This southwestern ground turkey casserole recipe is a fantastic mix of spices, vegetables and lean protein. It all comes together in about 30 minutes for a healthy dinner.
This is not the first ground turkey casserole with rice I've made, and there's a very good reason for that. Each time I come up with a new version, I'm struck by how easy it is to throw in a different combination of spices and vegetables, and be rewarded with a new healthy dinner option. It doesn't hurt that my family always seems to love each turkey rice casserole. The Greek-style version got them hooked and the teriyaki version carried on the love fest.
Now a southwestern casserole is added to the mix.
The beauty of these turkey rice casserole recipes is that they all follow the same blueprint, making it very easy to vary the flavors depending on what's available in your kitchen. Start by cooking the ground turkey with some chopped onion, add herbs/spices and garlic, then mix in the veggies, a sauce of some sort to stop the casserole from drying out and any other extras that strike your fancy.
Scoop the whole concoction into a baking dish, top with some cheese if it fits with the flavors and bake for about 20 minutes to heat through. That's it.
I usually serve the casserole with some sort of vegetables on the side, either a salad, stir-fried veggies or steamed broccoli. It rounds out the meal perfectly.
Other healthy ground turkey recipes:
Cookin' Canuck's Baked Turkey, Quinoa & Zucchini Meatballs
Cookin' Canuck's Greek Turkey, Rice & Feta Casserole
Skinnytaste's Turkey Sante Fe Zucchini Boats
Primavera Kitchen's Ground Turkey Soup with Veggie Roots
The Garlic Diaries' Loaded 21 Day Fix Pizza
Printable Recipe
Southwestern Ground Turkey Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground turkey
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ¾ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 cups cooked brown rice
- 3 ounces canned diced green chiles
- 1 14 ounce can petite diced tomatoes
- 1 ½ cup salsa your favorite kind
- 1 cup canned reduced sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
- ¾ cup corn kernels
- ¼ cup minced cilantro
- ½ cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat an 11- by 7-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium high heat. Add the ground turkey and onions. Cook, breaking up the turkey, until the turkey is just cooked through.
- Add the garlic, cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt and pepper, and cook for 1 minute.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the rice, diced green chiles, diced tomatoes, salsa, black beans, corn and cilantro. Stir to combine.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the cheese over top. Cook until heated through, about 20 minutes. Serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Jeanie
Recipe calls for Monterey Jack cheese, but does not tell what to do with it. I added it with the tomatoes, salsa, etc. Tastes great and very filling!
Dara
Hi Jeanie, the cheese should be sprinkled over top, but mixing it in works, too. 🙂 I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Brittany
Do you cook the rice first? Thanks!
Dara
Yes, I believe the ingredients list specifies cooked rice.
Michelle Wassel
This recipe had great flavor. It was a little soupy. I think next time I will drain the diced tomatoes and use a thicker salsa. (I used a fresh salsa from the produce department.)
Missy S.
Try adding some pinko crumbs or crushed up tortilla chips. A 1/4 cup should be enough but I tend to go by what it looks like. If you have liquid profit to baking you WILL have a soupy casserole. You can also try just under cooking the rice by holding back a tables spoon or so of water.
Jennifer Daniel-Duckering
I've made this a few times and it's super yummy. It's also very versatile re left overs -- I've put it into a small corn tortilla for a mini lunch burrito.
Quick question -- have you ever tried freezing it? I'm wanting to make a double batch and freeze some for one of those weeks when you've got too much on the go. But wasn't sure if the rice would become too mushy.
Thanks!
A fellow Canuck living in the US
Jennifer
Dara
Jennifer, I actually haven't tried freezing it. I wish I had more information for you on that!
Michelle Goth
Yummy and healthy casserole! Thanks for sharing!
Abeer
Now, this is the ultimate comfort food! I like how you used brown rice... I feel like it has a better texture than white rice!
Cathy Trochelman
I love the flavors in this dish! 100% family approved!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet
Yum, this sounds like such terrific comfort food!
Maryanne | the little epicurean
I've never made turkey rice casserole. But since it only takes 30 minutes... I'll have to give it a try!
Katerina @ diethood .com
I am loving this casserole!! Looks incredible!