Description
A nourishing, one-pan ground turkey and sweet potato skillet that serves as a comforting, self-care dinner. It combines lean protein with earthy sweetness and warm spices for a meal that is gentle on the body and soul.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 lb / 450g), peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes
- 1 lb (450g) ground turkey (93% lean preferred)
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth for vegetarian version)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
- Salt to taste (start with ½ teaspoon)
- Optional toppings: fresh cilantro, Greek yogurt, crumbled feta cheese, black beans, or spinach
Instructions
- Prep ingredients: Wash, peel, and dice sweet potatoes into ½-inch cubes. Dice the onion and bell pepper. Mince the garlic. Measure out spices.
- Heat olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add diced sweet potatoes and a pinch of salt. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften and get golden edges. If needed, add a splash of broth and cover to steam for 2 minutes.
- Push sweet potatoes to one side of the pan. Add ground turkey to the empty side. Break it up with a wooden spoon and cook for 5-6 minutes until no longer pink. Drain excess fat if necessary, then mix turkey with sweet potatoes.
- Add diced onion to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and stir constantly for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
- Add cumin, smoked paprika, cinnamon, black pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using). Stir to coat everything. Pour in chicken broth, bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes to meld flavors and finish cooking potatoes.
- Remove lid. Taste and adjust salt if needed. If too dry, add more broth; if too wet, cook uncovered for 2 minutes. Serve hot with desired toppings like cilantro, Greek yogurt, or feta.
Notes
Sweet potatoes take longer to cook than ground turkey, so pre-cooking them ensures they are tender. Smoked paprika adds depth of flavor. This recipe is naturally gluten-free. For a vegetarian version, swap turkey for black beans or lentils. Leftovers store well in the fridge for up to 4 days and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of the skillet
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 400
- Fat: 10
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 6
- Protein: 25
Keywords: ground turkey, sweet potato skillet, healthy dinner, one pan meal, self-care food, comfort food, gluten-free, quick dinner, weeknight meals