High-Volume Cabbage Turkey Stir (Printable Version)

Light, flavorful stir-fry with lean turkey and crisp cabbage for a satisfying low-calorie meal.

# What You 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

# Steps:

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 are tender yet crisp.
05 - Stir in soy sauce, rice vinegar, and chili flakes if using. Toss thoroughly to combine.
06 - Season with salt and black pepper to desired preference.
07 - Remove from heat, stir in sliced green onions, and garnish with toasted sesame seeds and additional green onions.
08 - Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's impossibly filling without making you feel heavy afterward, which honestly changes everything about how you approach dinner.
  • The whole thing comes together in less time than it takes to order takeout, and tastes infinitely fresher than anything arriving in a container.
  • You can taste every ingredient doing its job instead of drowning in sauce, which means your taste buds stay genuinely interested.
02 -
  • Cabbage releases water as it cooks, so if your stir-fry becomes a soggy mess, it's because you added too much liquid at the start or didn't cook it hot enough to evaporate moisture—high heat is your friend here.
  • The order of ingredients matters tremendously; adding everything at once means something will be overcooked while something else is raw, so follow the sequence and you'll hit that sweet spot where everything finishes together.
03 -
  • If you want extra depth, add a splash of sriracha or a teaspoon of fish sauce (though that's not gluten-free unless you find the right brand), because those elements elevate everything without making the dish complicated.
  • Toast your own sesame seeds in a dry pan and use them fresh—it's a small detail that somehow matters more than it should, and it takes literally thirty seconds.
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