Ground Turkey Tacos

These ground turkey tacos take a completely different approach from the usual seasoning packet. The filling slow-cooks for 4 to 5 hours with mushrooms, tomato paste, white cooking wine, and a cheesecloth bundle of pickling spices and whole peppercorns that infuse the meat with a warm, complex flavor.

Brown the turkey and onion first to build a flavor base, then everything goes into the slow cooker. The long, low cook turns the lean turkey into something tender and deeply seasoned as the wine, tomato paste, and spice sachet work together.

The real surprise is the topping: a homemade cream sauce made from a roux base with yogurt, egg, and a dash of nutmeg stirred in. It’s tangy and rich, closer to a European bechamel than a typical taco condiment, and it complements the earthy turkey filling beautifully.

Spoon the filling into taco shells and drizzle the cream sauce over the top.

Pro Tips

• Tie the pickling spices in cheesecloth or a tea ball for easy removal
• Temper the egg-yogurt mixture by stirring a spoonful of the hot sauce into it first to prevent curdling
• Cook the cream sauce on low heat and stir constantly, it curdles if it boils
• Remove the spice bag before serving or the filling gets too heavily spiced

Variations

• Use fresh sliced mushrooms instead of canned for better texture
• Skip the cream sauce and top with salsa and sour cream for a simpler finish
• Serve the filling over rice instead of in taco shells