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This healthy an flavorful turkey taco quinoa skillet is made with ground turkey, quinoa, black beans, corn, tomatoes and Mexican spices. Everything cooks together in one pan and only takes 40 minutes to get on the table!
Looking for another easy quinoa dinner recipe? Try this pesto chicken and broccoli quinoa skillet!
This post and recipe have been updated since it was originally published on 1/20/2016
Why you’ll love it
One pan dinner – One pan dinners are my favorite because you don’t have to keep an eye on multiple pans cooking on the stovetop and there’s less dishes to wash. Skillet dinners are the best for busy weeknight!
Pantry ingredients – Many of the ingredients used in this taco skillet dinner are one you may already have in your pantry. The use of pantry ingredients also helps to keep the cost down.
Healthy dinner – Taco quinoa is packed with protein, carbs, and fiber. The balance of all these macro nutrients makes it a satisfying and filling meal.
Ingredients For Mexican Quinoa
- Yellow onion – Flavorful aromatic.
- Ground turkey – I like to use 93/7% lean ground turkey.
- Chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, smoked paprika – The flavorful Mexican spice blend.
- Diced green chiles – Canned green chiles add great flavor. Want it spicy? Use hot instead of mild.
- Black beans – Add heartiness and fiber to the quinoa.
- Fire roasted tomatoes – They add a smoky tomato flavor you won’t get from regular diced tomatoes .
- Fire roasted frozen corn – Another great way to add a smoky flavor. Regular frozen corn can also be used.
- Cilantro – Omit if you don’t like cilantro.
- Salsa verde – Salsa verde has a zesty, mildly spicy flavor, and is a nice way to brighten up the flavor of turkey taco quinoa.
- Quinoa – I recommend using white quinoa. It’s the easiest to find at the store, has the mildest flavor, and gets the fluffiest when cooked.
- Cheese – I used Colby Jack cheese because I love how it melts. Cheddar or Monterey Jack or a combination are other options that work well.
How to Make Turkey Taco Quinoa Skillet
This is an overview of the recipe with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
Brown the onion and turkey in a 12 inch skillet that has a lid. Add in the spice blend, salt, and pepper and stir everything together.
Add all of the remaining ingredients, except the cheese, in with the turkey mixture. Stir everything together and bring it to a boil.
Once it boils, cover with the lid and turn the heat down to low. Simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the quinoa is fluffy and tender. Top with the shredded cheese and cover with the lid again for another minute or until the cheese is melted.
Ways to Serve Taco Quinoa Skillet
Generally I just serve taco quinoa right out of the skillet. However, if you want to change things up or use the leftovers in a different way, here are a few ideas.
- Use it as a filling for tacos, enchiladas, or burritos.
- Turn it into a taco salad and serve it on top of romaine lettuce with diced avocado.
- Scoop it up with tortilla chips or use it as a topping for nachos.
Variations and Substitutions
- Use ground chicken or ground beef instead of ground turkey.
- Add toppings such as black olives, avocado, sour cream, and extra salsa.
- Salsa verde can be substituted with red tomato salsa or red or green enchilada sauce.
- Make it vegetarian by substituting ground turkey with crumbled tofu or a meat alternative. Omit the cheese for a vegan option.
Storage and Reheating
Storage – Turkey quinoa skillet will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheating – Reheat it in the microwave or in a skillet on the stovetop over medium-low heat until it’s hot.
Freezing – Turkey taco quinoa skillet is a great freezer meal. Cool completely before transferring it to an airtight freezer safe container. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost it in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
More Easy Skillet Dinners
Did you make this taco quinoa? I’d love if you’d leave a recipe rating and review below.
Turkey Taco Quinoa Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup diced yellow onion
- 1/2 pound lean ground turkey
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 4 ounce can diced green chiles
- 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 14.5 ounce can diced fire roasted tomatoes, undrained
- 1/2 cup fire roasted frozen corn
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
- 1/2 cup salsa verde
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a 12 inch skillet that has a lid. Heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add in the onion and turkey. Crumble and brown the turkey until it’s no longer pink. Stir in the spice blend, salt, and pepper.
- Add in the remaining ingredients, except the cheese. Stir everything together and bring it to a boil.
- Once it boils, cover with the lid and turn the heat down to low. Simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the quinoa is fluffy and tender. Top with the cheese then cover with the lid again for another minute or until the cheese is melted. Garnish with extra cilantro and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Making this tonight after revisiting it on Spoonful of Flavor (it is one of our favorites.) So happy to have found your site – I’ve taken too many years away from running (former HS and college soccer player and have also ran numerous 5K’s, 1-half and 1-full marathon) Headed back out today to train for a 5K in August, your beginner tips and About section were inspiring. Thank you!
Hi Colleen! I’m so glad you like the recipe and the beginner running tips. Good luck with training for your 5k in August and glad to hear you’re back out there running again! :-)
Where are the measurements?
This is a recipe that I posted on another blog, Spoonful of Flavor. There is a link at the bottom of the blog post, but if you can’t find it, here is the link: https://reciperunner.com/turkey-taco-quinoa-skillet-recipe/
I don’t see the recipe listed on this page, very strange.
Hi Patricia,
The recipe can be found here: http://www.spoonfulofflavor.com/2016/01/20/turkey-taco-quinoa-skillet/. I do a guest post on Spoonful of Flavor every other month and this was one of them. There should also be a clickable link near the bottom of my blog post that you can click on and it will take you to the recipe.
This looks great! I don’t see the recipe though, I can only access the images for some reason. Can you direct me to the recipe please?
Hi Mary, thank you! The recipe for this skillet dinner is actually posted on Spoonful of Flavor where I did my monthly guest post. The recipe link is in the last paragraph of the blog post on my site, but in case you can’t find it here is the link. http://www.spoonfulofflavor.com/2016/01/20/turkey-taco-quinoa-skillet/
This is definitely my kind of meal, Danae! Looks so good!
Thanks Lisa!
Loving this healthified Mexican dinner idea! And a one-pot meal? Sign me up! Pinning to try with the fam. They’ll love it!
Thanks Erin! I hope you and your family enjoy it!
Oh wow – I could dive right into this turkey taco quinoa skillet bake! I love your use of quinoa in it – and yay for turkey!
Hope you are 100% healed up soon!
Thanks Shashi! I love adding quinoa to skillet dishes like these!
Yay for being halfway through the week and no snow on the radar!!! I love an easy one pot skillet dinner! This looks so cheesy and delicious!
Thanks Jocelyn! Any weekend without snow is a good weekend!
Looks great and sounds like you have a good weekend ahead of you–enjoy!
Thanks Kristen!
what a delicious combo! definitely saving this–been getting more into quinoa lately.
Thanks David! Quinoa is definitely worth getting into. :-)
Where is the recipe?
Hi Kelly. This is a guest post recipe that I did for another blog. There is a link that will take you to it at the bottom of the post. If you can’t find it, here it is. https://www.spoonfulofflavor.com/turkey-taco-quinoa-skillet/