Savory Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Bake (Print View)

Hearty casserole with seasoned turkey, sweet potatoes, and vegetables topped with melted cheddar cheese. Perfect for weeknight dinners.

# What You'll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 1 lb ground turkey
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil

→ Vegetables

03 - 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
04 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
07 - 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped

→ Dairy

08 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
09 - 1/4 cup milk

→ Pantry & Spices

10 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
11 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme
12 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
13 - 1/2 tsp chili powder
14 - 1/2 tsp salt
15 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
16 - 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

→ Toppings

17 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil. Sauté onion and red bell pepper for 3-4 minutes until softened.
03 - Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add ground turkey, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until browned, about 5-6 minutes.
05 - Stir in smoked paprika, thyme, cumin, chili powder, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Mix well.
06 - Add chopped spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes until wilted. Remove from heat.
07 - In a large bowl, toss sweet potato cubes with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add them to the prepared baking dish.
08 - Spoon the turkey and vegetable mixture evenly over the sweet potatoes.
09 - Drizzle milk over the casserole, then sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese evenly on top.
10 - Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
11 - Remove foil and bake for another 15 minutes until sweet potatoes are tender and cheese is golden and bubbly.
12 - Let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Serve warm.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The sweet potatoes get impossibly creamy while the edges go crisp and caramelized
  • Everything cooks in one pan so you can actually relax after work
  • The leftovers taste even better the next day, if they last that long
02 -
  • Cutting sweet potatoes larger than ½ inch means they will still be crunchy when the cheese burns
  • The milk might look strange drizzled over everything but it keeps the casserole from drying out
  • Letting it rest is not optional, or it will collapse into a delicious but messy puddle
03 -
  • Use a box grater to shred your own cheese since pre-shredded contains anti-caking agents that prevent melting
  • Line your baking dish with foil for the absolute easiest cleanup imaginable

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