Teriyaki Turkey Rice Bowls (Print Version)
Ground turkey in glossy teriyaki over jasmine rice with crisp vegetables and sesame.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 pound ground turkey
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 medium carrot, julienned
03 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
04 - 1 cup snap peas, trimmed
05 - 2 green onions, sliced
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
07 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
→ Teriyaki Sauce
08 - 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
09 - 1/4 cup water
10 - 2 tablespoons honey or brown sugar
11 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
12 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
13 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
→ Rice
14 - 1 1/4 cups jasmine rice or short-grain rice
15 - 2 cups water
→ Garnishes
16 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
17 - Sliced green onions, for serving
# How-To Steps:
01 - Rinse rice under cold water until water runs clear. Combine rice and 2 cups water in a saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until tender. Remove from heat and let stand, covered.
02 - While rice cooks, heat 1 teaspoon sesame oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey and cook, breaking it up with a spatula, until browned and no longer pink. Transfer turkey to a plate.
03 - Add another teaspoon of sesame oil to the same skillet. Sauté minced garlic and grated ginger for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add carrot, bell pepper, and snap peas. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until vegetables are just tender.
04 - Return browned turkey to the pan. In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, 1/4 cup water, honey, rice vinegar, and the cornstarch slurry. Add sauce mixture to the skillet and stir to coat all ingredients. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until sauce thickens and becomes glossy. Stir in green onions.
05 - Fluff rice with a fork and divide among serving bowls. Spoon teriyaki turkey and vegetables on top. Garnish with sesame seeds and extra sliced green onions if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The teriyaki sauce thickens up glossy and sticky in minutes and tastes fresher than anything from a store bottle.
- This bowl is endlessly flexible, so you can swap veggies or protein without fuss—making it a weekly winner in our house.
02 -
- Turning up the heat too soon can cause the sauce to thicken before everything’s coated—keep a close watch and stir constantly when the cornstarch goes in.
- Adding the green onions right at the end, off the heat, keeps their flavor bright and the color vibrant.
03 -
- Layer your sauce ingredients in the bowl in order—soy, water, sweetener, vinegar, slurry—so nothing gets forgotten in the flurry of dinnertime.
- Adding a drizzle of sriracha at the table perks up the whole bowl for anyone craving heat.