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Cheesy ground turkey casserole in a casserole dish, ready to serve.
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5 from 1 vote

Ground Turkey Taco Casserole

A dreamy, cheesy casserole featuring lean ground turkey, rice, beans, an abundance of taco flavor and plenty of cheese! The whole family will love this hearty weeknight meal!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Main Dishes, Turkey Main Dishes
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Servings: 8 Servings
Calories: 412kcal
Author: Julia

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion diced
  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 1 red bell pepper chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 Tbsp chili powder
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup salsa*
  • cup white rice
  • 1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained
  • 1 (7-oz) can green chilis
  • 1 tsp sea salt to taste
  • 3 cups grated colby jack cheese

For Serving

  • 1 ripe avocado sliced
  • 3 stalks green onion chopped
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ½ cup to 1 cup salsa

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375 and spray a 13” x 9” casserole dish with cooking spray.
  • Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the raw ground turkey to the skillet and use a spatula to chop it into bite-sized bits. The ground turkey doesn’t need to be cooked through just yet, but cook it until much of the pink is gone. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt.
  • Transfer the chopped bell pepper, minced garlic, chili powder, chicken broth, salsa, uncooked white rice, drained black beans, green chiles and sea salt to the prepared baking dish. Stir everything well until combined.
  • Stir in the ground turkey and onion mixture and sprinkle the cheese on top.
  • Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes.
  • Remove the baking dish from the oven and remove the foil.
  • Place the oven on the High Broil setting and broil the casserole for 5 to 8 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and turns slightly golden brown. Initially, the casserole will look slightly liquidy, but this liquid will absorb into the rice the longer the casserole sits.
  • Serve the casserole with your choice of toppings such as chopped or sliced avocado, guacamole, black olives, corn chips, sour cream, salsa, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, olives, pico de gallo, extra shredded cheese, etc.

Notes

*Use your favorite store-bought salsa, homemade salsa or enchilada sauce. Salsa verde, a classic tomato salsa, or enchilada sauce are my favorites. Pick the spice level according to your personal spice tolerance. I like using hot salsa for spicy taco casserole.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Serving (of 8) | Calories: 412kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 450mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 3g