A delicious alternative to beef tacos would be these crispy turkey tacos which are bursting with flavour. These easy to make tacos boast juicy turkey, as well as taco seasoning, onion, refried beans, and cheese. You need to really try these YUMMY crispy turkey tacos. This turkey taco recipe is a quick and easy dinner idea that you will love. If you are looking for a recipe with ground turkey want to learn how to make crispy tacos, this it is a good one to try.
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Turkey tacos might not be as well known as beef, chicken or even fish ones, but they’re just as delicious. These tasty crispy tacos are perfect if you want a south of the border inspired dinner and you also want to use a different protein for it.
Why You’ll Love Ground Turkey Tacos
- Deliciously different: Ground turkey makes a change from your usual taco meat of beef or pork, and when cooked perfectly it’s every bit as tasty, so try ground turkey tacos for a change of pace.
- Simple to make: You’ll love the simplicity of this ground turkey taco recipe. You just need to cook the turkey with seasonings, and divide this, along with refried beans, between tortillas. And then you just need to cook them and add your preferred toppings.
- So versatile: Not only can you serve tacos for any occasion from an easy weeknight supper for the family to when friends come over, or even for a potluck meal, but you can adjust and tweak them to your heart’s content. Add any fillings you want and feel free to dial up (or down) the spiciness factor!
Ground Turkey Tacos Ingredients
The star of this dish is of course the ground turkey, and then you’ll also need onion, taco seasoning, refried beans, cheese, tortillas, and oil for frying.
How to Make Crispy Turkey Tacos
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
- Cook the turkey: Turkey is a lean meat so you should be careful not to overcook it. Pan-fry it with the onion for about 10 minutes, then mix in the taco seasoning and simmer briefly.
- Fill the tortillas: Grab some soft corn tortillas and add refried beans to them, followed by the turkey mixture and cheese.
- Finish cooking them: Cook the topped tortillas until pliable then fold over to enclose the filling and then fry them until crisp. You can open them while they’re still warm and add your chosen toppings, then serve warm.
Taco Turkey Recipe Tips and Tweaks
That’s a bit of a tongue-twister right there! Tips for making the best tacos include using corn tortillas rather than the hard U-shaped ones you can get from the store. This gives a more authentic result. This recipe with ground turkey can also be made with ground chicken or even pork if you want.
If you prefer to bake these crispy turkey tacos in the oven, that will also yield a great result. Keep an eye on them in the oven just like you’d watch them on the stove, so they don’t burn.
Another option to cook this quick and easy ground turkey tacos dinner would be using the air fryer. Do you have an air fryer yet? I love mine! To make crispy turkey tacos in yours, you will need to roll them up, since there isn’t enough space if they’re folded over and they will unroll in there anyway.
How to Store Ground Turkey Tacos
- Store: Leftovers will keep for up to 3 days and can be reheated in the microwave or oven.
- Freeze: Although you can freeze these, they will go a bit soggy, so it’s best not to make many more than you need.
Crispy Turkey Tacos FAQs
The choice of cheese for this turkey taco recipe is up to you. Sharp cheddar would work, or you could use a Mexican blend. You could even serve more than one kind of cheese with these easy to make tacos, and let people choose whichever they prefer. One thing is for sure, and that’s everyone is going to rave about this taco recipe with ground turkey.
Turkey is nice because it’s a lean meat and a lighter option than, say, beef. You can use ground chicken instead or a mix of each. Another option is to use a combination of half poultry and half red meat, so you end up with a juicier filling which is also flavorful.
History of Tacos
If you’re planning to make crispy ground turkey tacos, you might be curious about the recipe and cuisine. It isn’t clear where tacos originated from or who made the first one. However, it’s thought they date from 1800s Mexico.
The first ones were known as ‘tacos de minero’ meaning a miner’s tacos. Taquitos, a word meaning “little tacos”, look kind of like sticks of dynamite which the miners used. The word ‘taco’ used to mean the small pieces of paper miners would wrap around gunpowder and insert into holes in the rock face.
You might not find a turkey taco recipe, or in fact shortcut easy to make tacos, in a Mexican taqueria. This is because they are prepared from fresh, even the tortillas.
Taquerias used to only cater to working class Mexicans. Women would bring tacos into Mexico City to sell to the workers. Eventually this area became a taco lovers’ mecca and still is!
Taco Bell was (and still is) many North Americans’ first experience of the taco. Of course this is a fast food representation of the iconic Mexican recipe. Fast food style tacos lack the flavour or finesse of the following recipe with ground turkey which is also a quick and easy dinner.
Try both and see which you prefer. I bet you love the crispy turkey tacos most! For a recipe with ground turkey, they really are amazing.
In Mexico you can grab tacos as a quick and easy dinner, but you won’t get them crispy. South of the border, tacos are rolled up in soft tortillas instead of being served in crispy taco shells.
Whether you prefer soft or crispy turkey tacos you can make this turkey taco recipe your own. Feel free to serve the turkey mixture and toppings in soft tortillas if you prefer those.
What to Serve with Easy to Make Tacos
Optional toppings would be shredded lettuce, fresh lime juice, chopped tomato, avocado, and cilantro. Sour cream and hot sauce are also good. In fact, part of the fun of this quick and easy dinner is having a range of toppings and letting people make their own tacos.
This recipe with ground turkey goes well with any Mexican or Mexican inspired side dish. Consider an elote salad or Mexican rice. A simple green salad would also be good on the side, unless you’re serving plenty of lettuce with the tacos of course.
You could also serve these by themselves, just as they are. Tacos are often enjoyed as a dish in their own right, so whether to make a side dish for this is your call.
Oh, and if you’re wondering about “turkey turkey taco meaning” – that’s nothing to do with crispy ground turkey tacos and is just an emoji response to convey confusion!
Crispy Turkey Tacos Recipe
Crispy Turkey Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 Pound ground turkey
- 1/2 yellow or white onion diced
- 1 Packet taco seasoning
- 1/2 Cup refried beans
- 1 Cup cheese shredded
- 10 soft corn tortillas
- 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil for frying – may need more
Instructions
- Add turkey and onion to a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until meat is browned and onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add taco seasoning following package directions. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- To make the tacos, spread about 1 Tablespoon of refried beans on half of a corn tortilla. On the other half, place a heaping spoonful of turkey mixture, and sprinkle with shredded cheese. DO NOT FOLD the tortilla in half at this time or the tortilla will crack.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add enough vegetable oil to coat the bottom of the pan. When the oil is hot, place the prepared tortilla flat into the pan. Allow to cook for about 30 seconds until the tortilla becomes pliable. Using tongs, carefully fold the tortilla in half.
- Continue to cook for 2-4 minutes per side, until tacos are golden and crispy. Remove from pan and drain on a paper towel. Repeat with remaining tortillas, adding additional vegetable oil to the pan as necessary.
- While the tacos are still warm, carefully open each one and stuff with optional fillings.
Nutrition
Notes
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
This ground turkey taco meat recipe is a quick and easy dinner idea that you will love. If you are looking for a recipe with ground turkey and want to learn how to make crispy tacos, this it is a good one to try. It makes a change from using ground beef and turkey makes tasty, crispy taco meat.
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Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a storyteller, food lover, dog mom and adventure seeker living on the Pacific coast. She shares her passion for food, dogs, fitness, adventures, travel and philanthropy, in hopes of encouraging followers to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places and stand for a cause. Bella lives with Type 1 Diabetes and Celiac Disease.
I’m the biggest fan of tacos! I will absolutely be using this!!!
What a great idea! These sound so great and such a nice alternative to beef. Love how crispy you got them.
These tacos look so good. I love the idea of using turkey !!
These look so yummy! Thanks for the recipe!