Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Bake (Printable)

A nutritious baked dish featuring ground turkey, sweet potatoes, and vegetables topped with melted cheese for a satisfying meal.

# What You Need:

→ Protein

01 - 1 pound ground turkey

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
06 - 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped

→ Dairy & Toppings

07 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
08 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Liquids & Base

09 - 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

→ Pantry & Seasonings

10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
13 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
14 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
15 - 1 teaspoon salt

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or a small amount of oil.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground turkey and cook until browned and cooked through, breaking up with a spatula for about 5-6 minutes. Remove turkey from skillet and set aside on a plate.
03 - Add the remaining olive oil to the same skillet. Sauté onion for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add garlic and red bell pepper, cooking for another 2 minutes until fragrant.
04 - Stir in diced sweet potatoes, thyme, oregano, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes to begin softening the potatoes.
05 - Add spinach and cooked turkey back to the skillet. Mix well and cook until spinach is just wilted, about 1-2 minutes.
06 - Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Pour chicken broth evenly over the mixture.
07 - Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheese evenly across the top of the casserole.
08 - Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
09 - Remove foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, until sweet potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork and cheese is golden brown and bubbly.
10 - Let the casserole cool for 5 minutes before serving to allow it to set.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • The sweet potatoes create a natural sweetness that makes you forget youre eating something so nutritious
  • Everything cooks in one skillet before hitting the oven, meaning minimal cleanup and maximum flavor development
  • The cheese topping forms this golden crust that makes the whole house smell incredible while it bakes
02 -
  • Do not skip the step of cooking the sweet potatoes in the skillet first, they will not cook through properly if you add them raw to the baking dish
  • The chicken broth is absolutely essential, it creates steam that helps cook the sweet potatoes through while keeping everything moist
  • Letting it rest for those 5 minutes seems trivial but makes the difference between a sloppy mess and clean servings
03 -
  • Cut your sweet potatoes uniformly so they all cook at the same rate, nothing worse than some undercooked chunks among perfectly tender ones
  • Grate your own Parmesan instead of buying pre-grated, it melts better and has so much more flavor

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