This one pot Ground Turkey Couscous is a quick and delicious dinner that the whole family will love! Ready in 20 minutes, this is a flavorful dish that comes together in a single pan for beyond easy prep and cleanup.
Best of all, this is a high-protein dinner that's amazing for busy weeknights. The leftovers are even better the next day, so this is also great to make in large batches or to use for meal prep!
Jump to:
🩵 About This Recipe
Made with tender couscous and ground turkey, this amazing skillet dinner is a fantastic meal any night of the week! Featuring spinach and tomatoes, this is a flavorful dish that comes together in one pan for super easy cleanup.
Whether you need something quick and easy on busy weeknights or a lazy Saturday meal, this ground turkey couscous dish will get the job done. It features super simple ingredients and easy steps so you can spend less time cooking and more time enjoying with your loved ones.
And if you enjoy this recipe, you'll also love my Honey Garlic Ground Turkey Bowls or this Ground Turkey Pasta Broccoli Dinner.
🧂 Gather Your Ingredients
- ground turkey - this lighter ground meat is great for adding some lean protein.
- Italian seasoning - adds lots of flavor without having to worry about multiple kinds of herbs.
- smoked paprika
- tomato paste
- fire-roasted diced tomatoes - I used the Hunt's brand, but any kind of canned fire-roasted tomatoes would work.
- chicken broth - you can also use vegetable broth or another kind of broth if you prefer.
- couscous - makes this dish hearty and filling.
- spinach - provides some additional nutrition.
- Parmesan - gives your skillet dinner a nice salty and cheesy finish.
🔪 Let's Make Ground Turkey Couscous!
(Or click here to jump right to the recipe card with measurements!)
Season Meat
Add turkey to a skillet with Italian seasoning and paprika and cook until browned..
Add Tomato
Mix in tomato paste and fire-roasted tomatoes (with their juice) and cook another minute.
Add Broth
Mix in the broth and bring to a boil.
Cook Couscous
Add couscous, then cover and remove from heat. Cook for 5 minutes or until the couscous is tender.
Add Spinach
Fold in spinach until wilted.
Mix in Cheese
Stir in Parmesan cheese, then serve and enjoy!
💡 Expert Tips and Tricks
- Be sure to use regular couscous instead of pearl couscous, which needs extra cooking time and additional liquid.
- If you're using a particularly lean ground turkey, you might need a splash of olive oil in the skillet to prevent sticking.
- Freshly grated Parmesan will melt much easier than pre-shredded.
- Give your skillet a couple of minutes to sit and absorb any excess liquid at the end of the process.
- Feel free to remove the stems of your spinach if they're particularly large or if you want the leaves to blend more seamlessly into the dish.
❔ FAQs
Couscous is technically a tiny form of pasta made from semolina flour. It's often used in similar ways to things like rice or other small grains.
Because this recipe uses broth to cook the couscous, it should also prevent your turkey from drying out while it cooks. If you still have issues with your turkey drying out, you might try a ground turkey with a higher fat percentage to keep it tender and moist.
There are definitely some health benefits! Ground turkey is a lean protein so it's less fatty than some other ground meat options, the couscous is a great source of complex carbs, and the spinach adds some vitamins and nutrients.
📝 Substitutions and Variations
- Ground chicken or lean ground beef can be used instead of the turkey if you prefer.
- Kale can be used instead of spinach, but it will need to be added sooner as it takes a bit longer to wilt down.
- Add extra veggies like mushrooms, bell peppers, or zucchini for additional flavor and nutrition.
- Mozzarella and crumbled feta are also great cheese options.
Kristin's Kitchen Tip
Be sure to give this ground turkey couscous casserole a taste before serving; it may need some salt, pepper, or other seasonings to taste!
🥡 Storage and Reheating
Transfer cooled leftovers to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze leftovers for 3 months or so.
Reheat our leftovers in the microwave or in a pot over medium heat. You may need to add some extra broth to prevent drying out. Allow frozen leftovers to thaw in the fridge before reheating.
Keep It Handy
Don't have time for this ground turkey couscous recipe right now? Click on or tap the heart icon on the BOTTOM RIGHT of the screen to save it for later!
🍴 What To Serve With This Dish
Serve this couscous and ground turkey dish with a simple side salad or some garlic bread to round out your meal, or make things even heartier with some roasted veggies. Garnish with a bit of fresh parsley and an extra sprinkle of Parmesan.
😋 More One Skillet Recipes You'll Love
- Creamy Tomato Shrimp and Orzo - Seafood lovers will enjoy this creamy shrimp dish with tender orzo!
- 20 Minute One Pot Taco Pasta - Switch things up on taco night with this pasta dish that features familiar flavors you know and love.
- Mediterranean Chicken with Feta - Featuring Greek flavors, this easy chicken dish is packed with amazing fresh ingredients.
- One Pot Beef Stroganoff - This recipe from Jo Cooks is done in 20 minutes and results in a classic comfort dish!
get your copy now!
Need help with dinner?
- 24 quick, delicious recipes
- 1 month of meal plans
- pre-filled grocery lists
- and more!
Ground Turkey Couscous Casserole
⭐ Did you make this recipe? Awesome! I would love to hear from you. Please give it a star rating and review below! 👇
📋 Recipe Card
One Pot Ground Turkey Couscous Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 14.5 ounces fire-roasted diced tomatoes with garlic
- 2 cups veggie or chicken broth
- 1 cup uncooked couscous
- 2 cups baby spinach
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan
Instructions
- Place the turkey in a large skillet. Add the Italian seasoning and smoked paprika, and cook until browned.1 pound ground turkey, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Stir in the tomato paste and the fire-roasted tomatoes (with juice) and cook for 1 minute.2 tablespoons tomato paste, 14.5 ounces fire-roasted diced tomatoes with garlic
- Add the broth and bring to a boil.2 cups veggie or chicken broth
- Stir in the couscous, cover, remove from the heat, and let stand for 5 minutes.1 cup uncooked couscous
- Fold in the spinach until wilted.2 cups baby spinach
- Stir in the Parmesan cheese. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired.¼ cup grated Parmesan
Notes
Prep Tips:
- Make sure you you use regular couscous. If you use pearl (Israeli) couscous, you'll need to adjust the cooking time and liquid amount.
- If your ground turkey is very lean, you may want to add a teaspoon of olive oil to the skillet before browning to help prevent sticking.
- For best results, finely grate the Parmesan from a block because it melts more smoothly than the pre-grated cheese.
- Let the finished skillet sit for 2-3 minutes before serving to allow the couscous to finish absorbing any remaining liquid.
- If your spinach has large stems, you may want to remove them before adding so it blends more evenly into the dish.
Variations:
- Substitute ground chicken or lean ground beef for the ground turkey.
- Use kale instead of spinach, adding it a few minutes earlier since it will need more time to soften.
- Stir in mushrooms, zucchini, or diced bell peppers with the turkey for extra vegetables.
- Swap the Parmesan for shredded mozzarella or crumbled feta if desired.
- Add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes for a little heat.
Serving Suggestions:
- Serve as a complete one-pan meal with a simple green salad or garlic bread on the side.
- Garnish with extra grated Parmesan and fresh parsley or basil before serving.
- Pair with roasted vegetables for an even heartier dinner.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freeze cooled portions in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheat gently in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of broth if needed to loosen the couscous.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.
Thanks so much for reading! I also invite you to follow me on FACEBOOK, PINTEREST, or INSTAGRAM to keep up with what's going on in my kitchen.
And you might want to check out my Dizzy Busy and Hungry store on Amazon for a whole bunch of great kitchen products I love!
Happy cooking!
Comments
No Comments