Maple Turkey Skillet with Sesame Ginger Rice

This Maple Turkey Skillet with Sesame Ginger Rice is a quick, budget-friendly weeknight dinner that’s big on flavor and light on effort. Ground turkey cooks up in one pan with veggies and a simple maple-ginger sauce while the sesame rice is the perfect base for the finished bowls. It’s high in protein, balanced, and made with affordable pantry staples-ideal for busy nights. This recipe is part of my November 2025 Budget Grocery Series.

Maple Turkey Skillet with Sesame Ginger Rice ingredient notes:

Fresh Ginger: Fresh grated ginger adds a bright, zing to both the turkey skillet and the rice. It’s natural warmth pairs well with the maple sauce in the turkey skillet. Grating fresh ginger takes a few more minutes of prep, so swap for 1/3 the amount of ground ginger to save time.

Ground Turkey: Ground turkey is a lean source of protein that cooks very quickly in the skillet. It absorbs the flavors of the seasonings around it, making it perfect for a high flavor meal like this one.

Carrots & Celery: Carrots and celery add the perfect mix of crunch and color to the skillet. They’re both budget-friendly, easy to prep, and packed with fiber, vitamins and antioxidants.

Coconut Aminos: Coconut aminos are the base of the maple sauce that’s added to the skillet and carries the umami flavor throughout the dish. They are a great gluten-free alternative to soy sauce and a pantry staple I lean on to keep meals budget friendly but still pack in flavor.

Maple Turkey Skillet with Sesame Ginger Rice

Recipe by Jenn Lueke

4.7 from 33 votes

Servings

Adjust servings

+

–

4

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

25

minutes

This Maple Turkey Skillet with Sesame Ginger Rice is a quick, budget-friendly weeknight dinner that’s big on flavor and light on effort. Ground turkey cooks up in one pan with veggies and a simple maple-ginger sauce while the sesame rice is the perfect base for the finished bowls. It’s high in protein, balanced, and made with affordable pantry staples-ideal for busy nights. This recipe is part of my November 2025 Budget Grocery Series.

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Ingredients

• For the Sesame Ginger Rice

• 1 cup jasmine rice, rinsed

• 4 green onions, finely chopped, additional for topping (if desired)

• 1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger

• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• For the Turkey Skillet

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 pound ground turkey

• 2 large carrots, cut into thin 2-inch long strips

• 4 celery ribs, cut into thin 2-inch long strips

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger

• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

• 1/3 cup coconut aminos (or reduced-sodium tamari or reduced-sodium soy sauce)

• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

• 1/2 cup raw cashews

Directions

• Make the rice: Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Stir in the rice, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the liquid is absorbed and rice is fluffy, 15 to 20 minutes. When the rice is cooked, mix in the green onions, ginger, sesame oil, and salt until combined.
• Meanwhile, prepare the skillet: heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the ground turkey and cook, stirring often to break up large chunks, until no pink remains, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the carrots and celery, mix to combine, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the meat is lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Reduce the heat to medium, stir in the garlic, ginger, chili powder, and red pepper flakes, if using, and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the coconut aminos and maple syrup, and cook until the sauce is slightly reduced, 3 to 4 more minutes. Mix in the cashews and continue cooking for 3 minutes.
• To serve, evenly divide the rice and turkey skillet among four bowls. Garnish with additional green onion, if desired.

Notes

• Store it: Refrigerate the rice and skillet in separate sealed containers for up to 4 days.
• Reheat it: Microwave the rice and skillet until warm, about 3 minutes, or return to a small saucepan over medium-low heat and heat until warm, about 10 minutes.
• The carrots and celery should be sliced into 2-inch long strips that are 1/4-inch or less thick. To save on prep time, dice the veggies into small pieces or pick up a pre-chopped veggie mix.
• Swap the ground turkey for ground chicken or pork. For a vegetarian option, swap for one 14-ounce block of extra firm tofu, grated using a box grater, or dice the tofu and cook in a skillet.

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