoned with salt and pepper, and then cooked alongside flavorful ingredients - like in this recipe. Also, turkey absorbs other flavors really well, making it a good protein choice to elevate with spices - chili powder, garlic powder, and onion powder all go great with it.

How do I cook turkey without drying it out?

The key to properly cooking ground turkey without drying it out is to have patience while cooking it. If you cook the meat at too high of heat, it will cause it to dry out. So, "low and slow" is the best way to cook turkey and keep it juicy. 

Wrapping It Up

Well, that's how to make ground turkey casserole from scratch!

I know I'm biased, but I think this is one of the best ground turkey recipes you can make.

Plus, it's quick and easy to put together - I mean, everything does cook in just one pan - and it turns out absolutely delicious every single time. Not to mention, it's pretty easy to customize, so everyone is guaranteed to love it - even the picky eaters!

Well, I hope you like this casserole recipe as much as my family and I do.

As always, if you give this recipe a try, leave a comment below and tell us how it went!

More Casserole Recipes

If you're looking for more easy weeknight meals, we have a ton of other casserole recipes that you can try next!

Check these out:

• Chicken divan
• Cheeseburger casserole
• Chicken pot pie casserole
• Crack chicken casserole
• Sausage casserole
  
• Philly cheesesteak casserole
• Broccoli rice casserole

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