20-Minute Ground Turkey Sesame Noodles

My favorite kind of weeknight dinner is the one where I don’t have to cook two meals, and this one is IT. Everyone gets noodles, but they don’t have to have the sauce (picky eaters unite).

The sauce is mostly soy sauce and sesame oil, with a little honey to round it out and a spoonful of cornstarch so it actually sticks to the noodles. The spinach and bean sprouts go in right at the end, so you get some veggies without any extra work.

It tastes a lot like my sesame beef, but with ground turkey you skip the slicing. And if you already have a pound of turkey in the fridge, I have a whole collection of ground turkey recipes for the rest of the week.

Kristen’s Top Tips Before You Start 

• What is sambal olek? It’s a chili paste made from ground red chilies, usually with a little vinegar and salt. It’s spicy and a bit tangy, and you’ll find it in the Asian foods aisle, often near the sriracha. Any Asian chili paste works if you can’t find it. Keep it out of the sauce and put the jar on the table, so everyone can add their own heat.
• Go easy on the salt: The soy sauce goes in at the end and it’s already salty, so season the turkey lightly. You can always add more at the table.
• Undercook the noodles a little: Pull the ramen while it still has some bite, since it finishes cooking in the pan with the sauce. And toss the seasoning packet. You won’t need it.
• Whisk the sauce again right before it goes in: The cornstarch settles at the bottom of the bowl. A quick whisk, then a minute or two of stirring in the pan, is what makes it thick and glossy.
• Break the turkey up small: Smaller crumbles mix through the noodles, so you get some in every bite. Cook it until there’s no pink left, about 6 to 8 minutes, and it reaches 165°F.
• Mince the onion really small: It blends right into the dish, which is helpful if someone at your table is picky about onions.

How It’s Made

Mix the sauce first, then boil the ramen. While that cooks, soften the onion in sesame oil in a big skillet, add the garlic and ginger for 30 seconds, and brown the turkey. Stir in the spinach and bean sprouts, pour in the sauce and the noodles, and let it bubble for a minute or two until it thickens. Top with green onions and sesame seeds.

Busy Mom Hack 

Put the pot of water on first, then mix the sauce and mince the onion while it heats up. By the time it boils, you’re ready to cook the noodles and the turkey at the same time, which is how this gets on the table in 20 minutes.

What to Make Next

If you LOVE Asian meals, I have great news. There are so many on the blog to choose from, and they’re super simple to make:

Storage & Reheating

• Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
• Reheating: The noodles keep soaking up sauce as they sit, so leftovers look thicker and drier the next day. Warm them in a skillet with a splash of water or broth and stir until the sauce loosens up and coats the noodles again. In the microwave, use short bursts with a splash of liquid and stir in between.
• Garnish: Add fresh green onions and sesame seeds after reheating so they stay bright.

Recipe Notes

Want more veggies? Shredded carrots, thinly sliced bell pepper, or snap peas can cook right along with the onion. A squeeze of lime at the end adds a little brightness to the sauce.