Low Carb Turkey Taco Skillet

This low carb turkey taco skillet is a super easy meal full of wonderful Mexican flavors! It's ready in about 25 minutes, and with roughly 50g of protein per serving, it's one of the most filling keto ground turkey recipes you can make on a weeknight. Watch the video tutorial!

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With just a few ingredients you can create something so tasty! This is definitely going on my regular weeknight menu, because it really doesn't take very long to make, and as long as I have ground turkey and a bell pepper, I always have everything else on hand anyway!

You might also like my recipe for low carb taco soup!

A High-Protein Keto Dinner

If you're looking for keto ground turkey recipes that actually keep you full, this one is hard to beat. The whole pound of lean ground turkey is split between two people, so each generous serving comes in at about 50g of protein and only around 5g net carbs (about 530 calories, made with 93% lean turkey). There's no rice, no tortillas in the pan and no sugary taco seasoning packet, just meat, a bell pepper, a few spices and a handful of cheese.

That makes it a great choice when you want a simple low carb dinner that doesn't leave you raiding the fridge an hour later. And because it all cooks in one pan, cleanup is quick too.

Watch my recipe video tutorial or scroll down for the full instructions and printable recipe card!

Key Ingredients & Substitutions

• Ground turkey. The star of the dish and where nearly all of the protein comes from. I use 93% lean, which browns nicely without leaving a pool of fat in the pan. 85% lean works too and is a little juicier, but it adds more fat and calories and slightly less protein. Ground chicken or lean ground beef are easy swaps.
• Red bell pepper. Adds color, crunch and a little sweetness. A green, yellow or orange pepper works just as well. Green peppers are slightly lower in carbs.
• Onion powder. Gives you all the onion flavor without chopping an onion or adding the extra carbs. If you'd rather use fresh, sauté a few tablespoons of diced onion with the turkey.
• Paprika, ground cumin and dried oregano. My favorite flavor combination for any Mexican dish, and a simple homemade swap for a store-bought taco seasoning packet, which often contains sugar or starch. Smoked paprika gives a deeper, smokier flavor if you have it.
• Shredded Mexican blend cheese. Melts into the turkey and pulls everything together. Cheddar, Monterey Jack or pepper jack are all great alternatives.
• Olive oil. Just a tablespoon to get the turkey started. Avocado oil or butter work too. Here's my guide to olive oil for low carbers if you want to know more.
• Fresh cilantro. A fresh, bright finish. If you're not a cilantro fan, use chopped parsley or sliced green onions instead.

How to Make a Low Carb Turkey Taco Skillet

Heat some oil in a large skillet. Add ground turkey and onion powder. Sauté until the meat has browned.

Add paprika, ground cumin and dried oregano (my favorite flavor combination for any Mexican dish!) and chopped red bell pepper. If you want to know how many carbs are in a red bell pepper, a whole medium pepper has under 5g net carbs! It adds color and flavor too, which makes it perfect for this recipe!

Continue to cook until the pepper has softened. I haven't added salt to the recipe because personally I don't think it needs it, but of course feel free to do a taste test and adjust the seasoning as necessary.

Sprinkle some shredded cheese over the turkey (I use a Mexican blend) and cook until the cheese has melted.

Remove from the heat and scatter over some chopped fresh cilantro.

Helpful Tips

Use a big pan. A pound of turkey needs room to brown rather than steam, so use a large skillet, ideally 12 inches. I like a nonstick pan with a lid, like this Calphalon 12-inch nonstick frying pan, because lean turkey can stick and the lid helps the cheese melt quickly at the end.

Let the turkey brown before you stir. Lean ground turkey is pale and can taste a little bland if it's just stirred around until gray. Spread it out in the hot pan and leave it for a couple of minutes before breaking it up, so you get some golden, flavorful bits.

Toast the spices. Adding the paprika, cumin and oregano to the hot pan with the turkey (rather than at the very end) wakes up their flavor. Keep stirring so they don't scorch.

Taste before you salt. The cheese adds plenty of saltiness, which is why I don't add salt to the recipe. Give it a taste once the cheese has melted and add a pinch of salt or a squeeze of lime if it needs a lift.

Cover to melt the cheese. Once the cheese goes on, turn the heat down to low and pop a lid on the pan for a couple of minutes. The cheese melts evenly and the turkey stays moist.

Variations

• Add some heat. Stir in a diced jalapeño with the bell pepper, add a pinch of chili flakes or cayenne, or use pepper jack instead of the Mexican blend cheese.
• Make it a turkey taco bowl. Spoon the turkey over cauliflower rice, or over my low carb arroz verde, and top with avocado and sour cream.
• Add more vegetables. Diced zucchini, chopped spinach or a few sliced mushrooms can all go into the pan with the pepper. They stretch the dish further and add very few carbs.
• Swap the meat. Ground chicken, lean ground beef or a mix of beef and pork all work with the same spices.
• Add a little tomato. A couple of tablespoons of sugar-free salsa or a spoonful of tomato paste stirred in before the cheese makes it saucier. Check the label, as it will add a few carbs.

Serving Ideas

Serve with shredded lettuce, sour cream, and/or low carb wraps! This is a pretty big serving for two people, although if you just had lettuce and sour cream and were super hungry, you'd probably manage it! When my husband and I shared it we ate about two thirds with wraps, and there was enough left over for me to have as lunch the next day. Bonus!

For a taco night spread, add a bowl of my low carb chunky guacamole with cumin, some sliced jalapeños and a wedge of lime. You can also spoon the turkey into crisp romaine or butter lettuce leaves for lettuce wraps, or pile it onto a big plate of greens for something like my keto fiesta taco salad.

Just remember that the toppings and wraps aren't included in the nutrition on the recipe card, so add them to your own count if you're tracking carbs closely.

Storing & Freezing

Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days, which is why this makes such a good lunch the next day. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat or in the microwave until hot all the way through. Add the fresh cilantro and any cold toppings, like lettuce and sour cream, after reheating.

To freeze, let the turkey cool completely, then pack it into a freezer bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. It's best frozen before adding the cilantro. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat in a skillet with a splash of water, adding a little fresh cheese on top if you like. The bell pepper softens a bit after freezing, but the flavor is just as good.

More Keto Ground Turkey Recipes

If you love this turkey taco skillet, here are a few more keto ground turkey recipes to try:

• Low Carb Turkey Chili
• Keto Turkey Meatloaf
• Low Carb Turkey Casserole with Cheese and Spinach

Check out all my ground turkey keto recipes!

📖 Recipe

StepAwayFromTheCarbs.com

Low Carb Turkey Taco Skillet

4.38 from 129 votes

This low carb turkey taco skillet is a quick one-pan dinner with ground turkey, red bell pepper, Mexican spices and melted cheese. It's ready in 25 minutes with about 50g of protein and 5g net carbs per serving.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Makes: 2 servings

Net Carbs: 5

Calories: 531

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Video Notes

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 lb ground turkey 93% lean
• 1 red bell pepper deseeded and diced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ cup shredded Mexican blend cheese about 2 oz
• Fresh cilantro chopped
• Sour cream shredded lettuce and/or low carb wraps for serving

Equipment

• 1 Calphalon Hard Anodized Nonstick Fry Pan Skillet, 12", Black

Step-by-Step Instructions

 

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey and onion powder and cook for 6-8 minutes, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until browned and cooked through.
2. Add the paprika, ground cumin, dried oregano and diced red bell pepper. Cook for 5-7 minutes more, stirring often, until the pepper has softened. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
3. Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the top, reduce the heat to low and cook for 2-3 minutes (covered, if you like) until the cheese has melted.
4. Remove from the heat and scatter over the chopped fresh cilantro.
5. Serve with shredded lettuce, sour cream, and/or low carb wraps!

Nutrition

Calories: 531kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 50gFat: 35gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 195mgSodium: 332mgPotassium: 697mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 2751IUVitamin C: 77mgCalcium: 268mgIron: 4mgNet Carbs: 5g

Video

Notes

Made with 93% lean ground turkey. Each serving is half the recipe. Lettuce, sour cream and wraps are not included in the nutrition.

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Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is my best approximation. Net carbs are calculated as the total grams carbs minus the total grams of fiber.