Brussels Sprouts & Ground Turkey Skillet (Printable Version)

Crisp Brussels sprouts and seasoned ground turkey cooked in one pan with garlic, paprika, and lemon. Ready in 30 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 1 pound ground turkey, lean

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

02 - 1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
03 - 1 small yellow onion, diced
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Oils & Liquids

05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
06 - ¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth or water
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

→ Seasonings

08 - ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
09 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
10 - ½ teaspoon paprika
11 - ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

→ Garnishes

12 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
13 - Fresh parsley, chopped

# Directions:

01 - Rinse Brussels sprouts, trim off tough stem ends, and halve lengthwise. Dice the onion into uniform pieces and mince the garlic cloves.
02 - Heat a large skillet with lid over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and allow to shimmer. Add ground turkey, breaking apart with a spatula. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, paprika, and red pepper flakes if using. Cook 5-6 minutes until no longer pink throughout.
03 - Transfer cooked turkey to a clean plate. Wipe excess liquid from skillet while preserving browned fond.
04 - Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to skillet and reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion and sauté until translucent, approximately 3 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
05 - Place halved Brussels sprouts cut-side down into skillet. Season with remaining salt and pepper. Leave undisturbed for 4 minutes to develop golden-brown caramelization on flat surfaces.
06 - Stir Brussels sprouts together with onions and garlic. Add broth or water, cover with lid, and steam 4-5 minutes until sprouts are fork-tender.
07 - Remove lid and return cooked turkey to skillet. Stir all components together and cook 2 minutes until heated through and liquid is mostly evaporated.
08 - Remove from heat. Stir in fresh lemon juice and adjust seasoning to taste. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley if desired. Serve hot directly from skillet or transfer to serving dish.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The way the Brussels sprouts caramelize creates these irresistible crispy edges that even sprout-skeptics in my family can't resist snatching right from the pan.
  • Everything cooks in a single skillet, which means youre getting maximum flavor with minimal cleanup – I discovered this benefit on a particularly exhausting Thursday when washing multiple pots seemed impossible.
02 -
  • Never overcrowd your pan with the Brussels sprouts or theyll steam rather than caramelize – I learned this the hard way and ended up with soggy sprouts instead of those addictive crispy edges.
  • Let the turkey rest on its plate while the sprouts cook, as this redistributes the juices and makes for much more flavorful meat when you add it back to the skillet.
03 -
  • For next-level flavor, try browning the turkey in the same pan first, then removing it while you cook the sprouts in all those savory drippings – it took me years to realize this simple sequence makes all the difference.
  • If your sprouts are particularly large, quarter them instead of halving for more even cooking and maximum caramelized surface area – this changed my Brussels sprout game entirely.
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