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Turkey, Apples and Onions Hash (1-pan meal, Paleo, AIP, GAPS, Whole30)

Updated · 36 Comments

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Ground turkey, local apples in season and onions (that we even pulled from the ground ourselves this year!) come together to make a savory, sweet meal that brings pleasure to eaters of every age. Choose either a spoon or a fork; enjoy a 1-pan breakfast or dinner — this is simple food, and delicious! Turkey, Apples and Onions Hash is a Paleo, AIP, GAPS Diet and Whole30 meal!

breakfast hash one pan meal of turkey, apples and onions in cast iron skillet

 

Hash

What’s the history of hash? Everything about it resonates with me! I love easy and frugal meals, both savory and sweet, made with what’s on hand, chopped small — all comfort things, wise and regular. The idea of chopping food small is always delicious, whether in a hash or in a chopped salad; the food just feels different in our mouths, cozy and accessible.

It’s not surprising then that hash gets its name from the French word “hacher”, which means “to chop”. During and after World War 2, French and British cooks were short on meat, so they chopped it small and mixed it with potatoes, onions and spices.

That history feels ever-so-relevant in this day and age. While most of us don’t eat rations of meat, it can feel like it when you’re raising kids! and choosing the best meat you can find. Good quality meat is expensive and grain-free kids are HUNGRY often.

Mixing in onions and apples is a beautiful, nightshade-free alternative to potatoes, and fresh ginger and sage are yummy (plus healthy).

Of course hash is no longer frugal European fare; it’s served in high end restaurants the world over, because it’s simply lovable. (source)

white dish one pan meal filled with cooked apples, turkey and onions

Apples and Onions

I make this hash for my boys (9, 15 and my hubby!), and they LOVE it. The idea for apples and onions came from one of our favorite children’s books: Farmer Boy. If you haven’t read this yet, or have a little person you love, I highly recommend it as one of the best books ever written — truly, for child or adult. (Or here’s the whole set, one of our family treasures, tattered and well-loved from being read over and over again. This would make a wonderful gift.) The Farmer Boy book (and the whole series) contain a lot of great farm life history and some beautiful food-talk. The book is a biography, and the boy-hero of the tale has many favorite traditional foods, but his very favorite is his mother’s apples and onions. With one mention of that, many years ago, my family insisted I give it a try.

This version, with ground turkey, is an even bigger hit, perhaps because my boys can’t, it seems, put away enough meat! The dish is juicy, savory and sweet, and touched with subtle fresh ginger and sage. It’s simple, beautiful food for breakfast or dinner, depending on how your family rolls.

one pan meal of turkey, apples and onions

Turkey

Recently Trader Joe’s started carrying Organic Ground Turkey — yip! I was quite pleased. While not pasture-raised, I’m not always finicky about every husbandry minutiae, because I, too, am busy and on a tight budget. Right now, for us, poultry is always organic, but not always pasture-raised. I am glad for the convenience, affordability and variety that organic ground turkey provides.

We do have a local market that also carries Shelton’s ground turkey thigh meat. The smell of ground turkey thigh cooking is a lot like the smell of turkey roasting — delicious.

You can definitely sub the turkey with another meat if you stick with solely pasture-raised (good!!) or for other reasons. Personally, I’d vote next for pork, lamb or wild game, because they all go beautifully with apples.

Leftover Turkey after the holidays?

This recipe CAN beautifully be adapted to leftover turkey, too. It becomes a simpler recipe — just see the Recipe Notes below for details and instructions on that variation.

one pan cast iron skillet meal of ground turkey, apples and onions

Here’s the Hash! Enjoy!

Print Recipe
4.91 from 10 votes

Turkey, Apples and Onions Hash (for Breakfast or Dinner; a 1-pan meal) — Paleo, AIP, GAPS, Whole30

Choose either a spoon or a fork; enjoy a 1-pan breakfast or dinner — this is simple food, and delicious! Turkey, Apples and Onions Hash is a Paleo, AIP, GAPS Diet and Whole30 meal!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: aip, breakfast, dinner, hash, paleo
Servings: 3 servings (or 4 servings if a side dish is added or smaller appetites)
Calories: 415kcal
Author: Megan
Cost: $8

Equipment

  • frying pan or skillet

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground turkey preferably organic or pasture-raised
  • 2 apples cored and chopped
  • 1 large onion or 2 small, diced
  • 1 Tablespoon ginger root freshly grated
  • 10 leaves fresh sage sliced thinly, or ½ teaspoon dried sage
  • 1-¼ teaspoons sea salt
  • ¼ cup avocado oil or coconut oil

Instructions

  • Heat large cast iron skillet over high heat. When hot, add 2 tablespoons fat, then meat, then 1 teaspoon sea salt sprinkled on top.
  • (If using dried sage, add it now.) Cook meat, breaking it up in the pan until no pink remains, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove meat to a bowl, and set aside.
  • Add 1-½ tablespoons fat to hot pan, keeping heat on high. Add onions and remaining ¼ teaspoon sea salt. Sauté about 10 minutes until softened and beginning to brown in places. (Reduce heat to medium-high if pan is too hot and onions are darkening too fast.)
  • Add apples and remaining ½ tablespoon butter. Sauté 10 minutes more.
  • Return meat to pan. Add fresh ginger. Cook 2 more minutes to heat through.
  • Remove from heat. Add fresh sage. Serve.

Notes

Here's the cast iron skillet I recommend. It's a great price for a great size and everyday use.

Use Celtic Sea Salt (here) or Redmond Real Salt (here). Here's why.

Leftover roast turkey? Sure, you can do that...! That's the true spirit and origin of hash recipes:

Simply skip Instruction Steps 1 and 2 in the recipe above. Have ready 2 cups (or more) chopped leftover roast turkey, and start with Step 3 above. When it's time to add in the cooked turkey, Step 5, just add your chopped leftover turkey and one additional tablespoon fat (bacon fat or butter, for example), and proceed with recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 415kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 274mg | Potassium: 649mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 105IU | Vitamin C: 9.3mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1.4mg

one pan meal in a dish turkey apples and onions

Do you love the ease and comfort of hash for breakfast or dinner?

dish of turkey, apples and onions

Reader Interactions

Comments

  15. Anya@Prepare+Nourish says

    I love the idea of using leftover turkey for this breakfast hash. That’s a brilliant way to give new life to that yummy turkey.

    Reply

  19. meredith says

    I am always looking for inventive ways to use leftover turkey after Thanksgiving! This apple and onion hash sounds delicious. Am I crazy to think it would also make a fantastic warm salad served over some greens?

    Reply

  24. Cathy says

    I think Farmer Boy was the first chapter book my son ever read!

    It’s always great to find a good paleo breakfast recipe. This one will be handy to make for overnight guests the morning after the big day!

    Reply

  27. Heather says

    This looks delicious and will use up frozen left-over turkey from Thanksgiving–thank you, Megan for your delicious and healthful recipes–I so appreciate them!!! I may even add along some roasted winter squash or celeriac, too….

    Reply

  30. HappyHealingGut says

    5 stars
    This tasty recipe helped heal my gut when a misdiagnosis left me unable to keep anything down and caused me to dangerously lose 30lbs in 3 weeks…eventually put on strict Anti Inflammatory diet & was relieved to come across your post, which didn’t sound bland like many other AIP recipes I had tried. Normally don’t enjoy eating the same meal repeatedly, but your recipe became a daily, delicious staple while healing. It remains in rotation 2yrs later. Thanks for sharing it with us!

    Reply

    • Megan says

      I actually just use what I have on hand: usually Fuji. But I do think I used to use Granny Smith. I personally would use any apple I have. It’s not as finicky as using apples in apple pie.

      Reply

  32. Dorothy says

    5 stars
    I’ve made this several times with ground lamb, and maybe at least once with beef as well. I’m getting ready to prepare it with beef now. It makes for a quick and flavorful supper.

    Reply

    • Megan says

      Great to hear, Dorothy! Thank you for sharing your results!! You are the best! (I love this recipe, too, but I can’t remember if I’ve ever made it with lamb, so thanks for the great idea!)

      Reply
4.91 from 10 votes (8 ratings without comment)

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