A Quick & Healthy Teriyaki Bowl for Busy Weeknights

If you’re craving a quick, better-than-takeout meal, these Ground Turkey Teriyaki Bowls are your answer! Slightly sweet teriyaki turkey is cooked with fresh veggies and served over fluffy coconut rice for a nutrient-packed meal done in 30 minutes. No wonder they went viral!

It’s easy to meal prep, customizable, and packed with protein and veggies. The homemade teriyaki sauce has just the right balance of umami, sweetness, and richness. Top it off with creamy avocado, and or sesame seeds for extra flavor and texture.

And if you love healthy bowls, try salmon rice bowls, fiesta shrimp bowls, or Cava honey harrissa chicken bowls next.

Teriyaki salmon and ground pork lettuce wraps are the inspiration behind today’s easy healthy meal!

teriyaki turkey  bowl with avocado and sesame seeds on top.

Need another quick dinner? Try ground pork stir fry or healthy chicken pad thai next.

Ingredient Tips & Substitutions

ground turkey teriyaki bowl ingredients on a countertip
  • Rice: A long-grain white rice like jasmine rice or basmati rice is best. You could also use quinoa, sushi rice, or rice noodles.
  • Coconut milk: You can make fluffy stovetop coconut rice or Instant Pot coconut rice.
  • Ground turkey: Keeps it healthy and light. You could use ground chicken, ground pork, or ground beef.
  • Veggies: Onion, broccoli, carrot, and red pepper all add a nice crunch and light sweetness of their own to this recipe.
  • Soy sauce: Tamari or coconut aminos make great substitutes for soy sauce if you’re gluten free.
  • Honey: Pure maple syrup, coconut sugar, or brown sugar will also work.
  • Sesame oil: If you don’t have sesame oil, you can substitute olive oil or avocado oil. It’s a great staple for other Asian-inspired recipes like our Asian Chicken Wings.  
  • Cornstarch: Swap this interchangeably with tapioca starch as the thickening agent. 

How to Make Turkey Teriyaki Bowls

  1. Combine the water, salt, and coconut milk in a pot over high heat and bring it to a boil. Add the rice, stir once, and allow it to simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Time may vary based on rice and package directions. Remove it from the heat and fluff it with a fork.
fluffy coconut rice in a dutch oven.
  1. Whisk together all of the teriyaki sauce ingredients in a small bowl or measuring cup. Dissolve the cornstarch in the water then whisk the cornstarch mixture with the rest of the teriyaki sauce ingredients and set aside.
homemade teriyaki sauce in a small bowl.
  1. Drizzle the olive oil in a large sauté pan or wok over medium heat. Once it’s hot and simmering, add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
  2. Crumble ground turkey in the pan and cook, breaking it up into small pieces until halfway cooked, 3-4 minutes. Add the chopped broccoli, shredded carrot, and diced red pepper, and continue to cook until the vegetables are soft and no pink remains.
ground turkey and cooked veggies in a skillet.
  1. Pour teriyaki sauce over the turkey and cook over medium-high heat. Allow the mixture to simmer until it starts to thicken then remove it from the heat.
ground turkey and vegetables in a pan with teriyaki sauce
  1. Add rice to the bottom of a bowl and top with teriyaki turkey. Top with sliced avocado, green onion, sesame seeds, and optional toasted panko.

Have leftover ground turkey? Try Healthy Ground Turkey Enchiladas or Gluten Free Turkey Meatloaf.

Recipe Variations

Teriyaki Chicken Bowl: swap the ground turkey for ground chicken or dice chicken breasts into small pieces and sear it to cook through.

Low carb: steam a quick batch of cauliflower rice or serve this dish over bib lettuce or romaine lettuce leaves.

Different veggies: chopped green beans, bell peppers, snap peas, snow peas, cauliflower, celery, whole baby corn, bean sprouts, and water chestnuts would all make great veggie alternatives.

Another protein: swap out the ground turkey for any ground protein you have on hand, like ground pork, ground chicken, ground beef, or ground venison.

This recipe is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, making it fit perfectly into an anti-inflammatory diet.

Storing Tips

Store rice, meat, and veggie leftovers separate from the garnishes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Reheat leftovers, except the garnishes, in the microwave or on the stovetop until warmed through.

You can also freeze the meat and veggie portion in an airtight container for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat before serving over rice.

ground turkey teriyaki and vegetables on top of rice

If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a star rating ★ below. You can also tag me on Instagram so I can see it!

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5 from 64 votes

Ground Turkey Teriyaki Bowl

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
These Ground Turkey Teriyaki Bowls are a quick and healthy weeknight dinner made with ground turkey, fresh veggies, and homemade teriyaki sauce. It's is easy to make, packed with flavor, and perfect for meal prep. It's going to be one of your new favorite recipes!

Save this Recipe!

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Servings: 4 bowls

Ingredients

Coconut Rice

  • 1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 (13.6 oz) can full-fat coconut milk (can sub 1 3/4 cups of water)
  • 1/4 cup water

Teriyaki Sauce

  • 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce tamari, or coconut aminos
  • 2 Tablespoons honey or brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger or 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 Tablespoon corn starch or tapioca starch dissolved in 1 Tablespoon of water

Ground Turkey Bowl

  • 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 1 cup chopped broccoli
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • Toppings: toasted panko, avocado, green onions, or sesame seeds

Instructions 

Coconut Rice

  • Combine the water, salt, and coconut milk in a pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Add the rice, stir once, and allow it to simmer. Reduce the heat, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. Fluffy with a fork and remove from the heat when it’s done.
    1 cup uncooked long grain white rice, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 (13.6 oz) can full-fat coconut milk, 1/4 cup water

Ground Turkey Teriyaki

  • Whisk together all of the teriyaki sauce ingredients in a small bowl or measuring cup. Dissolve the cornstarch in the water then mix it with the rest of the teriyaki sauce ingredients and set aside.
    1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce, 2 Tablespoons honey, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger, 1 Tablespoon corn starch or tapioca starch
  • Drizzle the olive oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Once it’s hot and shimmering, add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
    1-2 Tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 medium yellow onion, 3 cloves garlic
  • Add the ground turkey to the pan and cook, breaking it up into small pieces until halfway cooked, 3-4 minutes. Add the chopped broccoli, shredded carrot and diced red pepper, and continue to cook until the vegetables are soft and the turkey is cooked through, with no pink remaining.
    1 lb ground turkey, 1 cup chopped broccoli, 1 cup shredded carrots, 1 red bell pepper
  • Pour the teriyaki sauce over the turkey and stir fry veggies, and turn the heat up to medium-high until the mixture is bubbling then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer to thicken the sauce. Remove it from the heat to assemble the bowls.
  • Add the cooked coconut rice to the bottom of a bowl and top with teriyaki turkey. Garnish with sliced avocado, green onion, sriracha, or sesame seeds.
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review letting us know how it was!

Notes

Chicken Teriyaki Bowls. Swap the ground turkey for ground chicken or dice chicken breast into small cubes.
Protein Options: You could also use ground beef, shrimp, tofu, or make this teriyaki salmon.
Instant Pot. Follow these instructions for fluffy Instant Pot Coconut Rice.
Brown Rice. We tested this recipe with white and brown rice and found the consistency of the white rice was much better with the coconut milk. Use all water instead of coconut milk if you want to use brown rice in your bowl.
Soy Sauce. We like to use Tamari or Coconut aminos because both are gluten-free, but we almost always opt for coconut aminos because it’s soy and wheat-free.
Low carb: use less rice in the bowl, steam a quick batch of cauliflower rice, or serve this dish over bib lettuce or romaine lettuce leaves.
Extra veggies: try chopped green beans, snap peas, snow peas, cauliflower, celery, whole baby corn, bean sprouts, or water chestnuts.
Storage: store leftovers or meal prep the dish in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave until heated through. Store toppings separately.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 586kcal | Carbohydrates: 55.2g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 28.1g | Cholesterol: 78.2mg | Sodium: 1757mg | Fiber: 3.9g | Sugar: 11.7g | Vitamin A: 306.6IU | Vitamin C: 24.9mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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5 from 64 votes (23 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




92 Comments

  1. Leah says:

    5 stars
    This recipe is amazing! I’m just learning how to cook and this is simple, not too many steps, and tastes amazing! The first time I brought leftovers to work for lunch all of my coworkers wanted the recipe!

    1. Molly says:

      Thank you so much Leah! So glad you loved it.

  2. Mur says:

    5 stars
    This was amazing! Doubled the broccoli and carrots by accident bc I thought I was going to double the recipe only to realize I only had 1 lb of turkey. It was delicious! Everything else was just as the recipe called for and my whole family loved it. It’s going into the weeknight dinner rotation!

    1. Molly says:

      Love it when we make it in the rotation. Thanks for sharing, Mur!

  3. Buffie says:

    5 stars
    Made this as written and it was so good and easy! Dinner in 30? Yes, please! Have a little for leftovers for lunch today and can’t wait to eat it again! Thanks for another great recipe!

    1. Molly says:

      Love to hear this Buffie! It’s one of my favorites!

  4. Delhi Reyes says:

    5 stars
    This recipe is so good and so easy and makes for great leftovers. I substituted ground chicken for the turkey and added a bag of multicolor cabbage for extra volume. Would definitely make it again and again

    1. Molly says:

      What a great compliment. Thanks so much Delhi!

  5. Susan Raffle says:

    5 stars
    I got many compliments on this. SO good!

    1. Molly Thompson says:

      Love that!

  6. MICHELLE NOBLE says:

    5 stars
    Oh. My. Goodness! This was SO easy and ridiculously tasty! The mix itself makes enough for 6 bowls, but definitely would double the rice mixture. One word of help…If cooking on a electric stove, the rice will take way longer. Just watch the rice or it will burn! If your’e not up for using rice, use the turkey mixture over a cooked zucchini, pasta or whatever you feel!i! AGAIN, SOOOO GOOD!

  7. Sandy says:

    5 stars
    I loved this recipe. Threw in some added vegetables and doubled the sauce. It was super delicious. Thank you for sharing it with us.

    1. Molly Thompson says:

      Sounds amazing!

      1. Betty says:

        5 stars
        Love this recipe! Delicious! Love it with the coconut rice!

        1. Molly Thompson says:

          Thank you!

  8. Beth says:

    5 stars
    Doubled the broccoli
    Delicious and filling meal

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