High-Volume Cabbage Turkey Stir (Printable Version)

Light stir-fry combining lean turkey with crisp cabbage and vegetables for a wholesome dinner.

# What You'll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 1.1 lb lean ground turkey

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium head green cabbage, shredded (approximately 1.75 lbs)
03 - 2 large carrots, julienned
04 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
05 - 4 green onions, sliced
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

→ Sauces and Seasonings

08 - 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
09 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
10 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
11 - 1 teaspoon chili flakes, optional
12 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

13 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
14 - Extra sliced green onions

# Directions:

01 - Heat a large non-stick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add sesame oil.
02 - Add ground turkey and cook, breaking it up with a spatula, until browned and cooked through, approximately 5 minutes.
03 - Add minced garlic and grated ginger; sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add shredded cabbage, julienned carrots, and sliced bell pepper. Stir-fry for 5 to 7 minutes until vegetables achieve tender-crisp texture.
05 - Stir in soy sauce, rice vinegar, and chili flakes if using. Toss well to combine all components.
06 - Season the stir-fry with salt and black pepper to taste.
07 - Remove from heat, stir in sliced green onions, and garnish with toasted sesame seeds and additional green onions. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes so rich and satisfying that you'll forget you're eating something genuinely good for you.
  • The whole thing comes together faster than takeout, which means you'll actually make it on weeknights instead of ordering again.
  • Cabbage becomes almost buttery when stir-fried properly, making this feel way more luxurious than the ingredient list suggests.
02 -
  • If your vegetables come out mushy, your pan wasn't hot enough to begin with; stir-frying is all about high heat and quick movement, not slow cooking.
  • Don't skip toasting the sesame seeds yourself if you can help it, because it unlocks a nutty depth that raw seeds just don't deliver.
  • Taste the soy sauce before dumping it all in; salt levels vary by brand, so you might need less than the recipe calls for.
03 -
  • Keep your pan screaming hot the entire time; a lukewarm pan is the enemy of a proper stir-fry and will leave you with mushy vegetables instead of crisp ones.
  • If you like extra heat, drizzle a little sriracha on top after plating rather than adding it to the pan, so you control how much and it stays bright instead of cooking into bitterness.
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