The Best Teriyaki Ground Turkey Bowl You’ll Make at Home

Okay, so I’m gonna be honest, this Teriyaki Ground Turkey Bowl happened by complete accident. It was a Tuesday night (I think?), I had ground turkey that was about to go bad, and zero motivation to actually cook cook. You know what I mean? Like when you want food but don’t want to try?

Anyway, I threw some stuff together and my husband actually looked up from his phone to say “this is really good.” Coming from a man who once ate cereal for dinner three nights in a row, that’s basically a Michelin star.

Why This Ground Turkey Bowl Recipe Actually Works

Here’s the thing about ground turkey—it’s boring. There, I said it. It’s the beige wallpaper of proteins. But! When you get that teriyaki sauce right and add some actual flavor, it transforms into something I genuinely crave. Last week I made this three times. THREE TIMES. My kids didn’t even complain, which is basically a miracle.

I’ve tried so many turkey teriyaki recipes that tasted like sweet cardboard. The problem? Most people overcomplicate it or use that bottled teriyaki sauce that tastes like liquid candy. Not this one.

What You’ll Need (and My Shopping Disasters)

For the Turkey:

• 1.5 lbs ground turkey (I use 93% lean because the 99% is sad)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (or 5 if you’re me and love garlic)
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated (the jarred stuff works too—no judgment)
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil (don’t skip this, seriously)
• Salt and pepper

For the Teriyaki Sauce:

• 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce (Kikkoman, always)
• 2 tablespoons honey (or maple syrup if that’s your vibe)
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, but I always add them)

For the Bowl:

• 2 cups cooked rice (white, brown, whatever’s in your pantry)
• 1 large sweet potato, cubed and roasted (game changer)
• 1 cup edamame (frozen is fine)
• 2 green onions, sliced
• Sesame seeds for topping
• Optional: avocado, because avocado makes everything better

Quick note about the sweet potato—I discovered this combo totally by accident when I had leftover roasted sweet potatoes and just… tossed them in. Now I can’t make this ground turkey bowl without them. My neighbor Sarah thinks I’m weird for this, but she also puts raisins in her chicken salad, so.

How to Make This Simple Ground Turkey Bowl

Step 1: Cook your rice first. Set it aside. I use my rice cooker because I’ve burned rice on the stove more times than I’m willing to admit publicly. (Actually, it’s like 6 times. Maybe 7.)

Step 2: Cube your sweet potato into bite-sized pieces. Toss with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast at 425°F for about 25 minutes. Set timer. Then inevitably forget about them until you smell them getting crispy. That’s when they’re perfect.

Step 3: While that’s happening, make your teriyaki sauce. Mix the soy sauce, honey, and rice vinegar in a small bowl. In another tiny bowl (why do I dirty so many dishes?), mix cornstarch and water until smooth. Set both aside.

Step 4: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sesame oil. Wait until it’s shimmery—that’s the technical term I just made up.

Step 5: Add your ground turkey. Break it up with a wooden spoon. This is where people mess up—they don’t get it brown enough. You want actual color on this turkey. Like, golden brown bits. Cook for about 7-8 minutes, breaking it apart as you go.

Step 6: Push the turkey to the sides of the pan (or don’t, I usually forget this step) and add your garlic and ginger. Cook for like 30 seconds until it smells amazing and you start questioning why you don’t cook like this every night.

Step 7: Pour in your soy sauce mixture. Stir everything together. It’ll look very liquidy. Don’t panic. Add your cornstarch slurry and keep stirring. In about 2 minutes, it’ll thicken into this gorgeous, sticky teriyaki ground turkey situation that coats everything.

Look, I’m gonna be real—the first time I made this, I added the cornstarch directly to the pan without mixing it with water first. Do NOT do this. It turns into weird clumps that look like… I don’t even know what. Just mix it with water first. Trust me on this one.

Step 8: While your turkey’s getting all glazed and beautiful, warm up your edamame. I just microwave the frozen ones for like 2 minutes. Easy.

Building Your Teriyaki Ground Turkey Bowl

Now comes the fun part. Or the part where you realize all your bowls are in the dishwasher and you have to use that weird pasta bowl from your wedding registry.

Start with rice at the bottom. Add a big scoop of that teriyaki ground turkey. Then arrange your roasted sweet potato chunks, edamame, and whatever else you want. Top with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.

Sometimes I add sliced avocado. Sometimes I throw in some quick-pickled cucumbers if I’m feeling fancy (which is rare). My 8-year-old adds extra soy sauce to his, which seems excessive but whatever keeps him eating vegetables.

Why This Ground Turkey Teriyaki Stir Fry Version Is Better

I’ve made the stir fry version of this too—where you add bell peppers, snap peas, all the veggies—and honestly? This bowl version is superior. There, I said it. The stir fry is good, but this is better. The separate components staying distinct instead of all mushing together in a pan just works better. The sweet potato especially needs its own space to shine.

Plus, with the bowl method, picky eaters (ahem, children) can pick out what they don’t want without contaminating everything else. Strategic parenting win right there.

My Random Tips for This Ground Turkey Bowl Recipe

• Make extra teriyaki sauce. You’ll want it for drizzling. I always double the sauce recipe and keep it in a jar in the fridge. Lasts about a week, though mine never makes it that long.
• Meal prep friendly. I make the components separately on Sunday and just assemble bowls throughout the week. The turkey reheats perfectly. The sweet potatoes are actually better the next day (controversial opinion?).
• Rice alternatives. Tried this with cauliflower rice once. It was… fine. Quinoa works better if you’re avoiding regular rice. But honestly, just use rice. Life’s too short.
• Don’t skip the sesame oil. I know it’s annoying to buy a whole bottle for one recipe, but sesame oil is what makes this taste like restaurant teriyaki instead of sad weeknight dinner teriyaki.
• The ginger thing. Fresh ginger is better, but I’ve 100% used the jarred minced ginger from Trader Joe’s when I’m lazy. It’s fine. We’re all fine. Nobody’s judging.

Making It Work for Your Life

This easy teriyaki ground turkey bowl has become my default “I don’t know what to make” dinner. It’s faster than ordering takeout (by the time someone drives to get it and comes back), cheaper, and honestly tastes better than most Asian takeout places near me.

Is it authentic Japanese cuisine? Absolutely not. Is it delicious and something my family actually eats without complaining? Yes. That’s the bar we’re working with here.

The whole thing takes maybe 35 minutes if you’re moving at a normal human pace. Less if you’re one of those organized people who has rice already cooked. (I am not that person.)

The Verdict on This Healthy-ish Situation

My friend keeps calling this a “healthy teriyaki ground turkey bowl” and I guess it is? Like, compared to Chinese takeout or eating an entire frozen pizza by yourself (been there), yeah, it’s definitely healthier. You’ve got lean protein, complex carbs, vegetables, good fats if you add avocado…

But I’m not gonna sit here and pretend this is some kind of clean eating situation. There’s sugar in the sauce. There’s white rice. It’s just… normal food that happens to include vegetables and isn’t deep fried. That’s health enough for me.

Anyway, if you make this, let me know! Seriously, I love hearing when people try stuff and it actually works. Or if you have tricks for making it even better, tell me because I’m always looking for ways to improve this.

Happy cooking! (And may your sweet potatoes never burn)