Turkey taco lettuce cups
15 min · 33 g protein · 359 cals / serving
Taco night in 15 minutes: lean turkey mince simmered with onion, garlic, diced tomatoes and a homemade mild taco seasoning, spooned into cold, crisp iceberg cups and topped with a crunchy lime cabbage, avocado and coriander. Everyone builds their own, and the filling makes tomorrow's lunch.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb ground turkey (93% lean)
- 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Taco seasoning
- 1 tbsp chili powder, mild
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt, divided
- 3/4 cup canned diced tomatoes diced tomatoes, about half a can, with juice
- 4 tsp lime juice, divided
To serve
- 2 1/2 cups bagged coleslaw mix cabbage, or finely shredded green cabbage
- 1 small head iceberg lettuce, cold, leaves separated into cups
- 1 small avocado, diced
- 1/4 cup leaves fresh cilantro
Steps
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the turkey, onion and garlic and cook, breaking the meat up with a spoon, for 6 minutes, until no pink remains (165°F); the turkey's own fat is enough to cook in. Meanwhile, separate the lettuce into cups and dice the avocado.
- Stir in the chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano and 3/4 teaspoon of the salt for 30 seconds, then the tomatoes. Simmer 4–5 minutes, stirring, until the juice has cooked into the meat. Off the heat, stir in 1 tablespoon of the lime juice and taste for salt.
- While the filling simmers, toss the coleslaw mix with the rest of the lime juice and the last pinch of salt.
- Set out the iceberg cups, the turkey, the lime cabbage, avocado and coriander, and let everyone fill their own. For lunch the next day, pack the filling on its own and the lettuce and toppings separately (dice the avocado fresh); the filling keeps 3 days in the fridge and reheats in 2 minutes.
Good to know
How do I make it spicy for the grown-ups?
Keep the pan mild for the children and put sliced jalapeño, hot sauce or a pinch of cayenne on the table. A teaspoon of chipotle powder in place of the paprika makes the whole pan smoky and warm.
Can I use a packet of taco seasoning?
Yes, about 2 tablespoons replaces the spices and salt, but most packets are thickened with flour or starch and carry sugar, so check the label if you eat keto or gluten-free. The homemade mix takes a minute.
Alternative
Per
- Calories
- 103
- Protein
- (36%)
- 9 g
- Fat
- (52%)
- 6 g
- Carbohydrates
- (12%)
- 4 g
- of which sugar
- 2 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 249 mg
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Computed from the ingredients with our published formula, not yet kitchen-tested. How
As written, 1434 kcal goes into the pot and 1656 g of ingredients comes out as about 1396 g of food: 103 kcal per 100 g. Cooking moves water and energy density is the score's biggest lever, so the dish is scored as cooked, not as an average of its parts. Every ingredient links to its food page, with the same data and score. The label's percentages are each macronutrient's share of the calories. The full formula.