Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Bake (Printable)

Hearty turkey and sweet potato bake with vegetables and melted cheese topping

# What You Need:

→ Protein

01 - 1 lb ground turkey

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
06 - 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped

→ Dairy & Toppings

07 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
08 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Liquids & Base

09 - 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

→ Pantry & Seasonings

10 - 2 tbsp olive oil
11 - 1 tsp dried thyme
12 - 1 tsp dried oregano
13 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
14 - 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
15 - 1 tsp salt

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground turkey and cook until browned and cooked through, breaking up with a spatula for 5-6 minutes. Remove turkey and set aside.
03 - Add remaining olive oil to the same skillet. Sauté onion for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add garlic and red bell pepper, cooking for another 2 minutes.
04 - Stir in diced sweet potatoes, thyme, oregano, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
05 - Add spinach and cooked turkey to the skillet. Mix well and cook until spinach is just wilted.
06 - Transfer mixture to the prepared baking dish. Pour chicken broth evenly over the mixture.
07 - Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheese evenly on top.
08 - Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
09 - Remove foil and bake an additional 10-15 minutes, until sweet potatoes are tender and cheese is golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one pan before the oven, meaning practically zero cleanup
  • The sweet potatoes become tender and sweet while soaking up all the seasoned flavors
02 -
  • The size of your sweet potato dice really matters, aim for uniform pieces so everything finishes cooking at the same time
  • Covering the dish for the first 30 minutes is essential for tender sweet potatoes
03 -
  • If your sweet potatoes seem especially large, give them a 2 minute head start in the skillet before adding the bell pepper
  • Let the casserole rest the full 5 minutes, otherwise it will be too loose to serve neatly

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