Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Bake (Printable Version)
Hearty casserole featuring ground turkey, sweet potatoes, and vegetables baked with herbs and cheese topping.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 ½ lbs lean ground turkey
→ Vegetables
02 - 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
03 - 1 large onion, diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
06 - 2 cups chopped baby spinach
→ Dairy
07 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
08 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ Liquids
09 - ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 2 tbsp olive oil
→ Spices & Seasonings
11 - 1 tsp dried thyme
12 - 1 tsp dried oregano
13 - ½ tsp smoked paprika
14 - ½ tsp ground black pepper
15 - 1 tsp salt, or to taste
# Method:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or a light coating of oil.
02 - In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook for 2–3 minutes until softened and translucent.
03 - Add minced garlic to the skillet and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
04 - Add ground turkey to the skillet, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook for 5–6 minutes until browned and no longer pink.
05 - Stir in red bell pepper, diced sweet potatoes, dried thyme, oregano, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to combine flavors.
06 - Pour in chicken broth and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 8–10 minutes until sweet potatoes are just tender when pierced with a fork.
07 - Remove skillet from heat. Fold in chopped spinach and stir until just wilted from the residual heat.
08 - Transfer the entire mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading it evenly.
09 - Sprinkle shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheese evenly over the top of the casserole.
10 - Bake for 18–20 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden brown, and the casserole is bubbling around the edges.
11 - Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to settle and make slicing easier.
# Chef's Tips:
01 -
- It hits that perfect spot between healthy comfort food and something you can actually look forward to eating all week.
- The sweet potatoes get just tender enough to melt in your mouth while still holding their shape, and the cheese creates this golden crust that makes the whole house smell amazing.
02 -
- Do not skip the step of letting the sweet potatoes cook in the broth. I tried rushing this once and ended up with crunchy sweet potato bits in the final dish.
- Letting it rest for those 5 minutes seems pointless but the casserole holds together much better when you scoop it.
03 -
- If you want extra crispy cheese on top, mix a little panko breadcrumbs with the Parmesan before sprinkling it on.
- Adding a can of diced fire roasted tomatoes along with the broth gives it a whole different flavor profile that is also delicious.