Bang Bang Ground Turkey Bowls (Printable)

Savory turkey in spicy chili sauce over rice with fresh vegetables

# What You Need:

→ Bang Bang Sauce

01 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
02 - 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
03 - 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
04 - 1 to 2 tablespoons Sriracha
05 - 1 tablespoon honey
06 - 1 clove garlic, minced
07 - 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

→ Ground Turkey

08 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
09 - 1 pound ground turkey
10 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
11 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil
12 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Bowl Components

13 - 2 cups cooked long-grain white rice
14 - 1 small carrot, julienned
15 - ½ cucumber, thinly sliced
16 - ½ cup red cabbage, thinly sliced
17 - 2 scallions, thinly sliced
18 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
19 - Fresh cilantro leaves for garnish
20 - Lime wedges for serving

# How-To Steps:

01 - Prepare rice according to package instructions and keep warm until assembly.
02 - Whisk together rice vinegar, mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, Sriracha, honey, minced garlic, and grated ginger in a small bowl. Taste and adjust Sriracha for heat level and honey for sweetness. Set aside.
03 - Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey and cook while breaking it apart with a spatula until no longer pink, approximately 5 to 7 minutes.
04 - Add soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and pepper to the cooked turkey. Stir thoroughly and cook for 1 to 2 additional minutes to allow flavors to meld. Remove from heat.
05 - Divide warm cooked rice evenly among four serving bowls, creating a base layer for each bowl.
06 - Top each rice-filled bowl with an equal portion of seasoned ground turkey.
07 - Arrange julienned carrot, sliced cucumber, and sliced red cabbage around or atop the turkey in each bowl.
08 - Drizzle a generous amount of bang bang sauce over the turkey and vegetables in each bowl.
09 - Sprinkle sliced scallions and sesame seeds over each bowl. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and place lime wedges alongside for serving.
10 - Squeeze lime juice over the bowls immediately before eating. Mix ingredients together if desired and serve while warm.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The bang bang sauce is dangerously good, tangy and creamy with just enough heat to keep you coming back for another bite.
  • Everything cooks in under half an hour, so you can have a vibrant, restaurant-style bowl on the table on a weeknight.
  • It's endlessly customizable with whatever crunchy vegetables you have on hand, and leftovers reheat beautifully for lunch the next day.
02 -
  • Don't skip tasting the sauce before you drizzle it, everyone's heat tolerance is different and adjusting it to your preference makes this recipe yours.
  • Let the turkey get a little color in the pan instead of just cooking it through, those browned bits add so much more flavor to the finished bowl.
03 -
  • Use day-old rice if you have it, it's slightly drier and holds up better under all that sauce without getting mushy.
  • Toast your sesame seeds in a dry skillet for thirty seconds before sprinkling them on top, the nutty aroma is worth the extra minute.
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