These Ground Turkey Recipes Are So Good, You'll Say Buh-Bye to Ground Beef (2024)

FAQs

Is ground turkey as good as ground beef? ›

"Ground turkey contains less saturated fat than ground beef, giving it a more beneficial fat profile," says Beaver. "In its place, ground turkey instead contains more polyunsaturated fat, which is a protective, healthier type of fat."

Try doing what smart cooks do: Mix ground turkey breast with lean ground beef to improve the taste and limit the saturated fat. In today's recipe for Stuffed Burgers, we use a mix of lean ground beef and ground turkey breast.

Foodborne illness occurs when you eat something contaminated with an infectious organism like a parasite, bacteria or virus, according to the Mayo Clinic. Raw or undercooked turkey or turkey left at room temperature for too long may allow these disease-causing organisms to flourish.

The bottom line is yes—it is okay to include ground turkey in your diet regularly, though as with any food, it's crucial to eat it in moderation and variety in your food choices. Eating a diverse range of nutrient sources helps ensure you obtain all of the essential nutrients needed for enhancing overall health.

Turkey is a low glycemic index (GI) food. That means it won't cause the blood sugar spike that you'd get from more sugar-rich and carb-rich foods. If you have diabetes, including turkey in your diet can help you to keep your blood sugar under control.

Place chunks of the ground turkey in the pan and then sprinkle salt with chili powder and brown. Once the turkey is cooked through, stir in the onions and peppers and add more salt and chili powder to taste and remove from heat. Sprinkle with freshly chopped cilantro and serve immediately.

As far as a difference in taste, Hueschen says it's only slight, and depending on how you use it, you might not even notice – meaning it's possible to make ground turkey taste like beef.

A 3.5-ounce turkey burger cooks in 3 to 4 minutes per side; a beef patty cooks in 6 to 8 minutes per side. In a microwave oven on full power, a pound of ground turkey cooks in just 5 to 6 minutes. On the other hand, ground turkey, unlike beef, should never be served rare.

Can you over mix ground turkey? ›

I then added a bit of Worcestershire sauce, cooled the mixture down and then combined everything into the ground turkey. Again, you want to be delicate when combining the mixture and not overwork it by handling it too much, which will create a tough burger.

Is it okay to cook ground turkey and cut up pieces of chicken together? Yes for cooking it's fine.

Eating spoiled ground turkey may lead to foodborne illness, with symptoms such as vomiting, nausea and diarrhea. People with weakened immune systems may experience more severe symptoms. If you're hesitant about your ground turkey, it's best to throw it out and play it safe.

But as any poultry starts to go bad, it will start to turn an unpleasant shade of gray. If that pink hue starts to look slightly dull then it's time to use up your ground turkey immediately, and if it has a gray tint (even just a slight one), then it's time to toss it.

A single serving of turkey can contain up to 80 milligrams of cholesterol, a waxy substance that can clog arteries and even lead to heart attack or stroke. Cholesterol is only found in animal products—it's not in plant-based foods. Consuming excess saturated fat can also increase cholesterol levels.

Ground beef has 172 calories, 7.9 grams fat and 3.3 grams saturated fat versus ground turkey, which has 170 calories, 9.4 grams fat and 2.5 grams saturated fat. Ground beef has 2.4 grams more protein and has slightly less cholesterol and more iron and zinc than ground turkey.

Turkey and chicken are often recommended as healthy alternatives to red meat. But if they are preserved, they count as processed meats and are harmful.

Rich in Vitamins and Minerals

It contains vitamin B12, which helps support red blood cell formation, as well as zinc and iron, which help boost immunity. Turkey also provides a good dose of selenium, which has powerful antioxidant properties that help protect against disease.