Go Back
Overhead view of a skillet with browned turkey, zucchini half-moons, cherry tomatoes and white feta on a wooden board

Garlicky Turkey and Zucchini Skillet with Lemon Feta

Ground turkey, zucchini and cherry tomatoes cook in one skillet and finish with lemon and crumbled feta, for 38 g protein per serving in 35 minutes.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, American comfort, Tex-Mex, Italian-American
Calories: 497
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsp olive oil divided
  • 680 g ground turkey, 93% lean (1.5 lb)
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 3/4 tsp kosher salt divided, 1/2 tsp for the turkey and 1/4 tsp for the zucchini
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 yellow onion medium (150 g); diced
  • 600 g zucchini (3 medium); halved lengthwise, sliced into 1 cm half-moons
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 200 g cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 113 g block feta (4 oz); crumbled by hand
  • 2 tbsp fresh dill or parsley chopped

Method
 

  1. Halve the zucchini lengthwise and slice into 1 cm / 1/2-inch half-moons. Dice the onion, mince the garlic, halve the tomatoes and crumble the feta, keeping each in its own pile.
  2. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a 30 cm / 12-inch deep-sided skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the turkey, oregano, smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp salt and the pepper. Let it sit 2 minutes to brown, then break it up and cook 7 to 8 minutes more, until no pink remains and the thickest clump reads 165 F / 74 C. Move the turkey to a bowl and leave the pan on the heat.
  3. Add the remaining 1 tbsp oil, the onion, the zucchini and the remaining 1/4 tsp salt. Cook 5 to 6 minutes, stirring every minute, until the zucchini edges are browned and the slices still hold their shape. Stop there, because longer cooking turns the pan watery.
  4. Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and cook 2 minutes, until they just start to soften. Return the turkey to the pan with the lemon juice and stir for 1 minute until everything is hot.
  5. Take the skillet off the heat and scatter the feta and dill over the top. Serve straight from the pan while the feta is still soft at the edges.

Notes

  • Use a deep-sided skillet so the turkey and zucchini fit without spilling.
  • Spoon off fat only if more than 1 tbsp collects after browning the turkey.
  • Keep the lid off once the zucchini goes in to avoid a watery pan.
  • Crumble the feta over the top at the table so it stays in pieces.