Easy Slow Cooker Turkey Tacos
These easy slow cooker turkey tacos combine ground turkey meat with tomato sauce & a few simple spices for the perfect, easy prep taco filling.
Make tonight taco night!

Ground turkey tacos are one of my go-to weeknight meals!
Along with easy slow cooker dinner recipes, I always include tacos as part of our capsule meal plan.
They come together quickly and the topping options are truly endless.
Meaning I can use one simple recipe for turkey taco meat to make multiple dinners during the week.
Including everything from – well, the obvious, tacos – to taco bowls, salads, burritos, and more.
The best part?
This turkey taco meat recipe can be made in the slow cooker, for the ultimate fuss-free meal prep situation.
how to make turkey tacos in the slow cooker
- Sauté the turkey, add the spices, stir together with tomato sauce for minimal taste and maximum flavor
- Why use a slow cooker? The low & slow cook time allows the turkey to get tender and absorb all flavor from the spices
- Once you sauté the turkey meat & add it to the slow cooker, it’s a hands-off recipe. Perfect for busy days, game days, or days you just want to set it and forget it
The Slow Cooker I Use
Here’s the slow cooker (affiliate) I use for all my recipes, this size works great for our family and I love how easy it is to use!
more ways to use this ground turkey taco meat
- for taco filling – you can use hard taco shells, or soft corn or flour tortillas with toppings like this 4-ingredient guacamole
- to make a taco bowl – use your rice of choice (or cauliflower rice) and add fresh toppings like romaine lettuce, avocado, tomatoes and more
- as a burrito filling – stuff into a large soft tortilla with your favorite burrito add-in’s
- serve on top of a taco salad – use fresh greens or creamy cabbage slaw as your base then add your taco filling, cheese, toppings, and chips for crunch


meal prep tips & how to store or freeze leftovers
- Cooked ground turkey will keep well in the fridge for up to 3-4 days, in a sealed container
- This recipe also freezes well, store in a sealed freezer friendly container for up to 2-3 months
This recipe can be made ahead! Perfect for meal prep on busy weeks (or anytime you need to feed a crowd quickly & easily)

recipe notes, modifications & adaptations
- Skip the chili powder if you are sensitive to heat
- Or stir in a tablespoon of hot sauce at the end to kick up the heat
- I used 93% lean ground turkey, you can use an even leaner ground turkey if you like but it will be drier, less tender and less flavorful
- To keep these grain free, use a grain-free tortillas or lettuce wraps instead of traditional tortillas
- You can also make instant pot turkey tacos or make them on the stovetop – see the notes section of the recipe card below for how

this recipe is…
Dairy FreeGluten FreeNut FreePaleoWhole30
I hope you’ll make this Easy Slow Cooker Turkey Tacos recipe soon. If you do, be sure to share it on Instagram and tag me at @realfoodwholelife so I can see!

Easy Slow Cooker Turkey Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp granulated garlic powder
- 1 tsp mild chili powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb 93% lean dark meat ground turkey
- 1 15-oz can no sugar-added tomato sauce
Optional Serving Suggestions
- Easy Guacamole
- Fresh Tomato Salsa
- Tortillas, lettuce, tomato, avocado, jalapeno, hot sauce, salsa, cheese, sour cream, red onion
Equipment
Instructions
- In a small bowl, make the spice mixture by combining the cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, and salt, stirring to combine. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the turkey, sprinkle with half the spice mixture, then stir, breaking the ground turkey apart with a wooden spoon.
- Allow the turkey to brown on one side, about 4-5 minutes, then stir to flip the turkey and cook and additional 3-4 minutes until browned and cooked through
- Carefully transfer the turkey to a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the remaining spice mixture and the tomato sauce, stirring to combine.
- Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-5 hours.
- Serve in warm tortillas with preferred toppings if desired.
Notes
Nutrition Information:
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