Savory Ground Turkey Sweet Potato (Printable View)

Hearty casserole with seasoned turkey, sweet potatoes, and vegetables topped with golden cheese.

# What You Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 1 lb ground turkey
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil

→ Vegetables

03 - 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
04 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
07 - 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped

→ Dairy

08 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
09 - 1/4 cup milk

→ Pantry & Spices

10 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
11 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme
12 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
13 - 1/2 tsp chili powder
14 - 1/2 tsp salt
15 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
16 - 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

→ Toppings

17 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil. Sauté onion and red bell pepper for 3-4 minutes until softened.
03 - Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add ground turkey, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until browned, about 5-6 minutes.
05 - Stir in smoked paprika, thyme, cumin, chili powder, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Mix well.
06 - Add chopped spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes until wilted. Remove from heat.
07 - In a large bowl, toss sweet potato cubes with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add them to the prepared baking dish.
08 - Spoon the turkey and vegetable mixture evenly over the sweet potatoes.
09 - Drizzle milk over the casserole, then sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese evenly on top.
10 - Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
11 - Remove foil and bake for another 15 minutes until sweet potatoes are tender and cheese is golden and bubbly.
12 - Let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one dish, leaving you with exactly one pan to wash after dinner
  • The sweet potatoes become meltingly tender while absorbing all those savory spices
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day, making your lunch prep effortless
02 -
  • If your sweet potato cubes are larger than 1/2 inch, they will not cook through in the time listed
  • Do not skip covering with foil for the first 25 minutes, that steam is essential for tender sweet potatoes
  • Letting it rest for 5 minutes seems optional but it really helps the portions hold together when serving
03 -
  • Cut your sweet potatoes slightly smaller if you are short on time, they will cook faster
  • Double the recipe and bake in two separate dishes, freeze one unbaked for later
  • Use pre cut sweet potatoes from the store to shave off 10 minutes of prep work

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