Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Bake (Print Page)

Hearty turkey and sweet potato casserole with vegetables, perfectly baked for a nutritious family meal.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
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 lb ground turkey, lean

→ Pantry & Seasonings

07 - 2 tbsp olive oil
08 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
09 - 1 tsp dried thyme
10 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
11 - 1/2 tsp chili powder
12 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Liquid

13 - 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

→ Optional Toppings

14 - 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
15 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic; sauté for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
03 - Add ground turkey. Cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Season with smoked paprika, thyme, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper.
04 - Stir in the diced bell pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Add the chopped spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
05 - In a large mixing bowl, toss diced sweet potatoes with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.
06 - Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Spread the sweet potatoes in an even layer on the bottom.
07 - Spoon the turkey and vegetable mixture evenly over the sweet potatoes. Pour the chicken broth evenly over the top.
08 - Cover tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
09 - Remove foil, sprinkle with cheddar cheese if using, and bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are tender and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
10 - Let rest for 5 minutes before garnishing with chopped parsley and serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Its one of those meals that tastes even better as leftovers the next day
  • The sweet potatoes become perfectly tender while absorbing all those savory spices
  • Everything cooks in one dish so cleanup is practically nonexistent
02 -
  • Cut your sweet potatoes into fairly uniform pieces so they all finish cooking at the same time
  • The foil step is crucial for getting the sweet potatoes tender without drying them out
  • Letting it rest before serving gives the broth time to get absorbed back into the layers
03 -
  • If you want the sweet potatoes to get crispy on top, skip the foil step entirely and just bake longer
  • A pinch of cayenne pepper or dash of Worcestershire sauce adds a wonderful depth of flavor

Return