Korean Style Ground Turkey (Print Version)

Quick ground turkey with Korean spicy-sweet glaze, aromatic garlic and ginger, topped with nutty sesame seeds.

# 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

→ Garnish

09 - 6 tablespoons fresh 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

# How to Make It:

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 approximately 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 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 rice with choice of vegetables.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It comes together faster than most takeout delivery times and tastes like you spent an hour in the kitchen.
  • The sauce clings to every bit of turkey with a glossy, spicy-sweet coating that makes plain rice feel like a treat.
  • You can adjust the heat level without losing any of the deep, nutty flavor that makes this so crave-worthy.
02 -
  • Dissolve the cornstarch completely in the sauce before adding it to the pan or you'll end up with weird gummy lumps instead of a silky glaze.
  • Don't skip toasting the sesame seeds, the difference between raw and toasted is the difference between flat and deeply nutty.
  • If your skillet isn't hot enough when you add the turkey, it will steam instead of brown and you'll miss out on all that extra flavor.
03 -
  • Use a well-seasoned or nonstick skillet to prevent the sauce from sticking and burning when you crank up the heat at the end.
  • Toast your sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for a minute or two until they smell nutty and turn golden, it makes a huge difference.
  • Prep your garlic and ginger before you start cooking because once the pan is hot, things move fast and you don't want to be scrambling with a grater.
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