Sweet and Sour Turkey Rice (Printable)

Korean-spiced turkey with pineapple and peppers in a sweet-sour sauce over fluffy rice.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Protein

01 - 1 lb ground turkey

→ Vegetables and Fruit

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 1 red bell pepper, chopped
04 - 1 green bell pepper, chopped
05 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 1 cup pineapple chunks, fresh or canned, drained
07 - 2 green onions, sliced for garnish

→ Rice and Pantry

08 - 2 cups cooked jasmine or long-grain rice, preferably day-old
09 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
10 - 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
11 - 1 tablespoon gochujang
12 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
13 - 2 tablespoons brown sugar
14 - 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup
15 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil

→ Optional Garnish

16 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

# Directions:

01 - Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey and cook, breaking it into small pieces, until browned and cooked through, approximately 5 to 6 minutes.
02 - Add diced onion, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and minced garlic to the skillet. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until vegetables become tender-crisp.
03 - Stir in pineapple chunks and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to warm through and allow flavors to meld.
04 - In a small mixing bowl, whisk together soy sauce, gochujang, rice vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup, and sesame oil until well combined.
05 - Pour the sauce mixture into the skillet and stir thoroughly to evenly coat all ingredients.
06 - Fold in the cooked rice, breaking up any clumps, and stir-fry everything together for 2 to 3 minutes until flavors are fully combined and rice is heated through.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Remove from heat and garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds if desired. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in one skillet, which means less cleanup and more time enjoying the meal with people you care about.
  • The sweet-and-sour balance feels familiar but with enough gochujang kick to keep things interesting and crave-worthy.
  • Ground turkey keeps it lighter than heavier proteins, so you feel good eating a full bowl without the post-meal sluggishness.
02 -
  • Day-old rice is absolutely essential here because fresh, warm rice will turn into a mushy mess the second it hits that hot skillet and sauce.
  • Don't skip whisking the sauce together first because gochujang won't dissolve smoothly if you just dump it in dry, and you'll end up with clumpy, uneven seasoning.
03 -
  • Having all your ingredients prepped and lined up before you start cooking means the actual cooking part moves fast and nothing burns while you're chopping.
  • If your sauce tastes too acidic, stir in a tiny pinch more brown sugar, and if it tastes too sweet, add a few drops of rice vinegar to bring balance back.
Go Back