• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Get my free Meal Prep Quick Start Guide

Get my free Meal Prep Quick Start Guide

  • New? Start Here
  • Contact

Sweet Peas and Saffron

meal prep recipes for busy people

  • All Recipes
    • Course
      • Breakfast
      • Lunch
      • Dinner
      • Sides
      • Salad
      • Soups & Stews
      • Drinks
    • Method
      • Air Fryer
      • Instant Pot
      • Slow Cooker
      • Grill
      • One Pot Meals
    • Diet
      • Dairy-Free
      • Gluten Free
      • Low Carb
      • Vegan
      • Vegetarian
      • Nut Free
    • Protein
      • Beans
      • Beef
      • Chicken
      • Lentils
      • Seafood
      • Pork
    • Recipe Index
  • Air Fryer
  • Instant Pot
  • Shop
    • Shop Meal Plans
    • Shop Favorites
  • Get my free Meal Prep Quick Start Guide

    Get my free Meal Prep Quick Start Guide

Home Meal Prep Meal Prep Lunch
4.99
/5
40 minutes

Korean Inspired Ground Turkey Meal Prep

Dairy Free Dairy-Free Gluten Free Gluten Free Nut Free Nut Free Freezer Friendly Freezer Meal Prep Meal Prep
Jump to Recipe
By: Denise Bustard56 Comments
Posted: 4/1/21 Updated: 4/2/21

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

These ground turkey meal prep bowls have a delicious Korean-inspired sauce! Packed with flavor and under 400 calories per bowl, you can prep this recipe on the weekend for healthy and delicious lunches through the week.

It's amazing how versatile ground turkey can be! From Thai turkey lettuce wraps to turkey taco lunch bowls, it's not only versatile, but works great in meal prep as well.

Korean Turkey Meal Prep in four glass meal prep containers on grey background
Jump to... show
1 Reasons you'll ♡ this recipe
2 About Korean beef
3 Ingredient notes
4 Step by step directions
5 Ingredient swaps
6 Storage
7 More meal prep bowls
8 Korean-Inspired Turkey Meal Prep Bowls

Inspired by Korean beef, ground turkey is cooked up in a mixture of sweet and savory sauce that adds flavor to rice and vegetables. You can store it in the fridge or the freezer...perfect for stocking up on healthy meals!

Don't forget to pin this post to save it for later!

Reasons you'll ♡ this recipe

  • it's ready in under 30 minutes, making it great for a quick meal prep or weeknight dinner
  • it freeze/thaws great
  • the sauce adds the perfect amount of flavor to the turkey, rice and vegetables
close up shot of Korean Turkey Meal Prep bowl in glass meal prep container

About Korean beef

This recipe was adapted from Taste of Home's Korean Beef and Rice, which in turn, was inspired by Korean beef bulgogi. Beef bulgogi is a traditional Korean recipe that consists of thin strips of beef marinated in a delicious sauce. The beef can be skewered, then grilled, or sauteed in a frying pan. The marinade can vary widely by chef, but typically consists of a mixture of soy sauce, garlic, ginger, green onion, sugar and pear.

If you are interested in reading more about the history behind beef bulgogi, I encourage you to read this article.

Adapting these flavors into a 30 minute recipe

My goal for this recipe was to adapt the traditional flavors, but lighten it up, speed up the prep, and make it with ingredients that are readily available to North American (US/Canada) home cooks. With those goals in mind, that is how these Korean turkey bowls came about.


Ingredient notes

  • ground turkey- feel free to swap for ground beef, or chopped chicken thighs. I don't love ground chicken because it can end up drying out. Mashed tofu also works well in this recipe.
  • soy sauce- if you are gluten-free, you can swap for tamari, coconut aminos or liquid soy seasoning
  • honey- balancing out the soy sauce with a touch of sweetness is essential, but you don't necessarily need to use honey; feel free to swap for maple syrup or brown sugar. Monk fruit sweetener works if you want to make it low carb (see recipe card for quantities).
  • red pepper flakes- adds a touch of heat, but you can easily leave them out if you're serving to kiddos

Step by step directions

1. Shake up sauce- You'll want to mix up the sauce before you begin cooking. In a small jar, add honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Shake it up, then set aside.

2. Cook turkey- Heat a non stick pan over medium heat. Add the ground turkey to the pan, and cook for 7-10 minutes, stirring and breaking it up with a spatula.

3. Garlic & ginger- When turkey is cooked through and no pink remains, make a space in the middle of the pan. Add the minced garlic and ginger, and cook, stirring a bit, for 1 minute. Then mix it right into the ground turkey.

4. Sauce it up- Shake the sauce back up, then pour it evenly over the turkey. Let it cook for 1-2 minutes until bubbly and everything is coated in the sauce.

5. Portion out- Portion out the ground turkey + sauce into 2 cup or larger meal prep containers with steamed broccoli and rice. Refrigerate for up to 4 days, and heat it up until steaming hot in the microwave to serve.


Ingredient swaps

  • rice- swap for cauliflower rice (or even zoodles) and try an alternative sweetener in the sauce to make this low carb
  • honey- swap for brown sugar, maple syrup or monk fruit sweetener
  • soy sauce- swap for tamari or coconut aminos to make it paleo-friendly (you'll need to swap the rice as well)
  • ground turkey- may be swapped for ground beef, mashed tofu, or chicken thighs (chopped into cubes)
overhead shot of korean turkey meal prep bowls in glass container

Storage

  • fridge- store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
  • freezer- store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
  • thaw- overnight in the fridge.
  • reheat- in the microwave until steaming hot.

More meal prep bowls

  • 36 Healthy Ground Turkey Recipes
  • Moroccan Inspired Meal Prep Bowls
  • BBQ Meatloaf Meal Prep Bowls
  • Healthier Firecracker Meal Prep Bowls
  • Falafel Salad Bowls (Meal Prep)
  • Easy Pesto Chicken Pita Recipe
  • Chopped Chickpea Salad (Make Ahead)
  • Cobb Salad Recipe

Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!

overhead shot of korean turkey meal prep bowls in glass container

Korean-Inspired Turkey Meal Prep Bowls

4.99 from 81 votes
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 40 mins
Print Rate
These ground turkey meal prep bowls have a delicious Korean-inspired sauce! Packed with flavor and under 400 calories per bowl, you can prep this recipe on the weekend for healthy and delicious lunches through the week.
4

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ¾ cup uncooked rice 2 cups cooked
  • 1 head broccoli chopped into florets

Turkey

  • ¾ lb lean ground turkey see note 1
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon ginger finely chopped

Sauce

  • 3 tablespoons honey see note 2
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce see note 3
  • 1 ½ teaspoons sesame oil
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ⅛ teaspoon pepper

Garnish

  • green onions (optional)

Instructions 

  • Cook rice according to package directions. Portion out into four 2-cup capacity meal prep containers and allow to cool.
  • Shake up all sauce ingredients and set aside.
  • Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the broccoli and cook for 5 or so minutes, until slightly softened. Remove from heat and divide between meal prep containers.
  • Add turkey to pan. Cook, breaking it up with a spatula, for 5-8 minutes, until completely cooked through and no longer pink.
  • Make a space in the middle of the pan. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute, stirring up a bit.
  • Give the sauce a shake up and pour over the ground turkey and garlic/ginger. Stir until everything is mixed through, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.
  • Divide turkey/sauce mixture between the meal prep containers. Sprinkle with green onions if desired.

Storage

  • Once everything has cooled, store in the fridge for up to 4 days.

To serve

  • Heat in the microwave until steaming hot, and enjoy!

Tips:

1- ground turkey may be swapped for ground beef, cubed chicken thighs, or mashed tofu
2- honey may be swapped for maple syrup, brown sugar, or 2-3 teaspoons monk fruit sweetener
3- to make it gluten-free, swap the soy sauce for tamari, coconut aminos, or liquid soy seasoning
Storage
Store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Reheating
Heat in the microwave until steaming hot.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1bowl, Calories: 380kcal, Carbohydrates: 52g, Protein: 28g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 46mg, Sodium: 852mg, Potassium: 811mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 15g, Vitamin A: 1005IU, Vitamin C: 136.5mg, Calcium: 92mg, Iron: 2.5mg
Author: Denise Bustard
Course: Lunch
Cuisine: Korean

© Sweet Peas & Saffron - Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.

Shop This Post

2 Cup Meal Prep Containers
Did You Make This?Don't forget to leave a review below, and tag us on Instagram using @SweetPeasAndSaffron or #sweetpeasandsaffron
Tag Me On Instagram Rate Recipe
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email

Meet Denise Bustard

Denise Bustard is the creator of Sweet Peas and Saffron, a meal prep-focussed food blog. With a PhD in biochemistry, Denise takes a scientific approach to perfecting her recipes. You can find Denise's work featured on Huffington Post, MSN, Self and more.

Read more...

You May Also Like...

  • collage image that says 15 ground turkey meal prep recipes
    15 Ground Turkey Meal Prep Recipes
  • 30 Minute Meal Prep Recipes
  • collage image 21 breakfasts you can meal prep
    21 Breakfast Meal Prep Ideas
  • overhead shot of four meal prep containers with greek turkey and salad
    Low Carb Greek Turkey Meal Prep
fried rice in instant pot with wooden spoon
Previous Post
Instant Pot Fried Rice
close up shot of shredded chicken in the instant pot
Next Post
Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Breast

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Have a question? Submit your question or comment below.

Recipe Rating




  1. Karli says

    Posted on 5/16/22 at Posted on 5/16/22

    5 stars
    This is really good! The sauce tastes amazing. I went heavy on the sauce and also added carrots.

    Reply
    • Ben | Sweet Peas & Saffron says

      Posted on 6/9/22 at Posted on 6/9/22

      Great idea Karli, carrots would taste great in this recipe. Thanks for commenting.

      Reply
  2. karen says

    Posted on 5/15/22 at Posted on 5/15/22

    5 stars
    I made this as a meal prep with plant beef crumbles and it was so easy to make and delicious. This will definitely be part of my meal prep rotation.

    Reply
    • Ben | Sweet Peas & Saffron says

      Posted on 6/9/22 at Posted on 6/9/22

      Hi Karen, thanks for sharing your meat alternative. Happy to hear it worked and you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  3. Ada says

    Posted on 5/4/22 at Posted on 5/4/22

    5 stars
    my favorite way to now eat ground turkey! super flavorful and delicious. I add sesame seeds as garnish too!

    Reply
    • Ben | Sweet Peas & Saffron says

      Posted on 6/9/22 at Posted on 6/9/22

      Hi Ada,
      Sesame seeds are a great touch. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
  4. Debra says

    Posted on 5/4/22 at Posted on 5/4/22

    5 stars
    Delicious and very filling!

    Reply
    • Ben | Sweet Peas & Saffron says

      Posted on 6/9/22 at Posted on 6/9/22

      Hi Debra, it is great to hear you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks for taking the time to comment.

      Reply
  5. Erik says

    Posted on 4/14/22 at Posted on 4/14/22

    Do you drain the ground Turkey before adding the sauce?

    Reply
    • Ben | Sweet Peas & Saffron says

      Posted on 5/3/22 at Posted on 5/3/22

      Hi Eric,
      Yes, if the liquid doesn't boil off during cooking, you can drain off the liquid before adding the sauce.

      Reply
  6. Deb W says

    Posted on 4/3/22 at Posted on 4/3/22

    5 stars
    Delicious! Right amount of heat. Definitely making again and sharing recipe with my kids.

    Reply
    • Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says

      Posted on 4/5/22 at Posted on 4/5/22

      Hi Deb, very glad to hear that you enjoyed this turkey meal prep! Sounds like you've found a new favorite to enjoy again and again! Thanks so much for leaving a rating and review 🙂

      Reply
  7. KG says

    Posted on 3/13/22 at Posted on 3/13/22

    5 stars
    We absolutely love this recipe! The sauce is perfect and gives the meat so much flavor. Love that substitutions we’re included for reference.

    Reply
    • Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says

      Posted on 3/14/22 at Posted on 3/14/22

      Hi KG, so glad to hear that you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to come back to leave a rating and review! 🙂

      Reply
      • Joyce says

        Posted on 3/25/22 at Posted on 3/25/22

        5 stars
        This recipe is so good and the sauce is super versatile. My husband hates eating the same thing twice in a week. I doubled up the recipe and added a cup of diced cremini mushrooms. I made the meal prep bowl, saved about a cup of the cooked Turkey and made lettuce wraps. Added brown rice and quinoa to the rest of the Turkey mix and sauce to make stuffed bell peppers and ‘fried rice’ with the remainder all in one wok! Amazing recipe and he didn’t complain about using the same sauce/Turkey mix whatsoever. Definitely making this again!!

        Reply
        • Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says

          Posted on 3/26/22 at Posted on 3/26/22

          Hi Joyce, that is so brilliant to use it up in turkey lettuce wraps! We're so glad that you both enjoyed it - thanks for taking the time to come back to leave a rating and review!

          Reply
  8. Morgan Schmidtke says

    Posted on 12/7/21 at Posted on 12/7/21

    5 stars
    My husband, who usually doesn’t favor more Asian flavors… LICKED THE BOWL and praised me for days for this. This is going into our rotation! Thank you SO much for how simple you make this. I started with the 24 lunches/3 recipes video (including this recipe) and was blown away by how simple it was. You have started me on flavorful, enjoyable meal prepping and freezing! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

    Reply
    • Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says

      Posted on 12/7/21 at Posted on 12/7/21

      Hi Morgan, awe - so sweet! We're so glad to hear that you BOTH enjoyed this recipe. Thanks for your kind words, and for coming back to leave a rating and review!

      Reply
Older Comments

Primary Sidebar

Hi, I'm Denise

Meal prep took me from feeling constantly stressed out about meals to cool, collected and in control. I want to share this amazing and transformational habit with you, so you can feel in control, too! Read more ...

Meal Prep

Instant Pot

Air Fryer

Freezer Meals

Slow Cooker

Breakfast

Popular

overhead shot of sweet potatoes lined up with text showing number of minutes to cook each

PERFECT Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes

overhead shot of 7 easy stir fry sauces on gray background

7 Easy Stir Fry Sauce Recipes

overhead shot of a variety of seven easy rice recipes with text description

7 Easy Rice Recipes (Stove Top & Rice Cooker)

5 minute asian salad dressing in a mason jar on gray background

5 Minute Asian Salad Dressing

Get my free Meal Prep Quick Start Guide

Get my free Meal Prep Quick Start Guide

Reader Faves

overhead shot of blue mason jar filled with crispy chickpeas

ULTRA Crispy Air Fryer Chickpeas

a stack of fluffy protein pancakes with blueberries on top and syrup being drizzled over them

Perfect Fluffy Protein Pancakes (no banana!)

ingredients to make greek seasoning blend with labels on white background

Easy Greek Seasoning Blend

collage image that says 25 popular meal prep ideas

25 Most Popular Lunch Meal Prep Ideas

As seen on:

Wondering where to start?

Get my Meal Prep Quick Start Guide

Join My Free Meal Prep Challenge!
  • Browse Recipes
    • Dinner
    • Lunch
    • Breakfast
    • Snacks
    • Drinks
    • Air Fryer
    • Instant Pot
    • Freezer
  • Meal Prep 101
    • Shop Meal Plans
    • Meal Prep Basics
    • Meal Prep Challenge
    • Quick Start Guide
Back to Top

Privacy Policy

Disclaimers

Contact

Accessibility

Causes

About

© 2023 Sweet Peas and Saffron
Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled Logo by Wooden Spoons