Ground Turkey and Sweet Potato Bake with Spinach and Melted Mozzarella Recipe
A delicious and hearty Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Bake featuring lean ground turkey, tender sweet potatoes, vibrant bell peppers, and fresh spinach, all seasoned with warming spices and topped with melted mozzarella cheese. This one-dish meal balances protein, vegetables, and flavor, making it a perfect nutritious dinner option that is easy to prepare and bake in the oven.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Casserole
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Scale
The Protein Foundation
- 1 lb ground turkey (93% lean)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
The Vegetable Core
- 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes
- 2 medium bell peppers (red and yellow), diced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach, packed
The Flavor Profile
- 1 ½ cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- The Sauté Start: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5–7 minutes, breaking the meat apart until browned and fully cooked. Transfer cooked turkey to a large mixing bowl or directly into the baking dish if preferred.
- Soften the Base: In the same skillet (do not clean to retain flavor), add diced onions and bell peppers. Sauté for 3–4 minutes until edges just soften but not fully cooked. Transfer to the bowl with cooked turkey.
- The Assembly: Add raw diced sweet potatoes and fresh spinach to the bowl containing turkey, onions, and peppers. Toss everything together thoroughly to evenly distribute spinach and coat potatoes with spices and meat juices.
- The Moisture Lock: Pour the entire mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread it evenly. Pour ¼ cup chicken broth over the top evenly to create steam for cooking the potatoes gently.
- The Bake: Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes at 375°F (190°C). This steam phase helps soften the sweet potatoes without drying out the bake.
- The Melt: Remove foil carefully and sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top. Return the dish to the oven uncovered and bake for an additional 10–15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly, slightly browned, and potatoes are fork-tender.
Notes
- Use 93% lean ground turkey to maintain juiciness and flavor; 99% lean can be too dry.
- Cut sweet potatoes into uniform ½-inch cubes to ensure even and timely cooking.
- Do not fully cook onions and peppers on the stovetop; they will finish cooking in the oven for best texture.
- Chicken broth helps create steam in the baking dish to tenderize the sweet potatoes without drying the dish.
- Part-skim mozzarella gives a good melt with less fat than whole milk cheeses.
Keywords: ground turkey sweet potato bake, healthy turkey casserole, baked sweet potato and turkey, one dish meal, ground turkey casserole
