A Quick & Healthy Teriyaki Bowl for Busy Weeknights

If you’re craving a quick, better-than-takeout meal, this Ground Turkey Teriyaki Bowl is your answer! It’s a fast, flavorful dinner made with lean ground turkey, fresh vegetables, and a homemade teriyaki sauce served over fluffy coconut rice. Ready in about 30 minutes, it’s a healthier alternative to takeout and an easy option for meal prep, weeknight dinners, or quick lunches you’ll actually look forward to.
No wonder it 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.
Need another quick, Asian-inspired dinner? Try ground pork stir fry, sweet and spicy pork lettuce wraps, or healthy chicken pad thai next.

Ingredients You’ll Need

- 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 a Ground Turkey Teriyaki Rice Bowl

- 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.

- 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.

- Saute onion over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Cook ground turkey in the pan, breaking it up into small pieces until halfway cooked, 3-4 minutes. Add the remaining veggies and cook until veggies are soft and no pink remains.

- 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.

- 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, Ground Turkey Vegetable Soup, 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.

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!
More Teriyaki Recipes
Ground Turkey Teriyaki Rice Bowl
Save this Recipe!
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. Fluff 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.Toppings: toasted panko, avocado, green onions, or sesame seeds
Notes
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.












This was fantastic!! Only substitution was ground chicken for the turkey (to avoid a grocery trip).
The coconut rice was simply amazing and elevated the dish to another level. I doubled the sauce and was glad I did. I used all of your suggested toppings too. Simply perfect. Your recipes are excellent-especially your rice bowls. Thank you.
Wow, thank you so much Jennifer!!
Delicious and so easy!! I followed the recipe exactly, and it turned out wonderfully. I highly recommend for busy weeknights! #whatwemade
Thank you so much, Maggie!
This is a keeper recipe! Super easy prep. Delicious flavor. And also very satisfying! We will definitely repeat this one frequently! #whatwemade
Thank you Jill!!
Another fantastic recipe! i made it for company and of course they asked for the recipe. i used ground beef and tamari, subbed honey for swerve and used tapioca starch due to what i had on hand and trying to stay keto. replaced the carrots with zucchini and snap peas. served with sesame seeds, green onions and avacado! printed and will make again!! #whatwemade
Thank you so much for sharing!!
This was surprisingly delicious, and so quick to make! I omitted the onions and garlic because my husband is sensitive to those, but it still had a ton of flavor. We’ll definitely be making this again! #whatwemade
Glad you loved it, Emily!
Fabulous Flavors, LOVE this!
#whatWEmade
Thanks Sandy!
This is just delicious and the sauce is amazing! So much flavor! I made a big batch and we enjoyed the leftovers for lunch during the week. Loved it!
#whatwemade
Great idea. Thanks for sharing Adrienne!
I made this for dinner – doubled the recipe for meal prep lunches! Really delicious and healthy as well. Def recommend! #WhatWEMade
Great idea. Thanks Nicole!
Delicious! A great takeout replacement! #WhatWEMade
Thanks Sarah!!
Easy, fast and flexible – I made this instead of takeout with the ingredients I had on hand. Would definitely make it again!
Thank you!!
I have made this recipe twice now – it’s delicious! It comes together so easily and is great for meal prep! Next time I may try changing up the veggies and adding avocado! Love the coconut rice too! #whatwemade
Thanks Marissa! So glad you loved it.
Taco bowl night mixed with Asian night and my family loves it! This dish is a great one to add veggies without the kids noticing. My gut agrees that this is a lower inflammatory meal. #whatwemade
Thanks Hannah!
We have finally found a winning “stir fry!” I have tried MANY and we just haven’t found the right one until this one! My husband said it was excellent- just the right amount of salty and sweet. I love that it uses ground turkey too. #whatwemade
So glad you love it. Thanks for sharing Nikki!!
This is a staple in our house. We love adding different veggies too. Great flavor and healthy! #WhatWEMade
Thanks Abby!
We used beef instead of turkey and it was great. This was our first time making coconut rice, and we will definitely make it again. It’s a great weeknight meal to make for a family. #whatWEmade
Thanks Scott!!
Easy. Fast. Flavorful and customizable. I like this a lot! Thanks!
#WhatWEMade
Thanks Emiley!
Another outstanding recipe! The fresh, crunchy veggies and flavor are as good as what you can get at an authentic Asian cuisine restaurant. It is also a healthier way for me to satisfy my takeout cravings! #whatwemade
Wow, thank you so much!
Easy and delicious recipe. My daughter loved it. I will definitely keeps this in the rotation.
Thanks Rebecca!
This has actually become a repeat weeknight dinner recipe for my family. They love it! And it lends itself to customization with whatever is in the fridge. I’ve topped it with corn and other veggies outside the recommendations, which is fun. #whatwemade
So glad you loved it!
This recipe came together quickly and was full of vegetables! #whatwemade
Glad you enjoyed it!
One of my go to meal plan recipes. I love how it uses a lean meat and coconut milk. The coconut milk enhances the rice flavor, the sauce is not too salty or too sweet. Great flavor and perfect for my macros.
#whatwemade
Restaurant-quality!
This recipe is delicious. The coconut rice is a great addition. I never would’ve thought of that.
I always do a protein bowl (usually ground turkey) so this recipe was a perfect addition and one that I will continue to use. Super simple as well.
#whatwemade
Thank you Molly!
#whatwemade this recipe was so good! The coconut rice added a lovely depth of flavor that was a nice departure from normal white rice. The teriyaki sauce is going to be my go to from now on! It was excellent! Even my 9 year old loved it and she is a very particular eater.
Love this. Thanks Sydney!
Okay wow! Let me just start by saying this came together so quick and easy! The teriyaki sauce was the perfect balance of flavors and deliciousness. I especially appreciate that it didn’t require a separate pot to cook in. I didn’t have turkey so I used ground beef and it was the tastiest way to use ground beef I’ve ever tried. So delicious I will definitely be making again. A staple weeknight dinner for me, an easy way to get more veggies in, and the coconut milk rice was the cherry on top of it all. Served it with sesame seeds and avocado. My toddler’s gobbled it up in no time at all and they are quite picky. Thank you for this recipe, ten out of ten! #whatwemade
Wow, thank you so much Olga!
Me and my husband LOVE THIS RECIPE!
We make it at least twice a month and it’s super easy to make as well! This and other recipes from molly has helped my husband’s crohns so much! #whatwemade
Wow I love this. Thank you so much!!
This recipe is one of our family favorites! My husband always comments on how flavorful it is. I come back to this recipe anytime I make any kind of stir fry and use the sauce recipe and coconut rice recipe! We have used turkey, beef, and chicken to change it up and they are all great. #whatwemade
Thank you so much Sarah!!
This is on our rotation! It is such a great recipe and so flavorful! Absolutely love this! Thank you!
Love it when I make it in the rotation. Thanks Erin!
This meal has been a staple in our meal rotation for a while now and isn’t going anywhere soon! My 2 year old exclaims “I like that rice” and my 3 year old devours it everytime (instant win in any mama’s book!). Thanks for such an easy, fast, and delicious recipe!! #whatwemade
I love this:) Thank you Tracy!
#whatwemade
This was a great, filling recipe my whole family loved!
Thank you Melodie!
Wow! This was SO easy and flavorful! My husband and I love to make bowls for dinner and this recipe has officially been added to our weekly rotation! We subbed ground chicken for the turkey and added some edamame beans for some extra protein! Yum!! #whatwemade
Love it when I make it in a rotation. Thanks Ceci!
BOMB. I’ve made this about 20 times and its so healthy, fast, easy. What more could you want?
Thank you so much Nicole!!
This is so good! It’s become a favorite and I make it at least once a month.
Wow, thank you so much Heidi!
Another fantastic dinner! Quick, easy, delicious. I love having the measurements within the instructions.
I appreciate you taking the time to leave a review. Thanks Janet!
A now go-to recipe for my family that we all absolutely love! Not difficult to make and so tasty! This really helped to improve my confidence in the kitchen. And it really helps that the ingredients for each instruction are listed with that exact step- thank you!! I’m new to cooking but I haven’t seen other recipes do that and it prevents scrolling back and forth to the ingredients list! I will absolutely be using your recipes in the future!
Thank you so much Leah. What a compliment!!
Loved this! Fast, fresh and easy!
Thank you Susan!
In my top 5 of all the recipes I’ve tried from Molly (and I have her cookbook). A perfect turkey bowl!
What a compliment. Thanks Nicole!!
Yum, this tasted fresh and everyone gobbled it up! It had great flavor! No one picked out the red pepper either, which was another big win!
Thank you Danielle!
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!
Thank you so much Leah! So glad you loved it.
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!
Love it when we make it in the rotation. Thanks for sharing, Mur!
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!
Love to hear this Buffie! It’s one of my favorites!
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
What a great compliment. Thanks so much Delhi!
I got many compliments on this. SO good!
Love that!
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!
I loved this recipe. Threw in some added vegetables and doubled the sauce. It was super delicious. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Sounds amazing!
Love this recipe! Delicious! Love it with the coconut rice!
Thank you!
Doubled the broccoli
Delicious and filling meal
Does this mean you need 2 cups of using brown rice instead of one cup for the white rice long grain? I made it before and loved it and I just can’t remember how much rice I used.
Hello! You still use one cup of brown rice!
Amazing! Will become one of my staple rotation meals.
Love when I make it into the rotation!
So easy to make and packed with flavor!
Thanks Rhonda!
This is one of the most delicious dishes I have ever made!! The coconut rice definitely takes it up a notch, it was my first time making rice this way and WOW! . Thanks for adding the nutritional info – when you reference 1 serving do you know roughly how many grams that is? What is 1 serving?
Hey Melanie!! Thanks so much, so glad you liked it. This serves 4, so you can divide it by 4, but I don’t have exact grams! You could weight all the food and divide it by 4 to figure it out!
So flavourful!!
Used regular soy sauce and felt it was a little salty. Will be trying coconut aminos next time.
Will not buy store bought teriyaki sauce any more.
What a compliment! Thanks! You could also try low sodium soy sauce.
We have made this several times and it is always so delicious! The best and easiest rice too! Since trying this recipe, I only like to make rice this way.
It’s my favorite way to make rice! So good! Glad you like the recipe:) It’s on our rotation!
We made this for dinner last night and it was delicious! I think the sauce is the game-changer here. So yummy. This is definitely being added to our meal queue.
Love that it’s added to your rotation, Emily! We make this one allll the time!
I really enjoyed this! Learning to cook more with turkey and loved the layout of your recipe and website. I added cauliflower, brocolrabi too and used hot honey for a little kick.
Sounds amazing! So glad you like my website!:)
My sauce did not thicken and I followed directions exactly, so the dish was pretty plain I had to add extra garlic, onion, ginger, salt, pepper, etc. Maybe it would’ve been fine if the sauce thickened? But nice and simple regardless I did cauliflower rice and added baby corn and some tiny eggplants my grandparents grew, weighed everything out and it was around 550cal and 50g of protein!
Hey Bianca! Thanks for sharing about the protein! That’s awesome. Did you use 1 Tablespoon of tapioca flour or cornstarch? You have to turn the heat up higher to let it simmer to get the corn starch to activate and thicken. That could be your problem! Next time double check you add enough and that it’s on high enough heat, it can take a second to get there but it will thicken! I’ve had this happen and it is lacking in flavor if the sauce isn’t thick enough to coat everything. Hope this helps!
Very tasty!!! And not hard to make!
Thanks, Jackie!!
My partner and I absolutely loved this recipe! I used Singapore noodles and will be making it again!
Thanks, Natalie!! Love that!
Absolutely delicious!!!
Thanks, Jodi!
Love the recipe! Thank you 🙂 Because I love Trader Joe’s Sweet Chili Sauce, I added a tablespoon to the entire recipe and added cashew pieces to garnish.
That sounds amazing, Nikki! Thanks for sharing.
Delicious recipe!! Very flavorful and easy. I added celery just because I love celery in asain food. Great teriyaki marinade!!
Thanks, Kathy!!
This recipe takes little time to make and it was so delicious! I didn’t change anything, made it per instructions. Love! Love! Love!
This was so good! I made a little bit extra of the sauce because I was adding more veggies and it turned out awesome. I didn’t follow the recipe for coconut rice so I can’t comment on that but the coconut rice I made was great with this dish. It’s going in our family cookbook!
That’s a huge compliment, Cassandra!! Love that this will be in your family cookbook. Thanks!
This recipe takes little time to make and it was so delicious! I didn’t change anything, made it per instructions. Love! Love! Love!
Thank you!
I used Tamari and it was way too salty! Still, we enjoyed it 😀
I’ve made this with liquid aminos and it was way too salty that way too. Low sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos is the way to go!
I used mostly coconut aminos with a splash of tamari…. Yum!!
I always use coconut aminos!! It’s the best!
Amazing! Have made it once with the coconut aminos and ground turkey which I thought was much better. Also made it with tofu and tamari. It was just okay with those ingredients. Even the husband approved! Will be making this often.
Thanks, Elizabeth!! Love that you shared different ways you tried it. So good!
This is a delicious terriyaki sauce! I used the Coconut Amino Acids to cut the salt to a fraction of regular soy sauce. I also added fresh green beans and mushrooms. Not a fan of coconut rice so made a combination of wild rice/brown rice, and added some homemade chicken broth to the rice for extra flavor. Thanks for this receipe! This will be my go to terriyaki sauce, only need honey and NOT the brown sugar! This would also work great with chicken or beef or pork if you want to vary it or use what you have on hand. I definitely plan on making this again with different proteins.
Thank you, stacey! I’ve made this with chicken and pork and it’s delish. If you like this teriyaki sauce, you’ll like my pork lettuce wraps too!! Thank you for taking the time to share.
Can you use frozen veggies? I have some frozen cauliflower
Hey Erin! Yes, I’ve made this with frozen veggies and it worked just fine!
Quick, easy and delicious! Only had a “lite” coconut milk on hand but it worked
Thanks for sharing, Janet! Glad you liked it!
Extremely easy, extremely good.
I use ground chicken instead of turkey.
I’ve done it with ground chicken too! So yum!
I’ve made this several times now and it’s just never a miss! We love it so much, especially my son who is super picky! Thank you!!!!
You’re welcome! Thanks for taking the time to share:)
The Turkey Teriyaki Rice Bowl recipe was absolutely delicious and easy to make. It’s been added to our regular rotation!
The best compliment when it gets added to the rotation!!! Thanks!
Really delicious and easy to make!
Thank you!!
Good golly Ms. Molly! This was a winner. The coconut rice was exceptional, cooked perfect! I used beef. Husband told me to add this to the rotation. I thought it would be a lot of prep but it went pretty quick. Wouldn’t change a thing!
Thank you, Sonja! Best comment! Love when I make the regular rotation!!
First time trying this and my daughter and I love it. I used cauliflower rice instead but was very tasteful.
Thanks,Nita!
Amazing! I subbed some cooked lemongrass tofu for the turkey so obviously had to adjust some cooking times and it was great! Also subbed cauliflower for the broccoli. Will definitely be making again with the turkey and broccoli.
Thanks for sharing the variations, Beth!
This was so good, it’s definitely going into a regular rotation at our house. I was hesitant about the coconut rice but went for it, and I’m so glad I did. It was delicious. Only change was I did use the lite coconut milk instead of the full fat, but we found it extremely flavorful. Thanks for the great recipe!
Thanks, Deborah! The coconut rice is our fave! We have this one on rotation too.
Can you freeze this?
Hey Celsy! This is definitely freezer friendly! Freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat. Thanks!
Yummy!!!! I used low sodium soy sauce and not quite as much. Will be making this recipe all the time!!!! Highly recommend!
This is a staple recipe in our house! You have to make the coconut rice with it! I made it recently for guests and they all raved about it.
So, so good!! And easy for a weeknight. This one is a keeper!
Thanks, Kristin! Totally agree! We make this at least twice a month on weeknights.
Delicious! Will put on repeat in our house.
Best compliment! Thanks, Andrea!
Simple and easy to make but still full of flavor.
You can’t lose with ANY of Molly’s recipes. Always a 10/10!
Thank you Kim! This is so nice!!
what happens if you use light coconut milk? does it change the texture? thanks
This one was so so good! I want to make it again and again.
This was crazy delicious! The coconut rice was so decadent and tasty on its own, but really paired perfectly with the teriyaki turkey. Honestly, the two of them together was greater than the sum of its parts. Absolutely loved it; it’s going to be a staple weeknight dinner.
Another fantastic recipe! I used ground beef instead of turkey because that’s what I had on hand but it was so yummy!