At the end of your workday, when you’re famished and in need of a quick meal, I’m guessing that all you want is an easy, high-protein meal. Does that sound familiar? It’s in these moments that tacos shine.
Tacos are such a versatile food. You can fill them with anything you like – meat, fish, or veggies. And they can be mild or spicy, soft or crunchy. The possibilities are endless.
This recipe specifically uses turkey, is mild (unless you add hot sauce), and only takes about 15-minutes to cook and put together.
High-Protein Turkey & Black Bean Tacos
Servings per recipe: 1 large meal, or 2 smaller meals
| Ingredients: | Instructions: |
| 2 Corn Tortillas | 1. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and turkey meat, and cook until the meat is browned. Add the black beans and tomato paste, and stir until it’s hot. Turn off heat, and let sit for 5-minutes. 2. For the pico de gallo, combine the chopped tomato, chopped onion, lime juice, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Gently mix it all together. 3. Heat the tortillas, and put them on a plate. Layer each tortilla with lettuce, ground turkey & black beans, pico de gallo, and shredded cheese. Enjoy! |
| 6 oz Ground Turkey | |
| ½ cup Black Beans, rinsed | |
| 1 clove Garlic | |
| 2 tbsp Tomato Paste | |
| 1 tbsp Olive Oil | |
| 1 cup Lettuce, shredded | |
| ½ cup Tomato, chopped | |
| ¼ cup Yellow Onion, chopped | |
| ½ Lime | |
| To Taste: Salt & Pepper | |
| Optional: Hot Sauce |
| Nutrition Info: | 612 calories | 59g carbs | 55g protein | 19g fat |
How To Make These Tacos Your Own
Add avocado or shredded cheese.
If you want to add a creamy flavor to your tacos, consider adding some cheese or avocado. Avocados are one of my favorite foods, but if you prefer cheese, then sprinkle some of your favorite shredded cheese on these tacos instead. Feel free to add 1/5 of an avocado, or 1/8 cup of cheese. Keep note – this will add an additional 50 calories to this meal, but could be totally worth it for the flavor boost.
Use fish or tofu instead of turkey.
Pescetarians can use fish in this recipe instead of turkey. I recommend a flaky white fish like tilapia or petrale sole. If you’re vegetarian or vegan, you can replace the turkey with tofu, or ½ cup of cooked quinoa with 2 tbsp hemp seeds.
Change the beans.
Black beans are only one of many options available. Pinto, garbanzo, and white beans are all great choices. You could even make this recipe using lentils!
Give these tacos a try, and let us know what you think!
Love the healthy meals suggestions and the tips for avoiding excessive calories for the holidays-I should have read before thanksgiving.
Hank, glad you enjoyed the articles and tips! With the holidays just around the corner, you should be prepared to have the healthiest season yet.
-Kristin, BuiltLean Coach & Managing Editor
Hi Kristin – looks great, but how much cheese for the calorie count? Or did I miss something 🙂
Thanks for pointing that out, Dave! The cheese (and avocado) were meant to be optional additions to this meal. I’ve updated the article now, so check it out. I recommend adding either 1/5 of an avocado, or 1/8 a cup of cheese to these tacos. It will add an extra 50 calories to the meal, but either ingredient will also do a great job of balancing out the flavors and textures of these tacos. Give it a try!
-Kristin, BuiltLean Coach & Managing Editor