Ground Turkey Pasta Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What can I add to ground turkey to make it taste better? ›

How do you add flavor to ground turkey? Turkey meat can be flavored with easy ingredients like kosher salt and pepper, bell peppers, garlic powder, and olive oil. If you're cooking meat, specifically turkey taco meat, hot sauce and enchilada sauce are your best mates.

Even 93 percent lean ground turkey—often the fattiest preground turkey you can buy—can still taste too lean and can easily dry out during cooking. To temper those effects, we added 2 tablespoons of melted butter to the meat, along with a panade of milk and panko.

An easy ratio to remember is 2 tablespoons unsalted butter per 1 pound ground turkey or chicken. Here's what I do: Add the ground poultry and any add-ins (like egg, panko, or parsley) to a large bowl. Then take a box grater or Microplane and grate the butter directly into the bowl.

Before you start cooking, be sure to season the ground turkey well with salt and pepper. Also consider including dried herbs and spices for additional flavor. If you're cooking meatballs or meatloaf, pinch off some of the seasoned mixture and cook it in a skillet to taste.

Whenever I made turkey burgers, I would dissolve some beef bouillon in a little water and add it to the turkey with a little canola oil, then season and form the patties. The bouillon gave it some flavor and the water and oil helped with moisture. Just make sure not to overcook.

Using baking soda to tenderize meat instead of salt will not only reduce the sodium content of your finished product, but it will also keep the flavor more concentrated and help maintain the integrity of the meat.

According to America's Test Kitchen, mixing raw ground beef with a little baking soda changes its pH, which in turn makes it harder for its proteins to form a bond as the meat cooks. Without the help of baking soda, proteins in meat are attracted to one another and squeeze out juices as the meat cooks.

Just like in a traditional meatloaf, you need something to hold the meat together. Try adding some dry breadcrumbs to the turkey mixture before you shape the patties. The crumbs will absorb the moisture and, together with the egg, will act like glue and help your burgers maintain their shape on the grill.

For starters, minced mushrooms or grated butter are a few of the ways to add moisture to ground turkey. Mushrooms are full of water — around 90% – and will keep the meat tender, while a tablespoon of unsalted butter contains about 12 grams of fat.

Is turkey supposed to taste rubbery? Rubbery texture comes from cooking too long with too low a heat. Most land fowl like chicken, turkey, pigeon, guineafowl, peafowl, etc. are best when cooked hot and fast.

Is ground turkey healthier than ground beef? ›

Ground beef and turkey are both nutritious meats that provide protein, fat, and a variety of vitamins and minerals. Turkey is generally lower in saturated fat than beef. As such, it may be a better choice for heart health. Fat-free turkey is also the lowest calorie option if you're interested in weight loss.

Add a spoonful of mayonnaise.

Most recipes use egg to bind ground turkey, helping the meat to form into cohesive, juicy patties.

Enhance Flavor with Seasonings

While ground turkey has a mild flavor, adding the right seasonings can make it truly delicious. Experiment with a variety of herbs and spices like garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cumin, or dried oregano. Don't be afraid to get creative and adjust the flavors to your liking!

Use oil when cooking – unlike beef, the dryer nature of ground turkey needs either oil or butter in the pan to properly brown without sticking and drying out. The extra fat helps provide flavor as well.

You could try adding some Worcestershire Sauce, or some smoked paprika, savory, chili powder. What are some ways to cook chicken breast or ground turkey so that it is not plain? After you brown the meat, use it in a recipe. Most recipes that work for ground beef will also work for ground turkey.