Curried Ground Turkey With Potatoes

An uncomplicated meal Inspired by the classic Indian dish Aloo Keema.

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
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Updated September 03, 2024
Elise Bauer
Curried Ground Turkey with Potatoes
Elise Bauer

Ground turkey has to be one of my favorite meats to work with. It's lean, takes to spices well, and is relatively inexpensive.

A Ground Turkey Recipe Inspired by Aloo Keema

Brainstorming ideas for something that would use ground turkey, potatoes, and onions the other day, we were inspired by a classical Indian dish called "Aloo Keema".

It's made with minced meat (most often chicken, beef, or lamb), potatoes, and Indian spices like garam masala and turmeric.

Aloo Keema inspired Curried Ground Turkey with Potatoes

Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

Our ground turkey version was delightful, warmly spicy, and satisfying. It made for great leftovers, too. Feel free to play around with the spices.

A Swap for Garam Masala

If I didn't have garam masala in my pantry I would have used some curry powder and maybe a little cardamom. Not that that's a substitution, it's just that the idea is not to complicate things too much, but to work with what you have, and note that "curry" is broadly defined.

More Quick Curry Recipes

From the Editors Of Simply Recipes

Curried Ground Turkey With Potatoes

Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 40 mins
Total Time 60 mins
Servings 4 servings

You can easily substitute ground chicken, beef, or lamb for the ground turkey. The "curry" part of this recipe is flexible. Use your favorite curry powder, garam masala, or Indian spice mix.

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Ingredients

  • 3 to 4 tablespoons vegetable oil (or ghee or coconut oil)

  • 1 pound ground turkey (thigh meat if you can get it)

  • 1 chopped onion

  • 1 to 2 chopped fresh red chiles, optional

  • Salt, to taste

  • 1 (1-inch) piece peeled ginger, grated fine

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)

  • 1 tablespoon garam masala (or curry powder)

  • 1 teaspoon turmeric

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander

  • 1/2 cup water

  • 2 large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

  • 2 to 4 Roma or other plum tomatoes, diced

  • 1 cup fresh or frozen peas

  • 1/2 cup (loosely packed) chopped cilantro or parsley

Method

  1. Brown the ground turkey:

    Heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a large pot with a lid. When the oil is hot, add the ground turkey, spreading it out over the pan.

    Try not to crowd the meat (you may need to cook in batches). Cook the meat without stirring, until it begins to brown.

  2. Add the onion and chiles:

    Add the chopped onion and chiles. Stir and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the onion begins to color a bit. Sprinkle salt over everything.

  3. Add the ginger and garlic:

    Add the grated ginger and garlic, mix well and sauté for another 1 to 2 minutes.

  4. Add the spices, water, and potatoes, then simmer:

    Mix in the spices (garam masala, turmeric, cumin, coriander), water, and the potatoes. Stir to combine and cover. Turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.

  5. Add the tomatoes and peas:

    When the potatoes are tender, add the diced tomatoes and peas. Mix well and cover the pot. Cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add salt, if needed, to taste.

  6. Stir in the cilantro to serve:

    Right before you serve, mix in the chopped cilantro. Serve alone or with flatbread or white rice.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
624 Calories
34g Fat
46g Carbs
36g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 624
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 34g 44%
Saturated Fat 6g 32%
Cholesterol 120mg 40%
Sodium 267mg 12%
Total Carbohydrate 46g 17%
Dietary Fiber 8g 28%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 36g
Vitamin C 33mg 165%
Calcium 128mg 10%
Iron 6mg 34%
Potassium 1511mg 32%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.