20-Minute Ground Turkey Taco Skillet (w/ Beans & Corn)
Solve dinner tonight with this quick & easy turkey taco skillet! Made with ground turkey, beans and corn, it’s a flavorful and filling protein-packed meal that comes together in just 20 minutes in 1-pan. Trust me, this is one is a family dinner win you’ll want to make on repeat!
5 star review
“Another fantastic recipe – thank you Robyn! So easy, tasty, filling, and healthful. ”
– Emily
Turkey Taco Skillet is a Simple & Fresh Weeknight Win
We’re definitely big fans of ground turkey around here! Seriously. I use it in everything from Turkey Chili, to Turkey Meatballs, and I love leaning on this accessible protein to get dinner on the table quickly. It’s such a versatile ingredient that pairs with loads of different flavors & spices, so today we’re pairing it with classic taco-inspired flavors like black beans, corn, fire-roasted tomatoes, cumin and garlic (because who doesn’t love tacos for dinner?).
As-is, this turkey taco skillet is a delicious, satisfying and totally tasty high-protein dinner, but it can also be made with a cooked grain like rice, quinoa or cauliflower rice if you like. One of my favorite things to do is enjoy them as-is one night and then repurpose any leftovers into something that feels new & fresh the next day – serving it in tacos, as a burrito filling, in a rice bowl or even as a leveled-up nacho topping. With so many options for how to serve this, it’s no wonder I find myself making this one on repeat week after week!
Tips
This recipe is truly so simple to make! By using ground turkey, frozen defrosted corn and canned ingredients (like already-cooked black beans & fire-roasted tomatoes), we’re saving tons of time and prep steps. All you need to do is brown your ground turkey in a hot pan, season with some simple pantry spices, and then add your corn & canned ingredients. Stir together and add any toppings you like, and just like that dinner is done – start to finish it can go from skillet to table in under 30 minutes!
Bonus points: since we’re making everything in one pan, clean up is a breeze (less dishes? Um…yes, please!).
Serving Suggestions
I love this on its own piled with toppings, the possibilities are endless but here’s a few of my favorite additions – shredded Mexican cheese blend, chips, salsa, sour cream, fresh cilantro, hot sauce, fresh sliced avocado, this easy 4-Ingredient Guacamole some fresh salsa, or warm tortillas on the side. But it would also be delicious as a filling for tacos or burritos, as a deluxe nacho topping, or served on top of some crunchy romaine lettuce for an over-the-top taco salad power bowl!
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- 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.
- Canned black beans: I love the convenience of already-cooked canned beans and always keep some on hand in my pantry. I used black beans for this recipe but you could also use canned pinto beans in their place.
- Canned diced fire-roasted tomatoes: Another great, versatile ingredient to keep in your pantry! If you don’t like or can’t find fire-roasted tomatoes, regular diced tomatoes will also work great in this recipe.
- Corn: Fresh or frozen corn will work great in this recipe. If using frozen corn, be sure to defrost it before adding to your skillet.
If you’re looking for a ground turkey recipe with sweet potatoes, you’ll love my turkey sweet potato skillet!
Prep tips & Storing
Leftovers 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).
this recipe is…
20-Minute Ground Turkey Taco Skillet (w/ Beans & Corn)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1 pound 93% lean dark meat ground turkey
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1 cup frozen defrosted corn
Optional Serving Suggestions:
- Easy Guacamole
- Fresh Tomato Salsa
- Shredded Mexican cheese blend, chips, sliced avocado, sour cream
Equipment
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the onion, ¼ teaspoon salt, and stir to combine. Cook for 3 minutes, or until the onions soften, stirring occasionally.
- Add the ground turkey, breaking up with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt, cumin, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Cook until the turkey is browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the black beans, tomatoes, corn, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, stirring to combine. Turn to medium low and simmer for 5 minutes for the flavors to combine.
- Sprinkle with cheese if using, then serve with optional serving suggestions if desired.
Notes
- Nutrition information calculated without the optional toppings. For more modifications and substitutions, see blog post above.
My entire family loved this recipe! Thank you! My daughter even said, “Mom, this is the best food I’ve ever had!” ☺️
Yay, I’m so glad you enjoyed this one, Kristen! Thanks so much for leaving a review!
Great meal. I have made serval times now and always a hit. We like it with ground chicken instead of turkey and it’s delicious.
Fantastic, Laura, so happy to hear you’re enjoying this one. Great tip about using ground chicken, too. Thanks so much for leaving a review!
I love your recipes! One note about this one – you have smoked paprika in the ingredients list but I don’t see it in the recipe. Sounds like it goes in with the cumin + garlic powder + salt?
Alex, thanks so much for letting me know about that omission! You’re correct–the paprika goes in with the other spices. I’ve updated the recipe instructions to include the paprika. Thanks again for letting me know!
Another fantastic recipe – thank you Robyn! So easy, tasty, filling, and healthful.
Emily, yay, so happy to hear this one was a hit. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts!
This was delicious! We ate it over rice and added tortilla chips for dipping. Thanks so much!
Great idea to serve this one with rice and chips, Courtney, yum! Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts.