Super crispy, oven-baked ground turkey tacos with lean ground turkey, a small batch homemade seasoning blend, black beans, green chiles, gooey Monterey Jack cheese, and flour tortillas. Served with a creamy avocado dipping sauce on the side!

We love a good hard shell taco, but the crispiness in these oven baked tacos is even better. They vaguely remind me of a Taco Bell Chalupa, with a super crunchy exterior and a little fluffy interior layer. And the ground turkey filling … oh, the filling. The homemade seasoning adds an amazing flavor to the ground turkey, as do the green chiles, onions, and black beans. It’s so good, and perfectly paired with a creamy avocado sauce for dipping (also included in this recipe post!).

This is a small batch ground turkey taco recipe that makes six total tacos. I used “fajita sized” flour tortillas (these specifically), and six of them fit perfectly onto a half size (18″ x 13″) rimmed baking sheet. The total recipe takes about 45 minutes to come together.

Four baked tacos arranged on a white plate with a small bowl of avocado sauce resting next to them.

Ingredients

For the Ground Turkey + Black Bean Filling:

2 tsp. Avocado Oil (or Olive Oil), plus more for brushing the tortillas
8 oz. Lean Ground Turkey (like 85/15 or 90/10)
Homemade Taco Seasoning: (or 2 1/2 tsp. of your favorite taco seasoning)
- ½ tsp. Cumin
- ½ tsp. Mexican Oregano (or Italian Oregano)
- ½ tsp. Garlic Powder
- ½ tsp Kosher Salt
- ¼ tsp. Smoked Paprika
- ¼ tsp. Chili Powder
- ⅛ tsp. Cayenne Pepper (optional)
1/3 cup chopped Yellow Onion (or white onion)
1/2 can (3/4 cup) Black Beans (drained, not rinsed)
1 small can (4 oz.) Green Chiles
2 tbsp. finely chopped Cilantro (optional)

For the Tacos:

Cooking Spray (Baking Spray) or Avocado Oil
6 “Fajita Size (6 inch) Flour Tortillas
1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack Cheese, or Cheddar / Pepper Jack

Ingredients needed to make baked ground turkey tacos laid out on a flat surface and individually labeled.

For the Creamy Avocado Dipping Sauce:

1/2 medium Avocado
1/4 cup Sour Cream (or full-fat Greek yogurt)
1 tbsp. fresh Lemon Juice (or fresh lime juice)
1/4 cup (packed) fresh Cilantro Leaves
1/2 tsp. Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt (or 1/4 tsp. Sea Salt)
2 tbsp. Water, plus more as needed to get desired consistency

Ingredients needed to make a creamy avocado dipping sauce laid out on a flat surface and individually labeled.

Ingredient Notes and FAQs

“Medium” Avocado

A “medium” avocado is usually about 4-5 ounces. Don’t worry about being super accurate with the amount; a little less or a little more is totally fine!

This recipe only calls for half of an avocado, which seems annoying, I know. I tried the sauce with a full avocado, and it just didn’t work the same way. If you’re adamant about using the entire avocado in the sauce, just double the other ingredients to make a double batch of it! I like to save my other avocado half, brush the surface of it with a little fresh citrus juice, and keep it for sandwiches or avocado toast (yes, I am a millennial, but starting your day with healthy fats is never a bad idea) for the next day.

Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt

This is the only salt I use when cooking. It is not the same as Morton’s Kosher salt, as Morton’s is much denser and therefore “saltier”. If you’re serious about home cooking and experimenting with different foods and recipes, I highly recommend grabbing a box of the Diamond Crystal salt. It is a lighter salt, which means you can use more of it and it won’t make your food taste as salty – it just adds more flavor! Note: It’s about $10 for a 26 oz. box, but that box easily lasts me a year!

If you’re using Morton’s kosher salt or a sea salt, decrease the suggested amount by half. Table salt will also work (using half of the recommended amount), but again, if you’re serious about cooking, look for a different salt to keep on hand.

Lean Ground Turkey

I used 85/15 (15% fat) ground turkey for this recipe, mainly because it was on sale and significantly less expensive than the 93/7 option when I went grocery shopping. The leaner option, 93/7 (7% fat), will also work great in these tacos! The residual liquids from the can of beans (you’ll drain them, but not rinse them, so there will still be a little bit of the liquid from the can that goes into the turkey mixture when you add the beans), and the liquids from the can of green chiles will be enough to hydrate the leaner ground turkey. (Lean ground turkey is a great ground beef substitute, but it gets a bad rap because it can come out dry. A great fix to that is to add liquids as it cooks to help it stay hydrated!) You can also use any ratio between 85/15 – 93/7, and you’re set.

Homemade Taco Seasoning

I really love the small batch taco seasoning mix included in this recipe, and you can also use it in this Ground Turkey Taco Salad Recipe (for Two). The cayenne is totally optional, and if you’re really adverse to heat, don’t feel guilty if you want to omit it. There’s such a small amount of it (1/8 teaspoon) that it doesn’t add a ton of heat at all, but just enough for the tiniest little kick. If you’d rather use store-bought seasoning, a mild Beef Taco or Chicken Taco seasoning should work. I would lean more towards the beef option though. Just use what you love. 🙂

Monterey Jack Cheese

I love Jack cheeses for their melting qualities (Monterey Jack and Pepper Jack are mostly used for my recipes), but cheddar cheese is a great shoe-in for cheese in these tacos, too. Use what you have on hand, or just what you love. I would avoid aged cheddar, as they typically don’t melt as well and have a strong flavor that won’t suit these tacos. Look for a soft yellow or white cheddar cheese, preferably mild, medium, or sharp cheddar. Or use some shredded Mexican blend cheese!

6″ Flour Tortillas

“Fajita Size” is what the label on my bag or tortillas says. They’re six inch tortillas, and totally perfect for these tacos. These are the exact ones that I have – but any thicker flour tortilla will work.

Why flour tortillas? After testing these tacos with corn tortillas, I found that they were prone to breaking apart when folded in half. I personally prefer flour tortillas for my “gringo style” tacos anyway (which these totally are), and for this particular recipe, the thick flour tortillas are superior because they puff up a little bit and vaguely remind me of a chalupa shell from Taco Bell. Like, vaguely. They’re delicious.

A woman's hand holding a crispy baked taco and dipping it into a small bowl of creamy avocado sauce.

Recipe Tips

Make the avocado sauce first so the flavors have a little time to blend together. The flavors in this dipping sauce need a little time to hang out together, so making it first is ideal. There’s enough citrus juice in the sauce that will prevent the avocado component of it from browning, so don’t worry about that!
Use a very ripe avocado. A ripe, soft avocado is ideal for making the dipping sauce. When looking for an avocado to use, there are a couple of good indicators that it’s ready (see the box below).

How to Choose a Ripe Avocado

Avocados are finicky, as we all know. Look for one that is really dark green (or even brown), and is soft enough that you can push into it and it gives a little. If it’s too soft, and feels squishy, don’t get it. If it’s really firm, don’t get it. Gently press your thumb into the side of it and when it gives a little, that’s a great indicator that it is ready!

Crispy baked tacos overlapping on a white plate with a small bowl of avocado dipping sauce resting next to them.

Directions

How to Make Crispy Baked Ground Turkey Tacos

Make the Creamy Avocado Sauce. Combine half of a ripe avocado, 1/4 cup sour cream, one tablespoon of fresh lime juice, 1/4 packed cup of cilantro leaves, 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, and two tablespoons of water in a mini food processor. Blend until smooth, adding more water if needed to achieve the consistency you want. Taste and season with more salt or lime juice if desired, then cover the sauce and refrigerate until ready to use.
Cook the Turkey and Onions. Heat two teaspoons of avocado oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Add 8 ounces of lean ground turkey, half of the seasoning blend from the ingredient list (or one teaspoon of taco seasoning), and 1/3 cup of chopped onion. Cook the turkey, breaking it into small pieces and mixing it into the seasoning and onions as it cooks, for 4-5 minutes until browned and cooked through.
Add Black Beans, Green Chiles, and Cilantro. Simmer the Turkey Taco Filling. Stir half a can (3/4 cup) of black beans, four ounces of green chiles, the remaining taco seasoning blend, two tablespoons of water, and two tablespoons of finely chopped cilantro into the turkey mixture. Stir to thoroughly combine, then turn the heat beneath the pan to medium-low and allow the turkey taco mixture to simmer for fifteen minutes (uncovered). Stir everything together again, and if there seems to be excess liquid, turn the heat underneath the pan to medium and cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove the pan from the heat.
Build the Tacos. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Spray a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray (or brush avocado oil over the baking sheet). Lay six fajita-sized flour tortillas onto the baking sheet, just barely overlapping the tortillas if necessary. Spread about 1/4 cup of shredded cheese across the surface of each tortilla. Spoon about 1/4 – 1/3 cup of the turkey black bean mixture onto one half of each tortilla.
Bake the Tacos. Pop the baking sheet in the oven for 1-2 minutes until the cheese on the tortillas has melted. Carefully fold them in half, then brush the tops of the tortillas with avocado oil (or spray with cooking spray), and bake for another 10-12 minutes until the tortillas are golden brown and crispy.
Serve! Spoon the creamy avocado sauce into small bowls, and serve alongside the crispy baked tacos. Enjoy!

Crispy baked turkey tacos arranged on a plate and drizzled with creamy avocado sauce.

Taco night doesn’t have to just be reserved for Taco Tuesday. This is a great ground turkey taco recipe to make any night of the week! The turkey taco meat is so good, and if you’re down to make a double batch of it, you can use it for salads, lettuce wraps, regular tortilla wraps, a rice bowl, or whatever! Just throw in some of your favorite toppings and you’re set.

Step-By-Step Recipe Guide

See below for step-by-step photos and instructions. These directions are a little more specific, and walk you through the entire process of making this Crispy Baked Turkey Taco recipe.

A small food processor with avocado, cilantro, and sour cream inside of it.

A small food processor full of a creamy, green sauce.

1. Make the Creamy Avocado Sauce. Combine half of a ripe avocado, 1/4 cup sour cream, one tablespoon of fresh lime juice, 1/4 packed cup of cilantro leaves, 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, and two tablespoons of water in a mini food processor. Blend until smooth, adding more water if needed to achieve the consistency you want. Taste and season with more salt or lime juice if desired, then cover the sauce and refrigerate until ready to use.

Ground turkey, seasonings, and onions cooking in a pan.

A wooden spatula stirring cooked ground turkey, onions, and seasoning in a skillet.

2. Cook the Turkey and Onions. Heat two teaspoons of avocado oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Add 8 ounces of lean ground turkey, half of the seasoning blend from the ingredient list (or one teaspoon of taco seasoning), and 1/3 cup of chopped onion. Cook the turkey, breaking it into small pieces and mixing it into the seasoning and onions as it cooks, for 4-5 minutes until browned and cooked through.

A skillet full of cooked ground turkey with black beans, green chiles, and fresh cilantro arranged on top to be mixed into it.

A skillet full of cooked ground turkey and black bean taco mixture being stirred with a wooden spatula.

3. Add Black Beans, Green Chiles, and Cilantro. Simmer the Turkey Taco Filling. Stir half a can (3/4 cup) of black beans, four ounces of green chiles, the remaining taco seasoning blend, two tablespoons of water, and two tablespoons of finely chopped cilantro into the turkey mixture. Stir to thoroughly combine, then turn the heat beneath the pan to medium-low and allow the turkey taco mixture to simmer for fifteen minutes (uncovered). Stir everything together again, and if there seems to be excess liquid, turn the heat underneath the pan to medium and cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove the pan from the heat. stuff.

Six flour tortillas arranged on a rimmed baking sheet with a layer of shredded cheese on top of each tortilla.

Six flour tortillas arranged on a rimmed baking sheet with a layer of cheese and ground turkey taco filling nestled onto one half of each tortilla.

4. Build the Tacos. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Spray a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray (or brush avocado oil over the baking sheet). Lay six fajita-sized flour tortillas onto the baking sheet, just barely overlapping the tortillas if necessary. Spread about 1/4 cup of shredded cheese across the surface of each tortilla. Spoon about 1/4 – 1/3 cup of the turkey black bean mixture onto one half of each tortilla.

A woman's hand folding a flour tortilla full of shredded cheese and a ground turkey taco meat in half.

Six tacos arranged on a rimmed baking sheet.

5. Bake the Tacos. Pop the baking sheet in the oven for 1-2 minutes until the cheese on the tortillas has melted. Carefully fold them in half, then brush the tops of the tortillas with avocado oil (or spray with cooking spray), and bake for another 10-12 minutes until the tortillas are golden brown and crispy.

Six crispy baked tacos arranged on a baking sheet.

A woman's hand holding a crispy taco above a baking sheet full of other crispy tacos.

6. Serve! Spoon the creamy avocado sauce into small bowls, and serve alongside the crispy baked tacos. Enjoy!

A woman's hand dipping a crispy baked turkey taco into a small bowl of avocado sauce. Four other tacos rest on the plate with the bowl of sauce, and a margarita is place near the plate.

When I tell you this is the best turkey taco recipe I’ve had, I mean it. It’s a great way to use ground turkey in tacos, but still have all of the texture and flavor of ground beef! I really think this is one of those “healthy-ish” recipes that the whole family will love, so feel free to double or triple the recipe if necessary. You can also throw some of your favorite taco toppings into the turkey taco meat if you like: chopped red onions, pico de gallo, or diced tomatoes would all be great! If you’re not feeling the avocado dipping sauce, fresh salsa or store-bought guacamole would be a fantastic dipping “sauce”, too.

If you’re trying to reduce your carb intake, you can definitely make these into lettuce wraps if you want. Just make the ground turkey filling, divide it between crunchy lettuce (like romaine), and top it with a little shredded cheese and the avocado sauce. The turkey taco meat is really good, so you can totally make that work.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

How to Store Leftovers

Store leftover ground turkey tacos in an airtight container for up to four days. Store the avocado sauce in a separate small container for up to three days. You can also store leftover turkey mixture separately from the tortillas, and build the tacos with the leftover turkey mixture just before baking them.

How to Reheat Crispy Ground Turkey Tacos

If you have an air fryer, air fry them at 400 F for 3-4 minutes until crispy. Or pop them back into a 400 F degree for 8-10 minutes until crispy. The high heat helps them crisp up!

More Small Batch Taco Recipes

I actually love using ground turkey in a variety of recipes, and am always looking for different ways to use eight ounces of turkey at a time. Because my recipes are small batch recipes, I only use half a pound of ground turkey when cooking. Here are a few other recipes that are perfect for using the leftover eight ounces of ground turkey if you buy a pound of it!

Four crispy tacos arranged on a plate with a small bowl of avocado sauce resting with them.

More Small Batch Ground Turkey Recipes

If you ever need to increase the amount you want to make in the recipe card, there is a little slider bar near the “servings” portion on the recipe card if you’re on a desktop, or if you’re on your phone, touch the number of servings on the recipe card (it will be a number and colored dark red). You can adjust the slider bar that way instead of doing the calculations on your own! 🙂

If you make these Crispy Baked Ground Turkey Tacos and love them, please leave a comment and / or star rating below! You can also share it on Instagram and tag me, or use the hashtag #aflavorjournal so I can see it! If you have any questions about the ingredients or how to make it, send me an email so I can help out.

xx Sara