Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Bake (Printable)

Hearty casserole featuring seasoned turkey and sweet potatoes, baked with vegetables for a nutritious, satisfying meal.

# What You'll 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

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and minced garlic; sauté for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
03 - Add ground turkey to the skillet. Cook, breaking apart with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, approximately 5-7 minutes. Season with smoked paprika, dried thyme, ground cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper.
04 - Stir in diced red bell pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Add 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 sweet potatoes in an even layer on the bottom. Spoon turkey and vegetable mixture evenly over the sweet potatoes. Pour chicken broth evenly over the top.
07 - Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.
08 - Remove foil and sprinkle with cheddar cheese if using. Bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are tender and cheese is melted and bubbly.
09 - Let casserole rest for 5 minutes before garnishing with chopped fresh parsley and serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It is the kind of meal that makes your house smell incredible while it bakes, which is honestly half the joy of cooking
  • You get that comforting casserole feel without the heavy cream-of-mushroom soup or processed ingredients
  • The sweet potatoes get all caramelized and tender underneath while the turkey mixture stays juicy and perfectly seasoned
02 -
  • Cutting your sweet potatoes into uniform 1-inch cubes is the difference between perfectly tender pieces and some that are still raw while others are mushy
  • The foil step is not optional, so do not skip it or those sweet potatoes will never cook through properly
03 -
  • Use a mandoline if you have one for perfectly even sweet potato cubes that cook at the same rate
  • Grate a little nutmeg into the turkey mixture, it sounds weird but it enhances the sweetness of the potatoes beautifully

Go Back