Ground Turkey Enchiladas

This ground turkey enchiladas recipe is a delicious and healthy meal that’s easy to make and perfect for a busy weeknight dinner or as a make ahead meal. It’s a time saving main course that uses just a handful of ingredients and is sure to be a new family favorite!

About Ground Turkey Enchiladas

I love a really hearty meal that comes together quickly, and the whole family will love, and this ground turkey enchilada casserole is just that!

Enchiladas are a great make-ahead meal and time saver if you want to do batch cooking, which is why I love creating recipes like these (hello easy chicken enchilada, black bean and sweet potato enchiladas, and chicken enchilada skillet!).

To mix things up, this version of enchiladas features ground turkey, which is a super quick and easy protein to cook up – if you want a 30-minute meal featuring ground turkey, try this turkey taco skillet!

I also love that these healthy enchiladas are packed with lots of protein and fiber, so they’re super filling, but not heavy.

Using flavorful homemade enchilada sauce (or store bought), canned black beans, ground turkey, a few spices, and cheese, this recipe is simple but does not sacrifice on flavor.

And the best thing is you can totally switch things up with different ground meat, your favorite cheeses, or the beans or tortillas you have on hand.

However you make this recipe, don’t forget about all the toppings (I share some of my favorite easy topping ideas later in this post!)!

Visual Guide: How to Make Ground Turkey Enchiladas

Testing Notes

This easy ground turkey enchiladas casserole works best with flour tortillas since the ground turkey is drier and flour tortillas offer the best texture.

However, I also tested this recipe with 50/50 flour and corn tortillas, as well as corn tortillas with success.

If using warmed flour tortillas, no need to dip tortillas in enchilada sauce first, however, if using corn tortillas you may need to dip them to keep them from tearing.

You can customize this recipe by using different types of meat or vegetables. 

You can replace the ground turkey with ground beef, and if you have shredded chicken, I recommend this easy chicken enchilada recipe that uses shredded chicken.

If you want to bulk up this recipe even more, and up the veggies, feel free to add peppers, corn, or zucchini for extra flavor and texture.

Time Saving Tips & Tricks

While the ingredient list may seem longer than usual, this recipe actually comes together quickly, and there are some tricks that can make it even easier!

I love leaning on my homemade enchilada sauce, which I keep on hand as a meal prep staple, however, you can use a good store-bought red enchilada sauce in a pinch.

Just make sure the enchilada sauce is not too spicy if your family isn’t a fan of spice.

For the cheese, I do prefer shredding my own cheese, but pre-shredded cheese is just fine and will save you time and effort.

And one of my favorite time-saving hacks is to make one full recipe and divide it into two smaller pans.

Bake one and freeze the other for a quick homemade meal for busy nights.

Key Ingredients and Substitutions

Olive oil: For sautéing, I love the light, buttery flavor of the olive oil in this recipe. But you can also use any other neutral flavored cooking oil in its place like avocado, vegetable or canola oil.

Ground turkey: 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. Ground chicken or ground beef would also work great in this recipe.

Onion: White onion, yellow onion, or red onion can be used.

Cumin: Together with the garlic powder and chili powder, the earthy flavor of the cumin creates the delicious flavor for these enchiladas.

Garlic powder: I like the ease of using granulated garlic powder in this recipe, but if you prefer fresh minced garlic you can substitute 2 minced garlic cloves in its place.

Chili powder: If you don’t like spicy food, use mild chili powder. And if you like spice use a hot chili powder and top with your favorite hot sauce.

Kosher salt: Look for kosher salt with the regular iodized salt at the grocery store. It has a subtler flavor. Use less iodized salt if that’s what you have on hand.

Black beans: Pinto beans or kidney beans can be used instead of black beans.

Enchilada sauce: I used 1 batch of my easy homemade red enchilada sauce but you could also use a 15-ounce can of store bought enchilada sauce. Choose one that’s gluten-free if that’s important to you.

Shredded Mexican cheese blend: This is typically a blend of four cheeses – including Monterey Jack, Cheddar, Queso Quesadilla and Asadero cheeses. So it’s a great shortcut ingredient. You could also use just all of one type of cheese that you like, for instance all Monterey Jack cheese.

Flour tortillas: I prefer the flavor and texture of flour tortillas in this recipe, but corn tortillas will also work. Make sure to dip corn tortillas in the enchilada sauce before rolling to prevent cracking.

What to Serve with Turkey Enchiladas

These enchiladas can be served as a standalone meal with a side of slow cooker refried beans, creamy cabbage slaw, pinto beans and rice, or a simple green salad topped with chipotle honey vinaigrette.

You can also top them with fresh tomato salsa, 4-ingredient guacamole, cilantro, or queso fresco for an extra burst of flavor.

How to Store & Freeze

This recipe can be made ahead and frozen! 

You can freeze it unbaked or baked by simply covering it with plastic wrap and placing in the freezer.

To cook from frozen, simply add an additional 15 minutes to the cooking time.

Otherwise, leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to 3-4 days in a tightly sealed container – making this a great dinner to prep ahead for an easy weeknight meal!

This Recipe Is…

Gluten Free

Follow my step-by-step video:

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