Description

A quick, healthy, and colorful stir-fry featuring lean ground turkey, sweet bell peppers, and a savory homemade sauce. Perfect for busy weeknights, this 20-minute dinner is high in protein, customizable, and great for meal prep.

Ingredients

Scale

1 pound ground turkey (93% lean recommended)
3 medium bell peppers (any color), sliced
1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce (or Tamari for gluten-free)
1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil (preferably toasted)
1 teaspoon cornstarch or arrowroot powder (optional, for thickening)
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Pinch red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
Green onions, sliced (optional, for garnish)
Sesame seeds (optional, for garnish)
Oil for cooking (if turkey is very lean, e.g., 1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil)

Instructions

Prep the veggies: Slice bell peppers into thin strips, cut onion into thin half-moons, and mince garlic. Set aside.
Mix the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, honey or maple syrup, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and cornstarch or arrowroot powder (if using). Set aside.
Brown the ground turkey: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add a splash of oil if needed. Crumble in ground turkey, season lightly with salt and pepper, and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink and starting to brown (about 4–5 minutes). Drain excess liquid if necessary.
Sauté the veggies: Push turkey to one side of the skillet. Add sliced peppers and onions to the empty side, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and let cook undisturbed for 1–2 minutes. Stir everything together and sauté until peppers are just tender and onions start to soften (about 2–3 more minutes).
Add garlic and sauce: Make a well in the center of the pan, add minced garlic, and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the stir-fry sauce and toss everything to coat.
Simmer and finish: Let the mixture simmer for 1–2 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and everything is glossy. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Garnish and serve: Remove from heat, sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds if desired, and serve hot over rice, cauliflower rice, or noodles.

Notes

For a gluten-free version, use Tamari or coconut aminos and check your cornstarch. Add extra veggies like snap peas or broccoli for variety. Don’t overcrowd the pan for best browning. Adjust sauce to taste—add more soy sauce for salt, honey for sweetness, or red pepper flakes for heat. Leftovers keep well for meal prep and can be frozen for up to 2 months.

Prep Time: 7 minutes
Cook Time: 13 minutes
Category: Main Course
Cuisine: Asian-Inspired

Nutrition

Serving Size: About 1/4 of recipe (without rice or noodles)
Calories: 250
Sugar: 5
Sodium: 600
Fat: 10
Saturated Fat: 2
Carbohydrates: 10
Fiber: 2
Protein: 26

Keywords: ground turkey, stir-fry, peppers, healthy dinner, quick, easy, meal prep, gluten-free, high protein, weeknight meal