Ground Turkey Bang Bang Bowls (Print Version)
Seasoned ground turkey over jasmine rice with crisp veggies and sweet-spicy Bang Bang sauce for a quick satisfying meal.
# What You Need:
→ Rice
01 - 1 cup jasmine or basmati rice
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
→ Ground Turkey
04 - 1 pound ground turkey
05 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
08 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
09 - 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
10 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
11 - 1 teaspoon sriracha (optional)
→ Bang Bang Sauce
12 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
13 - 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
14 - 1 tablespoon sriracha
15 - 1 teaspoon honey
16 - 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
→ Toppings and Vegetables
17 - 1 cup shredded carrots
18 - 1 cup thinly sliced English cucumber
19 - 1/2 cup thinly sliced red cabbage
20 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
21 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
# How to Prepare:
01 - Rinse rice under cold running water until the water runs clear. Combine rice, water, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a rolling boil. Cover tightly, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff gently with a fork before serving.
02 - While the rice cooks, heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until softened and translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the ground turkey, breaking it apart with a spatula, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until evenly browned and cooked through.
03 - Pour in the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, black pepper, and sriracha if using. Stir thoroughly to coat the turkey evenly and continue cooking for 2 minutes, allowing the sauces to caramelize slightly. Remove from heat.
04 - In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, honey, and lime juice until smooth and well blended. Taste and adjust the heat level to your preference.
05 - Divide the cooked rice evenly among 4 serving bowls. Layer each with the seasoned ground turkey, shredded carrots, sliced cucumber, red cabbage, and green onions. Drizzle generously with Bang Bang sauce and finish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The bang bang sauce is the kind of thing you will want to put on everything from roasted broccoli to leftover pizza.
- Ground turkey cooks fast and absorbs flavor beautifully, so you get maximum taste with almost zero effort.
- Everything comes together in about half an hour, which makes it perfect for chaotic weeknights.
- The raw vegetables add crunch and freshness that balance the richness of the sauce perfectly.
02 -
- Do not skip rinsing the rice or you will end up with gummy clumps instead of fluffy separate grains that hold up in a bowl.
- Ground turkey releases moisture as it cooks, so make sure the pan is hot enough and give it time to actually brown rather than just turning grey.
- Letting the rice steam off the heat for those extra 5 minutes makes a huge difference in texture, so resist the urge to lift the lid early.
03 -
- Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan for two minutes before sprinkling them on, and you will unlock a depth of flavor that raw seeds simply cannot match.
- Make double the bang bang sauce and keep it in the fridge for up to a week, because you will absolutely want it on sandwiches, roasted vegetables, or whatever you are eating tomorrow.