Spiced Turkey Rice Bowls with Turmeric, White Sauce and Warm Pitas

Craving the vibrant flavors of your favorite street cart but don’t want to hunt down a truck? These spiced turkey rice bowls bring all the delicious layers right to your kitchen. Each bowl is packed with buttery turmeric rice, crunchy almonds and scallions, topped with shawarma-spiced ground turkey, fresh cucumber and not one but two sauces-a classic white sauce and a kick of hot sauce.

Warmed pita bread on the side makes it easy to scoop up every last bite. Whether you’re looking for a quick weeknight dinner or a fun lunch, this recipe delivers big, bold flavors in every spoonful.

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Ingredients

1 teaspoon TurmericView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup White RiceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit ScallionsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LemonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Super Select CucumberView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

3 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon MayonnaiseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Garlic PowderView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce Ground TurkeyView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Shawarma Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

3 unit Chicken Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 ounce Sliced AlmondsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit Whole Wheat PitasView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon Hot SauceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

3 tablespoon ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small pot over medium heat. Stir in ¼ teaspoon turmeric until combined. Add the rice, ¾ cup water and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. Keep covered off heat until ready to use.
2. Meanwhile, bring 2 tablespoons butter to room temperature. Quarter the lemon. Trim and thinly slice the scallions, separating white parts from green tops. Trim and finely dice half the cucumber (use all if making 4 servings).
3. In a small bowl, mix sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic powder and a squeeze of lemon juice. Add water 1 teaspoon at a time until the sauce is drizzling consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the scallion whites and cook until fragrant, 30-60 seconds. Add the ground turkey, shawarma spice blend, ½ teaspoon salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up the meat, until browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock concentrates and ¼ cup water. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until slightly thickened, 1-2 minutes.
5. Fluff the rice with a fork and stir in the sliced almonds and half the scallion greens. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toast the pitas, then spread with the softened butter. Cut each pita into 4 wedges.
6. Divide the rice among bowls. Top with the turkey and diced cucumber in separate sections; sprinkle the cucumber with a pinch of salt. Drizzle the turkey with hot sauce to taste. Drizzle the white sauce over the bowls and garnish with remaining scallion greens. Serve with pita wedges and lemon wedges on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different protein instead of ground turkey?

Yes, ground chicken, lamb or beef would work well with the shawarma spice blend. Adjust cooking time as needed.

How can I make this dish dairy-free?

Use a dairy-free butter substitute and replace the sour cream with a plant-based yogurt or dairy-free sour cream. The white sauce can be made with vegan mayonnaise.

Can I prepare the components ahead of time?

Absolutely! Cook the rice and turkey and make the white sauce up to 2 days in advance. Store separately in the fridge. Reheat and assemble just before serving.