Ground Turkey Skillet With Zucchini
This easy and delicious ground turkey skillet with zucchini is perfect for busy weeknights. It’s a simple meal that everyone will enjoy. With lots of veggies and a southwest vibe, it’s perfect for mixing things up and giving your meal plans a little zest! Try all of the ground turkey recipes we share to make meals easy.
Another reason I love making skillet meals like this ground turkey and zucchini one is that there’s not much that can go wrong. This is a really simple meal if you need uncomplicated recipes that are essentially dump and stir! No need to worry about a flop with this one.
Making skillet meals is great for a couple of reasons…not the least of which is the fact that there’s less cleanup! With just one pan to clean up after dinner it’s great to not have so much to do after cooking a homemade meal!
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Whether you’re looking for a quick weeknight dinner or a healthy meal to pack for lunch, ground turkey skillet with zucchini is always a great option. So give it a try today and enjoy all the delicious flavors and textures this dish has to offer!
What is the difference between zucchini and yellow squash?
Zucchini and yellow squash are both types of summer squash, which are vegetables that are harvested during the warmer months. They can be distinguished by their shape and color; zucchini is a long, cylindrical vegetable, while yellow squash is shorter and broader.
Both are low in calories and contain antioxidants that help to protect against disease. They also have a mild flavor that allows them to be easily incorporated into a variety of recipes, from ground turkey skillet dishes to grilled salads.
Whether you choose to cook your zucchini or yellow squash whole or sneak it into pasta sauces or casseroles, these versatile veggies are a great addition to any meal!
What are the health benefits to eating zucchini and yellow squash?
Zucchini and yellow squash are low in calories and high in fiber, which makes them an excellent choice for those looking to maintain a healthy weight.
They are also rich sources of antioxidants, such as vitamin C and beta-carotene, which help protect the body from disease. Additionally, both zucchini and yellow squash contain minerals like potassium and magnesium, which can aid in blood pressure regulation.
What do I need to make a ground turkey skillet with zucchini?
This recipe uses zucchini, yellow squash, lean ground turkey, onions, tomato sauce, green chilies, black beans, sweet corn, diced tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, cilantro, and taco seasoning.
My skillet recipes are all really forgiving and easy to manipulate. You can make this one with your favorite ingredients and swap out the beans for pinto or omit them altogether if need be. It’s a great recipe to add things too if you don’t have picky eaters in the house.
If you like spicier dishes you can add chopped jalapeños, more peppers, cayenne pepper, etc. There’s also room for adding in more veggies based on what you and your family enjoy. Feel free to play with this and add in what you like.
Here are some kitchen essentials to have on hand for recipes and meal prep:
Making healthy meals is a breeze with these kitchen essentials. Keeping things like this on hand makes my life so much easier in the kitchen.
Some things that are great to have on hand when prepping meals like this are a cutting board, sharp knives, and storage containers.
You can also benefit from a good skillet, a kitchen scale, measuring cups, and this awesome strainer tool!
Will cooked yellow squash and zucchini last in the refrigerator?
The storage life of cooked yellow squash and zucchini will vary depending on how they are prepared. If you have lightly sautéed or steamed them, then they should keep for several days in the refrigerator.
If you have baked or roasted your vegetables, however, they will only last for a couple of days. To maximize the shelf life of your cooked squash and zucchini, be sure to store them in an airtight container and consume them as soon as possible.
Additionally, if you notice that your vegetables are starting to spoil, it’s best to discard them right away to avoid foodborne illness. With proper care, your yellow squash and zucchini can make a nutritious addition to any meal!
How to make a southwest ground turkey skillet:
Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium high heat and brown the turkey. Add taco seasoning. Cook the meat, breaking it up, until the turkey is cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Push the meat to the side, add the onion and cook for 1 minute.
Add the garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
Stir in the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes.
Add the black beans, corn and green chilies.
Add the zucchini and squash. Mix and cover, cook low 4 to 5 minutes or until the zucchini and squash are tender crisp.
Serve with lime wedges and more cilantro if desired.
Other ways to serve this tasty ground turkey skillet meal:
Keep in mind that you can always serve these recipes up however you like. If you prefer to serve this one with tortillas, rice, quinoa, or some flatbreads you can do that!
As is this skillet recipe with ground turkey and zucchini is actually a pretty good option for a variety of diet plans. It’s relatively low in carbs and can be adjusted to suit your needs if you are on Keto and it’s lower in points on most people’s Weight Watchers plans.
Can I have this recipe on Weight Watchers?
The best part about the Weight Watchers Program is that you can eat anything you like you just need to track it and stay within your points ranges for the day / week. This recipe is calculated at 4 WW points per serving.
Courtesy WW Point Calculation
- Be sure to calculate the points value of the foods and recipes you eat in the app.
- Always add ingredients and serving sizes and don’t rely on the nutrition facts in the recipe.
- Accuracy will come from the information you input on the app.
We recommend that you use the recipe creator on the app or the website to create the recipe based on the ingredients / brands you use and then you’ll know for sure how to track this recipe for your Personal Points plan!
Looking for more delicious ground turkey recipes to try?
If you like making ground turkey recipes or if you are just looking for ways to use more lean meats in your meal plan you should check out some of our other ground turkey recipes. They’re all delicious and easy to prepare!
- Ground Turkey Vegetable Soup
- Ground Turkey Stuffed Potato Skins
- Ground Turkey Potato Skillet
- Ground Turkey Sloppy Joes
- Ground Turkey Potato Casserole
- Ground Turkey Unstuffed Peppers
Printable Ground Turkey Skillet with Zucchini Recipe:
Ground Turkey Skillet with Zucchini
This easy and delicious ground turkey skillet with zucchini is perfect for busy weeknights. It's a simple meal that everyone will enjoy. With lots of veggies and a southwest vibe it's perfect for mixing things up and giving your meal plans a little zest!
Ingredients
- 2 medium or 1 large zucchini, quartered and sliced 3/4 inch
- 2 medium or 1 large yellow squash, quartered and sliced 3/4 inch
- 1 pound 93% lean ground turkey
- ½ medium onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon tomato sauce
- 1 small can diced green chilies
- 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can yellow sweet corn
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tbsp chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium high heat and brown the turkey. Add taco seasoning. Cook the meat, breaking it up, until the turkey is cooked through, about 5 minutes.
- Push the meat to the side, add the onion and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
- Stir in the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes.
- Add the black beans, corn and green chilies.
- Add the zucchini and squash. Mix and cover, cook low 4 to 5 minutes or until the zucchini and squash are tender crisp.
- Serve with lime wedges and more cilantro if desired.
Nutrition Information
Yield 6 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 302Total Fat 12gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 8gCholesterol 79mgSodium 597mgCarbohydrates 23gFiber 8gSugar 5gProtein 27g
As with any of our recipes, carb counts, calorie counts, WW points and nutritional information varies greatly. As a result, your nutritional content depends on which products you choose to use when cooking this dish. The auto-calculation is just an automated estimate and should NOT be used for specific dietary needs.
