Turkey Dog Food is an easy homemade dog food recipe made with ground turkey, brown rice, spinach, carrots, zucchini, and peas. Everything is cooked until tender and combined into a simple meal you can portion for your dog.
Making dog food at home gives me control over exactly what goes into the bowl. This recipe uses familiar ingredients and makes a large batch, so I can portion it out and keep extras ready in the refrigerator or freezer.
Note: If you plan to feed homemade dog food as your dog’s primary diet, talk with your veterinarian about your dog’s individual nutritional needs and whether supplements or adjustments are needed.
Why I Love Turkey Dog Food
Ingredient Notes
- Brown Rice: Cook the brown rice until tender before combining it with the turkey and vegetables.
- Water or Bone Broth: Either can be used to cook the rice. If using bone broth for dogs, choose one that contains no onion, garlic, or added seasonings that aren’t appropriate for dogs.
- Olive Oil: A small amount is used for cooking the ground turkey.
- Ground Turkey: Use plain, unseasoned ground turkey and cook it thoroughly before combining it with the other ingredients.
- Spinach: Chop the fresh spinach into small pieces so it mixes evenly throughout the food.
- Carrots: Shredding the carrots helps them cook quickly and makes them easy to mix throughout the turkey and rice.
- Zucchini: Shred the zucchini so it cooks evenly with the other vegetables.
- Frozen Peas: There’s no need to thaw them first; they can cook right along with the vegetables.
Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below
How To Make Turkey Dog Food
- Add the brown rice and water to a medium pot. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the rice absorbs all the water, about 20-25 minutes. Set aside.
- While the rice cooks, heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until it’s fully browned and no longer pink.
- Reduce the heat to medium, stir in the spinach, shredded carrots, zucchini, and frozen peas. Cook for about 5 minutes until the vegetables are tender and softened.
- Once the vegetables are cooked, remove the pan from heat. Mix thoroughly in the cooked brown rice to evenly distribute the meat and veggies.
- Allow the mixture to cool completely before serving or storing to ensure it’s a safe temperature for your dog to eat.
- Portion out the food according to your dog’s usual serving size. For accuracy, you can use measuring cups or a food scale.
- Divide leftovers into small, airtight containers or resealable freezer-safe bags for storage.
Frequently Asked Questions
More Homemade Dog Food
Turkey Dog Food
Turkey Dog Food is an easy homemade recipe made with ground turkey, brown rice, spinach, carrots, zucchini, and peas. It makes a large batch that can be portioned and refrigerated or frozen for later.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups brown rice
- 3 cups water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 pounds ground turkey
- 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
- 2 shredded carrots (about 1 cup)
- 1 shredded zucchini (about 1 cup)
- 1 cup frozen peas
Instructions
- Add the brown rice and water to a medium pot. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the rice absorbs all the water, about 20-25 minutes. Set aside.
- While the rice cooks, heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until it’s fully browned and no longer pink.
- Reduce the heat to medium, and stir in the spinach, shredded carrots, shredded zucchini, and frozen peas. Cook for about 5 minutes until the vegetables are tender and softened.
- Once the vegetables are cooked, remove the pan from heat. Stir in the cooked brown rice, mixing thoroughly to distribute the meat and veggies evenly.
- Allow the mixture to cool completely before serving or storing to ensure it’s a safe temperature for your dog to eat.
- Portion out the food according to your dog’s usual serving size. You can use measuring cups or a food scale for accuracy.
- Divide leftovers into small, airtight containers or resealable freezer-safe bags for storage.
Notes
Use plain, unseasoned ground turkey and water or dog-safe bone broth with no onion, garlic, or added seasonings. Let the food cool completely before portioning and storing. Refrigerate in airtight containers for 3–4 days or freeze individual portions for longer storage.
Important: If you plan to use homemade food as your dog’s primary diet, talk with your veterinarian or a board-certified veterinary nutritionist to make sure your dog’s individual nutritional needs are being met.
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