Get ready to enjoy your favorite Mexican flavors the healthy way with this Taco Quinoa Turkey Skillet Dinner, ready in about 30 minutes!
Did you grow up eating a lot of Mexican food at home? I remember going out to a Mexican restaurant called Cuco’s on the beach in Biloxi (sadly lost to Katrina) for special occasions like birthdays, and that was such a treat. I think we had tacos at home every once in a while, and that was about it! My mom cooked wonderful Southern dishes like red beans and rice, gumbo, and meatballs and gravy regularly plus American classics like pot roast, burgers, and sloppy joe’s. Mexican and Asian recipes weren’t really in the rotation.
I’m wondering if that was just our family or if times are changing. Now I cook a Mexican-inspired recipe at least once a week, and if you look at Pinterest, I’m not the only one in love with hispanic flavors. I could honestly eat Mexican food at least five nights a week and never get tired of it! If you are a Mexican food addict too, you are going to love this quick and healthy quinoa turkey skillet dinner!
This recipe is PACKED with protein and fiber thanks to turkey, quinoa, and beans, and it’s as delicious as it is good for you. We ate it on its own the first night, and I served it (to myself) over baby spinach like a taco salad for lunch the next two days. You could even stuff this into tortillas for burritos or tacos.
You could use pre-seasoned taco seasoned ground turkey and leave out the taco seasoning, which makes the recipe even easier. (Of course, you know I love things spicy, so I would still add some sriracha to my individual portion…) You can get this dinner on the table in about 30 minutes, which is my very favorite kind of recipe!
| Prep Time | 5 minutes |
| Cook Time | 30 minutes |
| Servings |
-5
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- 20 oz. ground turkey
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning (or chili powder)
- 1/2 onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced or crushed
- 15 ounces canned dark red kidney beans drained (you can substitute black or pinto beans if you prefer)
- 8.75 ounces canned whole kernel corn drained
- 15 ounces Rotel tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa rinsed and drained in a fine mesh strainer
- shredded Mexican-blend cheese, sour cream, sliced green onions (optional)
Ingredients
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- Spray a large skillet or dutch oven with cooking spray, and heat over medium-high heat. Add turkey and onion, and brown and crumble until meat is mostly cooked through. Stir in garlic, and cook two minutes longer.
- Add beans, corn, tomatoes, and water, and bring to a simmer. Stir in quinoa, reduce heat to medium-low, and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes or until most of liquid is absorbed. Serve with desired toppings and enjoy!
If you use pre-seasoned ground turkey, you can leave out the taco seasoning.
Here are a few more recipes I know you’ll like:
Quick, tasty dinner that can be made with pantry and freezer ingredients. I used the entire pack of taco seasoning because I didn’t have any Ro-tel tomatoes, and I still would’ve liked it a little spicier, so I’ve been dribbling Texas Pete on each bowl. I also used a pound of ground turkey and found that amount to be plenty in the final product. I’ve eaten mine over tortilla chips with sour cream and shredded cheddar as well as over a baked potato with sour cream and shredded cheddar.
I cooked this twice so far! Once with ground turkey, tonight with shrimp! Both times were SO GOOD. Thank you!
Great recipe! I seasoned my ground meat while cooking. I served it over spinach and had corn chips on the side. This will be a dish I use often!
Wow! This recipe was easy and extremely tasty. It was the first time that I made Quinoa for my husband (whom is slightly picky), he loved it. Tons of flavor and filling.
Thank you for the recipe!
Yay, I’m so happy to hear it! Thanks, Frenchy!
what is the serving size for taco Quoina skillet dinner? It says it serves four to five but I was curious size of each serving.
Hi, Ashley. I didn’t measure it, but I would estimate about 1-1/2 to 2 cups per serving.
Hi there,
I am less than skilled in the kitchen and this turned out perfectly! Do you know the nutrition facts on this dish?
Thank you!
I’m so glad it turned out well for you! I like to think you don’t need to be very skilled to follow my recipes :) I haven’t calculated the nutrition facts, but let me see if I can come up with it for you. I’ll get back to you!
Great recipe, I’m about to make it for the second time this month! The only suggestion I would make is to rinse the quinoa before adding it to the pan. Quinoa has a coating of bitter saponin that rinses away with warm water, an easy way to make the dish that much better :) Also, I use plain ground turkey and add my own seasonings since I’m feeding it to a toddler. Keep the great recipes coming!
Thank you, Selina! You are right that quinoa tastes better when rinsed. I will update the recipe to included that step.
As I read about the menu of yummy goodies your Mom prepared for you as you were growing up it sounded like you were describing my Mom and how she cooked. We moved to Southern Californis when I was 10 years old and a neighbor introduced me to Mexican food. WOW! I fell in love. Reading your comments help me realize I am not alone in my love affair with Mexican food. Thank you for the recipes you posted today. I can hardly wait to try Taco a Quinoa a Skillet dinner later today for lunch. I felt like I’d… Read more »
Hi, Jacque! Thanks for this sweet and funny comment. It brightened my day! I hope you liked the taco quinoa skillet. Good luck with your weight loss, and Happy New Year!