Korean Ground Turkey (Rice Bowls)

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Ready in minutes, this skillet Korean Ground Turkey recipe is a flavor-packed dish that is perfect as an easy weeknight dinner or as a meal prep for the week. It’s filling, satisfying, and so easy to throw together.

Inspired by bibimbap, this Korean ground turkey bowl makes for a quick and easy meal that everyone will love. If you’ve never heard of bibimbap, it is a Korean dish that consists of mixed rice with meat and assorted vegetables. This easy turkey rice bowl is my take on the recipe.

Overhead view of Korean turkey bowls, one in a green bowl, one in a meal prep container.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

All you need are a few ingredients to throw together this turkey bowl. A lot of the ingredients used to season the ground turkey are pantry staples. I use almost the same recipe for my triangle kimbaps!
The ground turkey cooks in less than 20 minutes! The rest of the bowl mainly consists of leftovers that are hanging out in the fridge. It’s such an easy meal to make when you’re not sure what to have for dinner.
You can make this with whatever vegetables you have on hand. I just always have carrots in my fridge and happened to have cucumbers! The bowls are perfect for clearing out the fridge.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients needed to make Korean turkey bowls.

sesame oil — I use pure sesame oil to cook my ground turkey in.
ground turkey — I use lean ground turkey, but this recipe works for any ground meat you have on hand!
salt
brown sugar — feel free to use light or dark brown sugar.
garlic powder & onion powder — you can use fresh garlic and grated onion if you’d like, but I used powder to keep this recipe quick.
gochugaru — for a little bit of heat. Feel free to add more or less.
soy sauce & dark soy sauce — I like the darker color you get with dark soy sauce, but if you do not have any, use all regular soy sauce. If you are using dark soy sauce, use low-sodium soy sauce to balance out the saltiness of the dark soy sauce.
mirin — not sure what mirin is, check out my post on what is mirin.

For the rest of the bowl:

sliced cucumbers
sauteed julienned carrot
cooked rice
green onions
sesame seeds

How to Make Korean Flavored Ground Turkey

Set of two photos showing ground turkey cooked in a skillet.

Add the sesame oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground turkey and cook until half cooked, breaking up the turkey as you go along.
Add the salt, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, gochugaru, soy sauce, and mirin to the turkey.

Set of two photos showing ground pork cooked and an assembled Korean turkey bowl.

Continue to cook until the turkey is cooked through and most of the sauce is cooked down.
Assemble your bowls by adding the turkey over some rice, garnish with sesame seeds and green onions, and serve it with some vegetables. Serve with a spicy sauce if you desire.

Recipe Tips and Notes

Leftover seasoned spinach makes for a great addition as well.
If you’re not a fan of brown sugar, use maple syrup or honey.
Be careful not to overcook the ground turkey as it can easily dry out.
Make sure you break up the turkey as you go. I usually use a wooden spoon and pretty much stab the meat apart until they become smaller crumbles. A meat chopper is also a great tool.

Overhead view of a closer view of ground turkey, cucumber, carrots, sauce, green onions, and rice.

Serving Suggestions

Want to make this a mini feast? Serve the ground turkey with these delicious sides:

Make Ahead Tips

Meal prep: once cooled, store the cooked ground turkey in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge. You can assemble the bowls and store them in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheat: you can reheat the bowls in the microwave.

Overhead view of a meal prep container with korean ground turkey and rice.

How do I make the sauce?

The sauce comes together quickly and easily! In a small bowl, bottle, or jar, combine ¼ cup gochujang, 2 tbsp sesame oil, 2 tbsp (or more) sugar, 2 tbsp water, and a splash of rice vinegar. Keep the sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Herb chicken meal prep salad in a glass container.

Need more ideas on what to make for lunch this week? Check out this round up with more than 30 recipes for what to make for lunch! Cold lunch ideas included!