Creamy Korean Turkey Rice (Print-Friendly)

One-pan dish blending turkey, Korean spices, rice, and jammy eggs for easy weeknight meals.

# What You'll Need:

→ Protein

01 - 1 pound ground turkey

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

02 - 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 inch piece fresh ginger, grated
05 - 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
06 - 1 cup baby spinach, roughly chopped

→ Sauce

07 - 2 tablespoons gochujang
08 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
09 - 1 tablespoon honey
10 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
11 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
12 - 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
13 - 1/4 cup heavy cream or coconut cream

→ Rice & Toppings

14 - 3 cups cooked white rice, preferably day-old
15 - 4 large eggs
16 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
17 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

→ Optional

18 - Kimchi for serving

# How To Make It:

01 - Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add sesame oil, then sauté onion, garlic, and ginger for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant and softened.
02 - Add ground turkey and cook, breaking it up with a spatula, until browned and cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes.
03 - Stir in carrots and cook for another 2 minutes.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together gochujang, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, and broth. Pour sauce into skillet and stir to coat meat and vegetables.
05 - Reduce heat to low; add spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 minute.
06 - Stir in heavy cream and cooked rice until everything is well combined and creamy. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to heat through.
07 - Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Gently add eggs and simmer for 7 minutes for jammy yolks. Transfer eggs to ice water, peel, and halve.
08 - Serve skillet mixture in bowls, topped with halved jammy eggs, green onions, and sesame seeds. Add kimchi on the side if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's genuinely a one-pan situation, which means less cleanup after a long day and more time actually enjoying dinner.
  • The sweet and spicy Korean sauce transforms simple ground turkey into something that tastes way more involved than it actually is.
  • That runny egg yolk situation is the kind of unexpected luxury that makes weeknight dinners feel like you're treating yourself.
02 -
  • Day-old rice is genuinely non-negotiable here; fresh rice absorbs the sauce and becomes gummy instead of staying as distinct grains folded throughout.
  • The jammy egg is worth getting exactly right because an undercooked yolk is unpleasant and an overcooked one defeats the entire purpose—seven minutes is the sweet spot.
  • Gochujang quality matters, and if yours is old or has been sitting in your pantry for two years, it won't have the same vibrant kick that makes this dish come alive.
03 -
  • Don't crowd the skillet when browning the turkey; give the meat space to develop color instead of steaming in its own moisture.
  • Taste the sauce before adding the rice and cream—this is your last chance to adjust the spice and salt level, and it makes a genuine difference.
  • Have your rice cooked and your eggs ready before you start cooking the skillet components, because everything happens quickly once you begin.
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