This Cheesy Southwest Ground Turkey & Sweet Potato Casserole is the ultimate comfort food! Loaded with savory black beans and tender sweet potatoes, it’s a filling meal that’s perfect for family dinner. It’s delicious served over fluffy rice (taco bowls!) or tucked into warm tortillas!
Cheesy Southwest Ground Turkey & Sweet Potato Casserole
If you are looking for a dinner that the whole family will actually agree on, this Cheesy Southwest Ground Turkey and Sweet Potato Casserole is it.
I’ll be honest, we aren’t exactly a “sweet potato family” over here, but this dish totally changed the game. I diced the potatoes extra small and let them simmer with the salsa and black beans, and it worked like a charm. My husband actually thought the sweet potatoes were just more diced peppers! He didn’t even notice they were in there, and let’s just say there wasn’t a single scoop left in the pan by the time we were done.
This has quickly become one of our favorite ground turkey recipes, right up there with my Ground Turkey and Rice Casserole. It’s just so simple to throw together on a busy weeknight when the girls are running around. We love serving a big scoop of this over fluffy white rice for taco bowls, but it’s also incredible tucked into warm tortillas like a taco. Plus, if you’re lucky enough to have any leftovers, they heat up perfectly for lunch the next day. It’s a filling, cheesy meal that hits the spot every single time.
Tips for the Best Turkey & Sweet Potato Casserole
- Size Matters for Sweet Potatoes: Make sure you dice your sweet potatoes into small, even pieces. If the chunks are too big, they’ll take forever to soften and won’t fit nicely on a spoon or inside a taco. Keeping them small ensures they get tender during that quick 5-minute simmer and the final bake.
- Pick Your Pepper: I personally love the pop of color you get from a red or yellow bell pepper, but don’t stress if you only have a green one in the fridge. Use what you have! It’ll still add that great crunch and flavor to the turkey mix.
- The Salsa Shortcut: You can use your favorite jar of mild or medium salsa here. If you find your pantry is looking a little bare, I’ve even used cans of diced tomatoes to make homemade salsa.
- Canned Beans: I’m a firm believer in not rinsing the black beans for most recipes. That little bit of liquid from the can adds extra flavor and helps create a bit of a “sauce” with the salsa so the casserole doesn’t dry out in the oven.
How to Make Southwest Turkey and Sweet Potato Casserole
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and add the ground turkey, diced onion, and peppers. Cook until the turkey is fully browned and the vegetables have softened.
Stir in the minced garlic, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper, cooking just until fragrant.
Add the diced sweet potatoes, black beans, and salsa to the skillet. Stir everything together well, cover, and let it simmer for a few minutes to give the sweet potatoes a head start on getting tender.
Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in a portion of the shredded cheese.
Transfer the mixture into a prepared baking dish and press it down into an even layer.
Cover the dish with foil and bake.
Remove the foil, sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top, and return it to the oven uncovered until the cheese is completely melted and bubbly.
Serve warm over rice or inside tortillas with your favorite toppings like cilantro or green onions.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- In the Fridge: Store any leftover casserole in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days. This is one of those meals that actually tastes even better the next day once the spices have really settled into the sweet potatoes!
- In the Freezer: You can freeze this! Let it cool completely, then store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. To reheat, just let it thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Reheating: For the best results, reheat individual portions in the microwave for 1–2 minutes. If you have a larger amount left, you can pop it back in the oven, covered with foil, until it’s warmed through and the cheese is melty again.
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Cheesy Southwest Ground Turkey & Sweet Potato Casserole
PrintIngredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1/2 cup onions finely diced
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper (or yellow pepper) diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 1/2 cups sweet potatoes peeled and diced small (see notes)
- (1) 15 ounce can black beans drained (i dont rinse them!)
- 1 cup salsa (go with your favorite – mild or medium)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese divided
- optional: cilantro or green onions for topping chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey, onion, and peppers. Cook, breaking the meat apart, until the turkey is fully browned and veggies are soft (about 5–7 minutes).
- Add the garlic, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the diced sweet potatoes, black beans, and the salsa. Stir well.
- Cover the skillet and let it simmer on low for 5 minutes. This jump-starts the sweet potatoes so they are tender later.
- Remove from heat. Stir in 1/2 cup of the cheese.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole dish. Press it down slightly.
- Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove foil, sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheese on top, and bake uncovered for another 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve with warm tortillas or serve over rice with a dollop of sour cream or guacamole. For extra garnish, add fresh cilantro or green onions on top.
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