Healthy Ground Turkey with Cabbage Egg Roll in a Bowl
This recipe has more vegetables than most recipes you’ll come across. Take advantage of toppings and mix in combinations that call out to you to make this recipe your own! Consider shelled edamame, shredded carrots, eggs, zucchini matchsticks, chopped nuts, water chestnuts, and sriracha drizzle.
Ingredients
- 1 to 1 1/3 pounds ground 93% lean turkey (I use Shady Brook) or ground chicken
- 8 to 10 cups thinly sliced traditional cabbage OR thinly sliced Napa cabbage (separated by white stem and lefty sections)
- 3 cups mung bean sprouts or broccoli slaw
- 1/2 medium onion (optional)
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
- 5 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons light rice vinegar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon sriracha (optional)
- 2 teaspoons honey (optional)
- 3 cubes frozen crushed ginger or 1 tablespoon minced fresh
- 3 cubes frozen crushed garlic or 1 tablespoon minced fresh
- Cooking spray
Instructions
Preparing the Green Cabbage
- Clean head by removing out outer leaves and wash. Cut in quarters. Remove core.
- Cut each half crosswise in thin strips (1/4-inch or less).
- Then cut the strips into thirds lengthwise.
Preparing Napa Cabbage
- Remove the leaves and wash each thoroughly.
- Stack 3-4 leaves at a time. Cut the white stem off from the leafy sections. Put into separate bowls.
- White stem pieces: Cut into 1/4- to 3/8-inch strips.
- Leafy sections: Cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch strips.
- Note: When cooking, the leafy sections we be added in after the white stem pieces.
Cooking Instructions
- Cook turkey meat on medium, breaking up in pieces as it cooks.
- Mix in garlic powder and fresh ground black pepper
- Cook until no longer pink. Drain and put aside.
- Using same pan (don’t wash), give another dousing of cooking spray.
- Add in fresh or frozen cubes of garlic and ginger and cover with cabbage. (Note: If using Napa cabbage, only add in the sliced white stem pieces.)
- Immediately add in chicken broth. Add more during cooking as needed. You'll want the mixture to be moist and slightly wet.
- Cook uncovered on high heat.
- Stir mixture as it cooks.
- Once the cabbage starts to soften, it’s time to add in the remaining ingredients.
- If using Napa cabbage, add in the leafy sections now.
- Next, add in mung bean sprouts and broccoli slaw (and other variations/add-ins).
- Add in cooked ground meat.
- Add in sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sriracha (if using) and honey (if using).
- Cook a few minutes longer to meld flavors.
- Give the mixture a taste test and tweak flavors as needed.
- Take off heat as the mixture will continue to cook.
- Spoon into bowls.
- Sprinkle with desired toppings.
Notes
Add in Extra Veggies
Sometimes, I’ll add in an extra three to four more cups of vegetables including more cabbage, extra mung beans sprouts (using the whole bag) or other veggies. When I do, I adjust the seasoning. I’ll add in:
- 1 to 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- Swap out ground turkey for extra-lean ground beef.
- Go vegetarian:
- Extra-firm tofu can be swapped for ground meat. Just be sure to press it for about 30 minutes and sauté one-inch cubes in a tablespoon of EVOO. Once cooked, put aside and add in at the end.
- Substitute meat for 14 ounce bag frozen shelled edamame (add with mung beans).
- Top each bowl with a soft-cooked egg.
- Add zucchini or summer squash cut into matchsticks
- 1/2 of 8 oz can of chopped water chestnuts (or use whole for extra, extra crunch!)
- Toss in a handful or two of shredded carrots