Korean-Style Ground Turkey (Printable Version)

Quick Korean-inspired ground turkey with spicy-sweet glaze, garlic, ginger, and sesame seeds. Ready in 30 minutes.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Sauce

01 - 1/4 cup soy sauce (low sodium preferred)
02 - 2 teaspoons cornstarch
03 - 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar, packed
04 - 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes

→ Turkey

05 - 2 tablespoons sesame oil
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
08 - 15 ounces ground turkey

→ Finishes and Garnish

09 - 6 tablespoons chives, chopped
10 - 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

→ To Serve

11 - Steamed white or brown rice
12 - Steamed or sautéed vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, or carrots

# Method:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, cornstarch, brown sugar, and red chili flakes until cornstarch is fully dissolved. Set aside.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sesame oil. Once hot, add minced garlic and grated ginger; stir-fry for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
03 - Add ground turkey to the skillet. Cook, breaking it up with a spatula, until no longer pink and cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes.
04 - Pour the prepared soy sauce mixture into the skillet. Stir well to coat the turkey. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on high heat, allowing the sauce to thicken and turn glossy. If sauce becomes too thick, add 1 tablespoon of water.
05 - Stir in chopped chives, reserving some for garnish. Remove from heat.
06 - Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and remaining chives. Serve hot over steamed rice with vegetables of choice.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • Everything comes together in one skillet in under half an hour, which means less cleanup and more time to actually enjoy dinner.
  • The sauce turns glossy and clings to every bit of turkey, giving you that restaurant quality finish without any tricky techniques.
  • It's flexible enough to handle whatever vegetables you have wilting in the crisper drawer.
02 -
  • Don't skip toasting the sesame seeds, I tried using them straight from the jar once and the nutty depth was completely missing.
  • If your sauce thickens too much and starts to look pasty instead of glossy, add water one tablespoon at a time while stirring until it loosens back up.
03 -
  • Use a large skillet or wok so the turkey has room to brown instead of steaming in its own juices.
  • Grate the ginger with the peel still on, it saves time and the peel practically disappears once it's grated fine enough.
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