Turkey Keema Tacos are prepared with ground turkey sauteed with Indian flavors. Fill them up in a taco and top with a cilantro-mint chili sauce.
Turkey Keema goes perfectly well with naan, roti, and rice, but sometimes I like switching things up. These Keema Tacos are a spin on traditional Beef Tacos.
What is Keema?
Keema is essentially minced meat. It is ground meat that can be made from beef, chicken, turkey, pork, or lamb. Keema is cooked with your basic Indian masala – ginger, garlic, green chilies, onion, and tomato, along with aromatic desi spices.
You’ll often find keema in a gravy form, however for these tacos, I didn’t add too much water for a dry consistency.
Can I use another meat besides turkey?
Sure! You can substitute turkey with chicken, beef, pork, or lamb.
Can I make these tacos vegetarian?
Sure. Simply substitute turkey with either mushroom, tofu, or paneer. Make sure you chop the ingredient of choice well to achieve that perfect consistency.
How do I get a finely minced consistency?
The way to ensure your minced meat is has a finely minced consistency rather than larger bits is by adding water to your meat. Add 1 cup of water to the meat and mix well. This technique ensures there are no lumps resulting in a smoother consistency.
Can I make this recipe dairy-free, gluten-free?
For dairy-free: Replace the cheese with your favorite vegan cheese. Also, in the sauce, substitute Greek yogurt with non-dairy yogurt.
For gluten-free: Make sure you are using gluten-free tacos. You can easily find these at your local grocery store.
Tips on making Turkey Keema Tacos:
- Wash the turkey with water by simply rinsing the turkey and then draining it.
- Then add 1 cup of water to the turkey and mix well. This helps ensure there are no lumps.
- Cook your desi masala – ginger, garlic, green chilies, onion, and toamtoes.
- Add the turkey to the masala, lots of spices, and cook down for 20 minutes.
- Finish with green peas and some final garnish.
- Fill your tacos with keema, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and cilantro chili sauce.
Keema Tacos are:
Mouthwatering
Healthy-ish
Versatile
Flavorful
Gluten-Free
Indian Fusion
How to make Keema Tacos recipe step by step?
Prep
1. I use 93% lean turkey.
2. Rinse ground turkey with water and drain. Then add 1 cup of water to the turkey. Mix well so there are no lumps. Set aside.
3. Chop the ginger, garlic, and green chilies. Alternatively, you can use a mini food processor for chopping.
4. Chop onions.
5. Chop tomatoes.
Cook Turkey Keema
1. Heat up a dutch castiron, once hot, add oil followed by cumin seeds and a bay leaf. Saute for 45 seconds.
2. Add ginger, garlic, and green chilies. Saute for about 45 seconds.
3. Now add onions and salt. Saute for 4 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes and season with a little salt. Stir.
5. Cover and cook for about 6-7 minutes on low-medium heat.
6. Add red chili powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, and coriander powder. Stir. Cook for a few seconds.
7. Now add water. Cook for about 4 minutes until the water evaporates and you have a paste-like consistency.
8. Add the turkey.
9. Stir well. Season with salt to taste.
10. This is what you’ll have a couple of minutes later.
11. Cover and cook for 20 minutes on low-medium heat.
12. 20 minutes later, this is what you should have. Add garam masala.
13. Add chopped cilantro and lemon juice.
14. Add frozen peas rinsed under warm water. Cook for 5 minutes.
15. Keema is ready. Turn off the stove.
Prepare the Sauce & Taco Essentials
1. While the turkey is cooking. Make the sauce. In a NutriBullet, add the yogurt, ginger, garlic, mint leaves, coriander leaves, and green chilies.
2. Blend. Set aside.
3. Shred lettuce, slice jalapenos, chop tomatoes, chop cilantro, slice lime wedges.
Assemble Tacos
1. Add turkey keema to hard shell tacos.
2. Top with cheese.
3. Bake in the toaster oven for about 2 minutes or until cheese has melted.
4. Top with shredded lettuce.
5. Top with cilantro chili sauce and chopped tomatoes.
6. Finish off with sliced jalapenos and chopped cilantro.
Enjoy!
More Indian Fusion Recipes!
- Masala Mac and Cheese
- Vegetarian Indian Nachos
- Tikka Masala Pasta
- Curry Roasted Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad
- Shredded Tandoori Chicken Tacos
Keema Tacos
Ingredients
for turkey keema
- 1 pound ground turkey preferably 93% lean
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 1/2 inch ginger chopped
- 8 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 green chilies chopped
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 plum tomatoes chopped
- 1 tbsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1/4 tsp red chili powder
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- to taste salt
- 1/2 cup water to deglaze
- 1 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp cardamom
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 cup frozen green peas rinsed with warm water
for cilantro chili sauce
- 1/2 cup reduced-fat Greek yogurt
- 1-2 green chilies
- 1/2 inch piece ginger
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 cup cilantro
- 1/2 cup mint
- salt to taste
- little water if need be
to assemble tacos
- 12 hard shell tacos
- add cooked turkey keema
- 1 1/2 cups Mexican cheese, shredded 2 tbsp per taco
- 3 cups lettuce shredded
- 3 tomatoes chopped
- 2 jalapenos thinly sliced
- add cilantro chili sauce
Instructions
Prep
- I use 93% lean turkey.
- Rinse ground turkey with water and drain. Then add 1 cup of water to the turkey. Mix well so there are no lumps. Set aside.
- Chop the ginger, garlic, and green chilies. Alternatively, you can use a mini food processor for chopping.
- Chop onions.
- Chop tomatoes.
Cook Turkey Keema
- Heat up a dutch castiron, once hot, add oil followed by cumin seeds and a bay leaf. Saute for 45 seconds.
- Add ginger, garlic, and green chilies. Saute for about 45 seconds.
- Now add onions and salt. Saute for 4 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and season with a little salt. Stir.
- Cover and cook for about 6-7 minutes on low-medium heat.
- Add red chili powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, and coriander powder. Stir. Cook for a few seconds.
- Now add water. Cook for about 4 minutes until the water evaporates and you have a paste-like consistency.
- Add the turkey.
- Stir well. Season with salt to taste.
- This is what you'll have a couple of minutes later.
- Cover and cook for 20 minutes on low-medium heat.
- 20 minutes later, this is what you should have. Add garam masala.
- Add chopped cilantro and lemon juice.
- Add frozen peas rinsed under warm water. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Keema is ready. Turn off the stove.
Prepare the Sauce & Taco Essentials
- While the turkey is cooking. Make the sauce. In a NutriBullet, add the yogurt, ginger, garlic, mint leaves, coriander leaves, and green chilies.
- Blend. Set aside.
- Shred lettuce, slice jalapenos, chop tomatoes, chop cilantro, slice lime wedges.
Assemble Tacos
- Add turkey keema to hard shell tacos.
- Top with cheese.
- Bake in the toaster oven for about 2 minutes or until cheese has melted.
- Top with shredded lettuce.
- Top with cilantro chili sauce and chopped tomatoes.
- Finish off with sliced jalapenos and chopped cilantro.
Nutrition
A foodie who is passionate about living a healthy-ish lifestyle, cooking, and traveling. You'll find a mix of everything here and lots of seasonal content. I moved from Jersey City leaving behind my family & friends to beautiful Southern California for love. I'm adjusting to the laid-back SoCal lifestyle and learning a lot about myself along the way. Come join me on a soul searching journey and I'll tell YOU "what's cooking" through my love for food, fashion, and travel.
will be making this soon can i use mushrooms as am a vegan i never had tacos before perfect for my after office meals will dm you if i make this and let you know how it goes Thanks Ramya
Hi Ramya, Sure you can use mushrooms or tofu or even paneer. I would chop the mushrooms really small and use a good amount as they tend to disappear. 🙂
This was so good! Thank you?
You’re so welcome. Thank you for your comment. xoxo