Ground Turkey Rice Bowls (Printable)

Seasoned turkey and crisp veggies over rice, drizzled with a creamy spicy Bang Bang sauce.

# What You Need:

→ Bang Bang Sauce

01 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
02 - 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
03 - 1 tablespoon Sriracha, adjusted to taste
04 - 1 tablespoon honey
05 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

→ Ground Turkey

06 - 1 pound ground turkey
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
09 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
10 - 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
11 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
12 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Rice Bowls

13 - 2 cups cooked jasmine or long-grain white rice
14 - 1 cup shredded carrots
15 - 1 cup thinly sliced cucumber
16 - 1/2 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
17 - 1/4 cup chopped scallions
18 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, optional
19 - Fresh cilantro or mint for garnish, optional

# Directions:

01 - In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, Sriracha, honey, and rice vinegar until completely smooth and well combined. Set aside.
02 - Heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and grated ginger, sautéing for about 1 minute until fragrant. Add the ground turkey, breaking it apart with a spatula into small crumbles. Season with soy sauce, salt, and black pepper. Continue cooking for 7 to 9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the turkey is no longer pink and has developed a light caramelization.
03 - Divide the cooked rice evenly among four serving bowls. Layer each bowl with the seasoned ground turkey, shredded carrots, sliced cucumber, and red bell pepper.
04 - Drizzle the Bang Bang sauce generously over each assembled bowl. Sprinkle with chopped scallions and sesame seeds. Garnish with fresh cilantro or mint leaves if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The Bang Bang sauce is the kind of thing you will want to put on everything from roasted broccoli to Tuesday night leftovers.
  • Ground turkey cooks fast and absorbs flavor like a sponge which makes this feel like a real meal with almost no effort.
  • Everything comes together in about half an hour so it fits into that narrow window between getting hungry and ordering takeout.
02 -
  • Do not rush the turkey browning because those crispy bits are where most of the flavor lives.
  • Taste the sauce before you add it to the bowl and adjust the Sriracha because the heat level can sneak up on you.
03 -
  • Use a potato peeler to shave the carrots into thin ribbons instead of grating them for a more elegant look and better crunch.
  • Let the turkey sit undisturbed for the first two minutes in the pan before you start breaking it up for better caramelization.