Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Bake (Printable View)
Hearty casserole featuring seasoned turkey, sweet potatoes, and vegetables baked to perfection.
# Ingredient List:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (approximately 1.5 lbs)
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 cup baby spinach, roughly chopped
→ Protein
06 - 1 pound lean ground turkey
→ Pantry & Seasonings
07 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
09 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
10 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
11 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
→ Liquid
13 - 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
→ Optional Toppings
14 - 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese (omit for dairy-free version)
15 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
# How to Prepare:
01 - Set oven temperature to 400°F for even baking.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and minced garlic; cook 2-3 minutes until fragrant and translucent.
03 - Add ground turkey to skillet. Break apart with wooden spoon while cooking 5-7 minutes until completely browned. Sprinkle smoked paprika, thyme, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper over meat; stir to combine.
04 - Stir in diced red bell pepper; cook 2 minutes. Add chopped spinach and cook 1 minute until just wilted. Remove skillet from heat.
05 - Place diced sweet potatoes in large mixing bowl. Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Toss until evenly coated.
06 - Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or oil. Spread seasoned sweet potatoes in single, even layer across bottom.
07 - Distribute turkey and vegetable mixture evenly over sweet potato layer. Pour chicken broth uniformly over entire surface.
08 - Cover baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake 25 minutes to steam vegetables and begin tenderizing potatoes.
09 - Remove foil. If using cheese, sprinkle evenly across top. Return to oven and bake 15 minutes uncovered until sweet potatoes test tender when pierced with fork and cheese is melted and golden.
10 - Let casserole rest 5 minutes to set. Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The sweet potatoes get caramelized and tender while the turkey mixture stays juicy and flavorful
- Everything cooks in one dish so cleanup is practically nonexistent
- It reheats beautifully for lunch the next day, actually tasting even better
02 -
- Cutting sweet potatoes into uniformly sized pieces is the difference between perfectly tender and frustratingly crunchy chunks
- Letting the baked dish rest for those 5 minutes helps the flavors settle and makes serving much easier
03 -
- Do not skip covering with foil for the first 25 minutes or the sweet potatoes will not cook through properly
- Letting the turkey get nicely browned in the skillet adds caramelization that you cannot get from the oven alone