Minced Turkey Stir-Fry with Asian-Inspired Sauce

Looking for a quick weeknight dinner that delivers bold flavor with minimal effort?  This minced turkey stir-fry is a vibrant twist on a takeout favorite—starring fragrant aromatics, a savory Asian-inspired sauce, and all the veggie flexibility your fridge allows. Whether you opt for a ready-made stir-fry sauce that suits your family’s palate or whip up your own with soy sauce, oyster sauce, and vinegar, this dish adapts beautifully.  Add broccoli, green beans, or any other fresh or canned vegetables you have on hand, and serve it over rice or noodles for a nourishing and satisfying meal in under 30 minutes.

 

Ingredients:

Main ingredients::

• 1/2 pound ground turkey
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil

Aromatics (to blend into a paste):

• 1 stalk lemongrass (tender part only)
• 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled
• 2 shallots
• 3 cloves of garlic

Sauce ingredients:

• 1/2 cup water
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder (or seasoning of choice)

Garnish:

• Fresh Thai basil
• Sliced green onions

Item to serve with::

• Steamed rice or cooked rice noodles

Directions:

1.    Making the Aromatic Paste:

2.    In a small food chopper or blender, combine lemongrass, ginger, shallots, and garlic.  Blend into a fine paste.

3.    Sautéing the Paste:

4.    Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat.  Add the lemongrass paste and stir-fry until fragrant, about 1–2 minutes.

5.    Cooking the Turkey:

6.    Add the ground turkey to the pan.  Cook while shoes for breaking it apart with a spatula until fully cooked and browned, about 3–5 minutes.

7.    Adding the Sauce:

8.    In a small bowl, whisk together all sauce ingredients.  Pour into the pan with the turkey.  Stir well and bring to a gentle boil.  Let it simmer for an additional 2–3 minutes to allow the flavors to absorb.

9.    Finishing with Herbs:

10.                       Stir in Thai basil and green onions.  Cook just until the herbs wilt, then turn off the heat.

11.                       Serving:

12.                       Spoon the turkey mixture over steamed rice or rice noodles.  Enjoy hot.

 

Tips:

Substitute Ingredients:

• 1 block (14 oz) firm tofu, drained and diced or crumbled
• 1 cup fresh mushrooms (shiitake, oyster, or cremini), sliced

Modified Sauce:

• Replace chicken powder with vegetarian bouillon powder or mushroom seasoning.
• Keep the remaining sauce ingredients the same.

Instructions (Vegetarian Adjustments):

1.    Preparing the Tofu:

2.    Pat the tofu dry and dice it into small cubes (or crumble it if preferred).  Pan- fry in a bit of oil until golden on all sides. Set aside.

3.    Sautéing Mushrooms & Aromatics:

4.    Stir-fry the mushrooms in the same pan until they are browned.  Add the lemongrass paste and cook until fragrant.

5.    Combining Everything:

6.    Add tofu back into the pan.  Pour in the sauce, mix well, and let simmer for a few minutes.  Finish with Thai basil and green onions.

7.    Serving:

8.    Spoon over steamed rice or noodles.