Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Bake (Printable Version)

Lean turkey, sweet potatoes, and vegetables bake under bubbly cheese for an easy, nutritious meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Protein & Dairy

01 - 1 lb ground turkey
02 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
03 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Vegetables

04 - 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
05 - 1 medium onion, diced
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
08 - 1 cup baby spinach, chopped

→ Pantry & Seasonings

09 - 2 tbsp olive oil
10 - 1 tsp dried thyme
11 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
13 - 1/4 tsp chili flakes
14 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Liquids

15 - 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray or a small amount of oil.
02 - Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground turkey and cook until browned, breaking apart with a spoon for 5–7 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, thyme, smoked paprika, and cumin. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
03 - Add remaining 1 tbsp olive oil to the same skillet. Cook onion and red bell pepper until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Stir in diced sweet potatoes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chopped spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes.
05 - Return browned turkey to the skillet with vegetables. Pour in chicken broth and mix well. Simmer for 3–4 minutes until liquid slightly thickens.
06 - Transfer mixture to the prepared casserole dish. Top evenly with shredded mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
07 - Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.
08 - Remove foil and bake for an additional 10–15 minutes, until sweet potatoes are tender and cheese is golden and bubbly. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

# Chef's Tips:

01 -
  • The sweet potatoes get caramelized edges while staying tender in the middle, creating this perfect texture contrast that makes every bite interesting
  • Its one of those meals that tastes even better the next day, so lunch is basically handled without any extra work
  • The combination of smoked paprika and thyme gives it this cozy, slow-cooked flavor even though it comes together in under an hour
02 -
  • The sweet potatoes should feel tender when pierced with a fork before that final uncovered bake, otherwise they will still be slightly crunchy in the finished dish
  • If your cheese is browning too fast during that last stage, tent it loosely with foil for the remaining time
03 -
  • If your sweet potatoes are on the larger side, cut them into slightly smaller pieces so they cook through before the cheese burns
  • Letting the casserole rest for those full 10 minutes before serving makes a huge difference in how cleanly it slices

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