The Teriyaki Ground Turkey Eggplant Rice Bowl is your answer to a quick, healthy and flavourful meal prep. The turkey mince and eggplant soak up the homemade teriyaki sauce (or you can buy store-bought), and the rice combines for an easy, balanced meal.
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Why you'll love this recipe
Meal Prep Friendly. This bowl is the ultimate meal prep solution, combining protein, grains, and veggies into one balanced dish.
Turkey Mince. Ground turkey is a lean protein source, making it a great choice for a healthier meal. Check out our turkey mince bolognese and turkey san choy bow for more ideas.
Asian Flavours. The teriyaki sauce brings an Asian-inspired twist to this rice bowl. If you're into these flavors, try our teriyaki chicken noodles and teriyaki chicken poke bowl.
Eggplant. It's probably one of my fave vegetables, and if it's yours too, make sure to try my baked eggplant rollatini and eggplant lasagne with pumpkin.
Ingredients and substitutions
Turkey mince. Ground turkey is a lean protein perfect for meal prepping, but if you're after another option, you could use chicken mince (like in marry me chicken meatballs) or even a lean beef mince which I use in the teriyaki beef eggplant rice bowl.
If you're after a vegetarian option, you can shred tofu (like I do in this shredded tofu nachos) and cook the exact same way.
Rice. I use a long-grain white rice (like basmati), but you can substitute for brown rice, quinoa, or even pasta for something different.
Eggplant. No need for additional preparation to the eggplant because it'll be bathed in the teriyaki flavours which will provide the softness and sweetness without the bitterness that eggplant can sometimes have.
You could use a store-bought teriyaki sauce or you can make your own with the ingredients in this post. Here are some notes to help you adjust.
Soy sauce. I recommend an all-purpose soy sauce, rather than light/dark. You can opt for low-sodium if that's your preference. If you're gluten-free, tamari is the best option.
Brown sugar and maple syrup. These give the teriyaki sauce the balance of sweetness it needs. I don't suggest removing the brown sugar as it helps to caramelise the eggplant, but you can substitute maple syrup for honey (or additional brown sugar).
Mirin. This is the vinegar element to round out the balance. You can substitute with white vinegar, white wine vinegar or even an apple cider vinegar. It might end up slightly tart (as Mirin does have a hint of sweetness). If it does, add a touch more brown sugar or maple syrup to balance.
Garlic and ginger. I recommend fresh, but you can substitute for a jar version if needed.
Please check the recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantity.
How to make turkey rice bowl
Step 1: Prepare the rice according to packet instructions or see my tips and tricks.
Step 2: In a small bowl, whisk together the teriyaki sauce ingredients until sugar has dissolved. Taste and adjust as necessary.
Step 3: Heat a skillet over medium heat and sautee brown onion for approx. 2 minutes, then add eggplant and cook until golden brown. Decrease the heat and cook until the eggplant starts to decrease in size (approx. 5-10 minutes)
Step 4: Add turkey mince, breaking it up as it cooks until browned and fully cooked.
Step 5: Add sauce and stir well. As it heats, it should thicken and cling to the mince and veggies.
Step 6: Spoon the teriyaki turkey and eggplant mixture over the rice, garnish with sliced green onions or sesame seeds, and serve!
Top Tip
Homemade teriyaki sauce is my go-to approach because you can adjust the flavours to suit your preference. But, you can use store-bought to save you time (especially if you don't regularly use the ingredients)
Recommended Equipment
Use a wide skillet or wok (I personally like a cast iron as it gives an extra bit of flavour) as It gives ingredients space to sear properly instead of steaming. A rice cooker can also make life a bit easier, but it's not necessary.
Meal prepping ground turkey rice bowl
Meal prepping this teriyaki rice bowl is easy and will take you less than 30 minutes. Store individual portions of rice and mince mixture on opposite ends of an airtight container (this will ensure the rice doesn't go soggy from the sauce) and keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
How to reheat a mince rice bowl?
Microwave. Add a drizzle of water over the rice (or an icecube) and add to the microwave and heat on 1 minute intervals until heated through (approx. 2 - 3 minutes). Stir after the first minute to get the sauce moving.
Stove. Add the entire contents to a skillet on medium heat, move frequently until heated through (approx. 5 minutes).
Freezing
To freeze, store the turkey-eggplant mixture in freezer-safe containers. I recommend doing this separately to the rice, or making rice fresh when you plan to eat it. Freeze for up to 3-6 months.
No need to thaw, you can reheat directly on the stove or microwave like the above.
If you want more meal prep information, check out my Meal Prep for Beginners post and my Meal Prep Basics E-Book.
FAQs
Yes! Ground turkey is a lean protein source, making it a healthier option than fattier meats. It's a great choice for meal prep and maintaining a balanced diet.
A rice bowl typically consists of a grain (like rice), protein (such as turkey), and vegetables. This ground turkey rice bowl offers a balanced meal with lean protein, carbs, and healthy veggies, making it perfect for meal prepping.
To add some heat, try incorporating chili flakes, sriracha, or fresh chopped chili peppers into the teriyaki sauce.
Absolutely! You can swap the ground turkey for crumbled tempeh or tofu for a vegetarian-friendly option that still packs plenty of protein.
Other turkey recipes you may like
Or, you can have a browse through my turkey recipes for more delicious eats.
Recipe
Teriyaki Ground Turkey Eggplant Rice Bowl (Meal Prep)
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Equipment
- Large and Deep Pan, or wok
Ingredients
- 10 g (1 tablespoon) sesame oil, or other high heat oil e.g. canola, vegetable
- 500 g (1 lb) turkey mince, see note 1
- 1 eggplant
- 1 brown onion
- 250 g (1 ¼ cups) rice, yields approx.4 cups
Teriyaki Sauce (or use 1 cup store bought)
- 120 g (½ cups) soy sauce, subs note 2
- 55 g (¼ cups) brown sugar
- 45 g (3 tablespoon) mirin, subs note 3
- 3 cloves garlic, minced, see note 4
- 3 g (1 teaspoon) ginger, minced, see note 4
- 15 g (2 tablespoon) maple syrup, subs note 5
- 60 g (¼ cups) water
- 10 g (1 tablespoon) cornstarch
Instructions
Prepare
- Prepare the 250 g (1 ¼ cups) rice according to packet instructions, your own way or see my tips and tricks.
- Dice: 1 eggplant and 1 brown onion
- Mince: 3 cloves garlic and 3 g (1 teaspoon) ginger. Then, whisk together with 120 g (½ cups) soy sauce, 55 g (¼ cups) brown sugar, 45 g (3 tablespoon) mirin, 15 g (2 tablespoon) maple syrup, 60 g (¼ cups) water, 10 g (1 tablespoon) cornstarch until sugar has dissolved. Taste and adjust as necessary.
Cook
- Heat 10 g sesame oil in a skillet over medium heat and sauté 1 brown onion until lightly browned (approx. 2 minutes). Then, add 1 eggplant and cook until golden brown (approx. 2 minutes).
- Decrease the heat and cook until the eggplant starts to decrease in size (approx. 5-10 minutes)
- Add 500 g (1 lb) turkey mince, breaking it up as it cooks until browned and fully cooked.
- Add sauce and stir well. As it heats, it should thicken and cling to the mince and veggies.
- Spoon the teriyaki turkey and eggplant mixture over the rice, garnish with sliced green onions or sesame seeds, and serve!
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