Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Bake (Printable)
Hearty casserole with lean turkey, sweet potatoes, and vegetables baked with herbs and cheese.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 ½ lbs lean ground turkey
→ Vegetables
02 - 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
03 - 1 large onion, diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
06 - 2 cups baby spinach, chopped
→ Dairy
07 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
08 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ Liquids
09 - ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 2 tbsp olive oil
→ Spices & Seasonings
11 - 1 tsp dried thyme
12 - 1 tsp dried oregano
13 - ½ tsp smoked paprika
14 - ½ tsp ground black pepper
15 - 1 tsp salt
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or a small amount of oil.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook for 2–3 minutes until softened and translucent.
03 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
04 - Add ground turkey to the skillet, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook for 5–6 minutes until completely browned and no longer pink.
05 - Stir in red bell pepper, diced sweet potatoes, dried thyme, dried oregano, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to combine flavors.
06 - Pour in chicken broth and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered for 8–10 minutes until sweet potatoes are just tender when pierced with a fork.
07 - Remove skillet from heat. Fold in chopped spinach and stir until just wilted from the residual heat.
08 - Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading it evenly. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheese over the top in an even layer.
09 - Bake for 18–20 minutes until the cheese is fully melted, lightly golden, and the casserole is bubbling around the edges.
10 - Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to settle and make serving easier.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- The sweet potatoes get perfectly tender while soaking up all those savory herbs and turkey juices
- Its one of those rare meals that tastes even better as leftovers the next day
02 -
- I once skipped the step of cutting the sweet potatoes into evenly sized pieces and ended up with some undercooked chunks while others were mush
- The smoked paprika is non negotiable here, regular paprika will not give you that same depth of flavor
03 -
- Cutting sweet potatoes can be a workout, microwave them for two minutes first to soften slightly
- Use the largest skillet you have so everything has room to cook properly