Teriyaki Turkey Rice Bowls (Printer-friendly)
Ground turkey glazed in teriyaki, served over jasmine rice with crisp vegetables and sesame.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 pound ground turkey
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 medium carrot, julienned
03 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
04 - 1 cup snap peas, trimmed
05 - 2 green onions, sliced
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
07 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
→ Teriyaki Sauce
08 - 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
09 - 1/4 cup water
10 - 2 tablespoons honey or brown sugar
11 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
12 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil, plus more for cooking
13 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch (mixed with 2 tablespoons water)
→ Rice
14 - 1 1/4 cups jasmine or short-grain rice
15 - 2 cups water
→ Garnishes (optional)
16 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
17 - Extra sliced green onions
# How to Make It:
01 - Rinse rice under cold water until water runs clear. Combine rice and 2 cups water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until tender. Remove from heat and let stand, covered.
02 - While rice is cooking, heat 1 teaspoon sesame oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey and cook, breaking it up with a spatula, until browned and no longer pink. Transfer cooked turkey to a plate.
03 - In the same skillet, add another teaspoon sesame oil. Sauté minced garlic and grated ginger for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add julienned carrot, bell pepper, and snap peas. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, until vegetables are just tender.
04 - Return browned turkey to the skillet. In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, 1/4 cup water, honey, rice vinegar, and cornstarch mixture. Pour sauce over turkey and vegetables; stir well to coat. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until sauce thickens and becomes glossy. Stir in sliced green onions.
05 - Fluff cooked rice with a fork and divide among serving bowls. Top with teriyaki-glazed turkey and vegetables. Garnish with sesame seeds and additional green onions as desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- You can control the sweetness and depth of the teriyaki for your exact taste (no more too-salty bottled sauces).
- This recipe became my go-to because it uses fresh colorful vegetables and comes together fast on busy weeknights.
02 -
- Once, distracted by a text, I let the garlic brown too long—it turned bitter and overpowered the sauce, so keep a close eye when you sauté that base.
- When I finally tried rinsing the rice thoroughly, the whole bowl became lighter and the grains didn’t clump, making every bite feel polished.
03 -
- Don’t crowd the turkey or veggies—work in batches if your skillet is small; this keeps everything browned and delicious, not soggy.
- Taking a moment to toast your sesame seeds makes their flavor sing even louder on top of your final bowl.