Coconut Turkey Curry In A Hurry

The name says it all.

A veggie-filled, flavor-packed, ground turkey curry that comes together in 30 minutes!

Is it as elevated as traditional Indian curry? Of course not. You probably know that those dishes can take hours to make, due to all the spice components and techniques.

But does this quick curry still do the job of making your taste buds dance? It sure does.

It’s simple. It’s lightened up. And it’s a great balance of protein and fresh vegetables.

I particularly love using ground turkey in this recipe because it takes well to the spices in curry powder like turmeric, black pepper, coriander, cumin, and fenugreek. And, it’s also a budget-friendly turkey component you can feel good about.

Most Google searches for turkey curry will bring you to recipes that have peas, tomatoes, and potatoes, which takes inspiration from the Indian dish called “Aloo Keema” – typically made with some type of minced meat.

Tips for Making Turkey Curry:

Because I wanted this meal to be ready in less than 30 minutes, I chose vegetables that cook quickly like baby zucchini, bell peppers, shallots, and spinach. The result was bright, fresh, and so colorful. You can make instant pot rice to go with it for ease, too.

Feel free to play with the spice level and use either mild or hot curry powder. If you have children, the mild version might be a good idea. You’ll find this recipe to be delightfully warming and satisfying either way!

What about leftovers?

They’re AMAZING. The longer the spices mingle, the deeper the flavor.

Can I use light coconut milk?

You could! But I use regular coconut milk because it’s the sole component of fat in this recipe. With such a lean meat and mostly vegetables, it needs the fat to be satisfying, in my opinion.

More Curry Recipes:

Sweet and Salty Curry Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Sesame Curry Cashews
Creamy Sweet Potato Curry Soup

Coconut Turkey Curry In a Hurry

A quick and easy ground turkey curry made with coconut milk and lots of vibrant fresh vegetables. It's a great weeknight meal, and is gluten-free and dairy-free!

4.74 from 23 votes

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Prep Time :10 minutes

Cook Time :20 minutes

Total Time :30 minutes

Author: Amanda Paa

SCALE:

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 shallots thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 tablespoons mild curry powder, divided
• 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt divided
• 1 bell pepper seeds removed and thinly sliced
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 14.5 ounce can full-fat coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon tamari
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch arrowroot starch, or tapioca starch
• 1 cup chopped zucchini
• 2 cups baby spinach
• juice of one lime
• red pepper flakes and cilantro for garnish
• cooked white jasmine rice

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Instructions 

• Preheat large saucepan over medium high heat. When hot, add shallots, and sauté for 4-5 minutes, until translucent. Add garlic, ginger, 1/2 tablespoon curry powder and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir and combine. Then add bell pepper and continue to cook for 3 minutes.
  
• Push vegetables to one side of pan. Add turkey, and break up using a wooden spoon or firm spatula. Once cooked through and no pink remains, add remaining 1 tablespoon curry powder and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Stir thoroughly.
  
• Then add coconut milk and tamari. Take out a few tablespoons of the cooking liquid, and whisk it with the arrowroot or tapioca starch. Add this mixture back to pan, and stir. This acts to thicken the liquid.
  
• Add in zucchini, and spinach. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice.
• Serve over warm rice and garnish with red pepper flakes and cilantro.