Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Casserole (Printable Version)
Comforting casserole featuring ground turkey, sweet potatoes and vegetables with savory herbs and melted cheese topping.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 ½ lbs lean ground turkey
→ Vegetables
02 - 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
03 - 1 large onion, diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
06 - 2 cups chopped baby spinach
→ Dairy
07 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
08 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ Liquids
09 - ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 2 tbsp olive oil
→ Spices & Seasonings
11 - 1 tsp dried thyme
12 - 1 tsp dried oregano
13 - ½ tsp smoked paprika
14 - ½ tsp ground black pepper
15 - 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or a small amount of oil.
02 - In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook for 2–3 minutes until softened and translucent.
03 - Add minced garlic to the skillet and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
04 - Add ground turkey to the skillet, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook for 5–6 minutes until browned and no longer pink.
05 - Stir in red bell pepper, diced sweet potatoes, dried thyme, oregano, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to coat everything evenly.
06 - Pour in chicken broth and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 8–10 minutes until sweet potatoes are just tender when pierced with a fork.
07 - Remove skillet from heat. Fold in chopped spinach and stir until wilted, about 1 minute.
08 - Transfer the turkey and vegetable mixture into the prepared baking dish. Spread evenly. Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheese over the top in an even layer.
09 - Bake for 18–20 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden brown, and the casserole is bubbling around the edges.
10 - Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow it to set and make serving easier.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The way the sweet potatoes soften in the broth while baking creates this incredible natural sweetness that balances the savory turkey perfectly
- Its one of those meals that feels fancy enough for company but comes together on a weeknight without any stress
02 -
- Do not skip the step of simmering the sweet potatoes in broth before baking. Raw sweet potatoes in the oven will still be hard when the cheese burns
- Grease your baking dish thoroughly even if it seems nonstick. The cheese will create a crust that sticks otherwise
03 -
- Cut your sweet potatoes as evenly as possible so they all finish cooking at the same time
- Letting the casserole rest for those 5 minutes makes all the difference between a messy scoop and clean servings