Spicy Turkey Stir-Fry With Crisp Garlic and Ginger
- Total Time
- 25 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:4 servings
- 2tablespoons neutral oil, such as safflower or grapeseed
- 4garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1(2-inch) knob ginger, cut into matchsticks
- Fine sea salt
- 2tablespoons coconut oil or more neutral oil
- 3scallions, white and green parts separated, thinly sliced
- ¼teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more to taste
- 1pound ground turkey, preferably dark meat (or use ground pork)
- 2tablespoons lime juice, plus more to taste
- 1tablespoon fish sauce
- ½teaspoon soy sauce, plus more to taste
- ½teaspoon sugar or honey (optional)
- Cooked sticky or white rice, for serving
- ⅔cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, for serving
- ⅓cup torn basil leaves (or use more cilantro), for serving
- 1fresh bird’s-eye or serrano chile, thinly sliced, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
273 calories; 15 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 9 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 27 grams protein; 485 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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- Step 1
In a cold 12-inch skillet, combine oil, garlic and ginger. Place over medium heat until sizzling, then continue to cook, stirring frequently, until garlic and ginger are golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle lightly with salt.
- Step 2
Add coconut oil to pan, then stir in scallion whites and cook until starting to brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in red-pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute.
- Step 3
Stir in turkey, raise heat to medium-high, and cook, breaking up meat with a spoon, until golden and crisp, about 7 minutes. Don’t stir the meat too much, so it can turn deep brown.
- Step 4
Remove pan from heat and stir in lime juice, fish sauce and soy sauce. Taste and add more lime juice, red-pepper flakes, soy sauce and sugar or honey if you like.
- Step 5
Gently mix about two-thirds of the fried garlic and ginger into the turkey. Serve turkey over rice, topped with cilantro, basil, scallion greens and fresh chile, and garnished with remaining fried ginger and garlic.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Vicki B
I'm not a fan of the fish sauce. Is there something else that I could substitute that's not fishy?
Blue Jay
Great! Doubled the scallions, used about 1/4 cup soy sauce, added a teaspoon of rice vinegar, and left out the honey. (I prefer savory to sweet). Next time, I will add sugar snap peas for crunch. I cooked the turkey first, then added the scallions, garlic, and ginger. I'd rather not have to scoop out food only to add it back later. This worked just fine.
MH
Great variety of textures and flavors: crunchy, crisp, sour, and spicy. As noted below, this is a variation on larb gai, a Northeastern Thai dish typically eaten as an appetizer with sticky rice. I added some broth, extra lime juice and about a half teaspoon of sugar to get the flavor I remembered from larb, with plenty of torn mint leaves before serving. Paired it with stir-fried broccoli rabe and sticky rice. Yum!
Jess A
This is also delicious served in Boston lettuce cups or Romaine leaves for a nice light summer supper.
RH
Agree with many who say to double or at least add more lime, ginger and garlic.
Skyler
It's the second time for this dish and it's better for the experience. I found that cooking the turkey to a dark brown in four patties, flipping, and then breaking them apart made it moister as well as adding chicken broth and extra lime juice. I also made double the garlic/ginger topping. Really good!
Mike Schmidt
Thanks Melissa, this is is a great, easy recipe. One tip: If you detest the taste and smell of fish sauce (as I do), Worcestershire sauce makes a reasonable substitute. Just saying...
Jennifer
Really good and fast! Wanting to try both Melissa's suggestions for accompanying, I made half slide of plate with rice and other half shredded iceberg. Result: both equally good. I also stir-fried some green beans separately. For extra crunch, chopped peanuts or cashews might be a nice garnish.
Cook
Instead of sugar, I like to use caramelized onions, which add a deep, savory sweetness. Also try a splash of sake along with the soy sauce at the end to give it brightness. If you don’t have fish sauce, you can substitute mirin
zeichgeist
The flavor is great, but I too found the dish too dry, especially over rice.Adding broth doesn't get the flavor profile I seek. How about doubling lime, fish, soy sauce, putting half in at end of cooking and preserving rest for individual portions as needed? Maybe adding a tab more oil here too?
spiff ypaws
Doubled the sauce, garlic and ginger,and served over a bed of Asian slaw. This was delicious and quick; will definitely make again.
Roald
This is basically a variation on Laap (or larb) gai, based on the standard Thai flavor profile of lime, fish sauce, ground red pepper and mint. Which isn't to say this version wouldn't be outstanding.
Lizzie D
I’ve made several larb recipes, and I like this one the best. Browning the meat and the inclusion of ginger make it wonderful. To avoid confusion with other recipes, I’ve taken to calling this one “Melissa Clarb.” I hope you will too.
Dianne Kulp
Loved this......will double sauce, or add broth as others suggested....we like sauce! I added a small can of water chestnuts, which I "matchsticked"---great crunch! I served it over riced cauliflower, which made it so diet friendly. Will make again, and again!!!!
ABF
Melissa had a variation of this in her cookbook...Cook This Now. I prefer this version but doubled the sauce.
Mallika
I make this a couple of times a month, it's the best bang for your buck meal both in terms of cost & the time it takes for it to come together. My kids (2 & 6 years old) both will eat it, & the grown-ups add some diced spicy peppers for extra heat. I serve it either with romaine or spinach that I wilt in the same pan so it gets some of that coconut oil, soy, lime, and fish sauce flavor into it. Don't skip crisping up double portions of ginger and garlic to add extra texture.
CDKanigit
I am also not a fan of fish sauce but my wife totally hates it. I have found that coconut aminos provide a good umami punch without the fishy odor so that is now my go to on any recipe with fish sauce and anytime I want to layer the umami a bit.
Megan
A go-to recipe for us. We make it once a week and sometimes add in mushrooms or any other veg that we have on hand. Absolutely delicious!
georgina
crazy good. Recommend adding a spoonful of Thai chili paste-- the sweet kind... instead of sugar. And a big spoonful of dijon.
notes
Made this with sliced chicken breast and mushrooms. Added lime juice to the soak and boil water of the rice. Family loved it.
LBS
Followed the recipe. But left out the sugar. Didn't need it. It is a dry dish (no sauce so if you don't like dry this is not for you) Family loved it and it was so flavorful. Served over rice with shredded carrots, cabbage, and red peppers. This is the best ground turkey recipe I have found.
Joseph Burks
I increased the garlic and ginger, and I doubled the liquid ingredients. Otherwise I followed the recipe exactly. The finished product with rice and garnishes: absolutely delicious! Even with the extra lime juice, fish sauce, and soy sauce, there wasn’t really any sauce at the end; however, the flavors were wonderfully intense.
ronit
Cooked turkey first
denver cook
Delicious! Family loved. Great flavors and textures. I’d agree you can up the scallions.
mashmash
It was ok...kind of a bland version of larb. The turkey never really browned despite the proper heat and not moving the meat around in the pan at all. The sauce was a bit bland even with a spicy pepper, the red pepper flakes, additional soy and lime and the addition of mint to the dish. Not sure I would make this one again
eat as lettuce cups w cukes
No sugar
Yasmin
Delicious, fresh and easy. I followed the recipe as written, except for cutting the fat in half, which worked fine. Ate it with tons of herbs and scallion greens in a bowl, without rice. The only problem with the no rice approach this is that you want to eat the whole recipe.
Joe Stone
Halved the recipe to serve two older folks who live year-round on a Maine island with a single grocery store. It was a hit and will definitely reappear on our dinner table. I followed the recipe closely although I had to substitute a slivered shallot for the white scallion tips. (I guess I was just turning Julia Childs’ tip of 50 years ago on its head when she had recommended substituting scallions for shallots.)
chris
very good. might add a bit more red pepper flakes next time
StacyVA
Made this. last night. Delicious! Had to work to get my dark meat ground turkey to brown. Maybe added water in my gr turkey? Increased sauce, served with stir fried broccoli and carrots.
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