This Crispy Ground Turkey Broth Bowl Recipe with Cucumbers is loaded with sweet and savory turkey, fluffy sushi rice, quick-pickled cucumbers, and the dreamiest coconut red curry broth. It's cozy enough for soup season but loaded with enough texture, crunch, and fresh flavor to keep every bite interesting.
Why You'll Love It
Calling all my fellow broth fiends because this one is SO GOOD.
I've been seeing broth bowls all over social media lately, and obviously I needed to make my own version. Rather than simmering whole chickens in a large pot all afternoon or building a traditional soup with things like a parmesan rind and a million other ingredients, we're taking a major shortcut with store-bought chicken broth and turning it into something completely different.
The broth itself is creamy, slightly sweet, a little spicy, and packed with flavor from red curry paste, coconut milk, garlic, honey, lime, and coconut aminos. Then there's the ground turkey. And let me tell you, the CRISPY turkey is what makes this recipe!
The trick is letting it sit untouched in the skillet long enough to develop those deeply browned edges before you start breaking it apart. Once it's crispy, we coat it in sweet chili sauce, coconut aminos, and green onions.
Pile everything over sushi rice with tangy quick-pickled cucumbers, and you get sweet, savory, creamy, crispy, and fresh all in one bowl.
As a former professional chef, cookbook author, and busy mom, these are exactly the kinds of weeknight recipes I love. They're approachable and quick but still have enough going on to make dinner exciting.
And if you're searching TikTok - make this one immediately. Seriously.
Ingredients & Substitutions
For the Crispy Turkey
- Sesame oil: Adds nutty, toasted flavor to the turkey. You could use avocado oil or another neutral cooking oil, but you'll lose some of that sesame flavor.
- Ground turkey: I love how ground turkey gets crispy while still soaking up all that sweet and savory sauce. Ground chicken or pork would also work.
- Kosher salt: Enhances all the other flavors. If you're using regular soy sauce instead of coconut aminos, start with less salt.
- Garlic powder: Seasons the turkey without worrying about fresh garlic burning over the higher heat.
- Sweet chili sauce: Gives the turkey its sticky, sweet, slightly spicy finish.
- Coconut aminos: Adds salty-sweet umami flavor. Soy sauce or tamari can be substituted.
- Scallions: AKA green onions! They add freshness and mild onion flavor. Save some extra for finishing the bowls.
- Sesame Seeds: Optional but great for a pop of texture and a little nudge of flavor.
The Coconut Curry Broth
- Sesame oil: Creates a flavorful base for sautéing the aromatics.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic adds tons of savory flavor to the broth.
- Scallions: These soften into the broth and give it another layer of fresh onion flavor.
- Red curry paste: The powerhouse ingredient! Different brands vary in heat, so adjust accordingly.
- Full-fat coconut milk: Makes the broth creamy, silky, and rich without becoming too heavy.
- Chicken broth: Store-bought chicken broth keeps this recipe weeknight-friendly. Chicken stock also works.
- Honey: Balances the spice and saltiness. Start with less if you prefer a more savory broth.
- Coconut aminos: Adds depth and umami. Substitute soy sauce or tamari if needed.
- Lime: Don't skip it! That final hit of acidity makes all the flavors pop.
- Kosher salt: Add to taste once everything is combined.
For the Bowls
- Persian cucumbers: They're extra crunchy with thin skins and very few seeds. English cucumber is the best substitute.
- Sugar: Just a pinch balances the acidity of the vinegar.
- Kosher salt: Helps season and slightly soften the cucumbers.
- Seasoned rice vinegar: Creates a super-fast pickle while adding sweetness and acidity.
- Sushi rice: Its slightly sticky texture is perfect for soaking up that creamy broth. Jasmine rice works, too.
- Toasted sesame seeds: Add nuttiness and a little crunch.
- Scallions: More green onions on top add freshness, color, and crunch.
How to Make It
- MAKE THE QUICK-PICKLED CUCUMBERS: Add the thinly sliced cucumbers, sugar, kosher salt, and seasoned rice vinegar to a small bowl. Toss well and let them marinate for at least 10 minutes while you prepare everything else.
- CRISP THE TURKEY: Heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey, kosher salt, and garlic powder. Break it into pieces, then spread it across the skillet in an even layer. Here's the important part: leave it alone! Let the turkey cook undisturbed for 4-5 minutes. That's how you develop those deeply golden, crispy edges instead of ending up with steamed ground turkey.Flip and continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes, breaking it into smaller pieces as needed.
- SAUCE THE TURKEY: Once the turkey is cooked through, add the sweet chili sauce and scallions. Pour in the coconut aminos to deglaze the pan, scraping up all those delicious browned bits.Cook for another minute or two until the sauce gets sticky and coats the crispy turkey.
- START THE BROTH: Meanwhile, heat sesame oil in a medium soup pot over medium heat. Add the garlic, scallions, and a generous pinch of kosher salt. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- TOAST THE CURRY PASTE: Stir in the red curry paste and cook for about 1 minute. Cooking the paste before adding the liquid helps wake up all those spices and makes a huge difference in the finished broth.
- MAKE IT CREAMY: Add the coconut milk, chicken broth, honey, and coconut aminos. Whisk everything together until smooth. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 5-10 minutes so all those flavors have time to get friendly.
- FINISH WITH LIME: Turn the heat down and stir in the fresh lime juice. Taste and adjust with additional salt, coconut aminos, or lime if needed. That little hit of acid at the end is what really makes the flavors pop.
- ASSEMBLE: Divide the warm sushi rice among four bowls. Add the crispy turkey and ladle the creamy coconut curry broth around it. Top with quick-pickled cucumbers, toasted sesame seeds, and plenty of sliced green onions if you're into that.
- SERVE: Serve immediately while the broth is warm, the turkey is crispy, and the cucumbers are cold and crunchy.
- SAVE: For meal prep, store the broth, rice, turkey, and cucumbers separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Reheat the broth and turkey before assembling so the cucumbers stay crisp.
What to Pair It With
These crispy turkey broth bowls are pretty hearty on their own, so I like pairing them with fresh, crunchy sides and veggies that balance the rich coconut curry broth. If you're turning this into a whole dinner spread, here are a few of my favorite recipes to serve alongside it.
My Xi'an Famous Foods Inspired Smashed Cucumber Salad is probably my number one pick. It's cold, crunchy, spicy, and tangy, which is exactly what you want next to that warm creamy broth.
For something a little more substantial, try my Chinese Cabbage Salad with Crunchy Ramen. The Napa cabbage, cucumbers, scallions, toasted ramen, and sesame dressing bring tons of crunch without adding another heavy dish to the meal.
Or go super fresh with my Asian Avocado Salad with Cucumbers and Furikake. The creamy avocado, crisp cucumber, rice vinegar, sesame, and furikake work really well with the sushi rice and sweet-savory turkey in these bowls.
And here's some more tasty related recipes that you might like!
- Coconut Kale Noodles
- How to make Fresh Mango Salad
- Curried Coconut Cauliflower Soup
- Grilled Marinated Chicken Curry Recipe
- Quick Pickled Cucumbers
Recipe
Crispy Ground Turkey Broth Bowl Recipe with Cucumbers
Ingredients
For the Crispy Turkey
- 2 tablespoon Sesame oil
- 1 lb Ground turkey
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon Garlic powder
- ¼ cup Sweet chili sauce
- ¼ cup Coconut aminos or soy sauce
- ¼ cup Chopped scallions
For the Coconut Curry Broth
- 1 tablespoon Sesame oil
- 4 cloves Garlic minced
- ¼ cup Scallions chopped
- 3 tablespoon Red curry paste
- 1 13.5 oz can Full-fat coconut milk or cream
- 2 cups Chicken broth
- 3 tablespoon Honey
- 1 tablespoon Coconut aminos or soy sauce
- ½ small Lime Juiced
- Kosher salt to taste
For the Bowls
- 2 small Persian cucumbers thinly sliced
- 1 pinch Sugar
- 1 pinch Kosher salt
- 3 tablespoon Seasoned rice vinegar
- 2 cups Prepared sushi rice
- Toasted sesame seeds for serving
- Additional scallions for serving
Instructions
- MAKE THE CUCUMBERS: Toss the cucumbers with sugar, salt, and seasoned rice vinegar. Let sit for at least 10 minutes.
- CRISP THE TURKEY: Heat sesame oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add turkey, salt, and garlic powder. Break into pieces and spread evenly across the skillet. Cook undisturbed for 4-5 minutes until deeply browned.
- FLIP AND FINISH: Flip the turkey and cook for another 3-4 minutes, breaking it into smaller pieces, until cooked through.
- ADD THE SAUCE: Add sweet chili sauce and scallions. Deglaze with coconut aminos and cook for 1-2 minutes until sticky and caramelized. Set aside.
- START THE BROTH: Heat sesame oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add garlic, scallions, and a pinch of salt. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
- ADD THE CURRY: Stir in red curry paste and cook for 1 minute to toast the paste.
- SIMMER: Add coconut milk, chicken broth, honey, and coconut aminos. Whisk until smooth and gently simmer for 5-10 minutes.
- FINISH: Stir in lime juice. Taste and adjust with additional salt, lime, or coconut aminos if needed.
- ASSEMBLE: Divide sushi rice among four bowls. Top with crispy turkey and ladle the coconut curry broth around the rice.
- SERVE: Finish with quick-pickled cucumbers, toasted sesame seeds, and scallions. Serve immediately.
- SAVE: Refrigerate the turkey, broth, rice, and cucumbers separately. Reheat the hot components before assembling so everything keeps its ideal texture.
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