How much protein is in ground turkey?
Ground turkey has 23.3 g of protein per 3 oz cooked (85 g) — that's 27.4 g per 100 g, or about 7.8 g per ounce. One 3 oz cooked is roughly 47% of the 50 g Daily Value for protein.
USDA FoodData Central · cooked · FDC 171506
Protein & macros by portion
| Portion | Protein | Calories | Fat | Carbs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 oz cooked (85 g) | 23.3 g | 173 | 8.8 g | 0 g |
| 100 g | 27.4 g | 203 | 10.4 g | 0 g |
| 1 oz (28 g) | 7.8 g | 58 | 2.9 g | 0 g |
Values computed from USDA per-100 g data (FDC 171506, SR Legacy). cooked.
A lean protein you can build dinner around
Ground turkey is a quiet staple for a reason: it delivers real protein in the portions people actually eat. A standard 3 oz cooked serving (85 g) carries about 23.3 grams of protein for roughly 173 calories, and a quarter-pound patty cooks down to around 26 grams. At 27.4 g of protein per 100 g, it sits in the same league as chicken and lean beef, with a protein-per-calorie ratio strong enough to make it a go-to for anyone watching calories and protein at the same time. It’s also a complete protein — all nine essential amino acids in usable amounts — so it stands on its own with nothing to pair it with.
What makes ground turkey genuinely useful is how it behaves in the kitchen. It’s lighter and milder than most ground beef, which means it slots into burgers, meatballs, tacos, chili, and pasta sauces without taking over the dish. Nutritionally it brings more than protein: solid B vitamins (B6, niacin, B12) and selenium, an antioxidant mineral that’s easy to under-eat.
Why the package matters more than the average
The one honest catch with ground turkey is that “ground turkey” isn’t a single thing. The USDA figure here is a cooked average, but what you buy at the store is sold by fat ratio, and that ratio changes the numbers meaningfully. An 85/15 blend runs noticeably fattier — more calories and more fat than this average — because it includes dark meat and skin. A 93/7 blend is leaner and closer to the reference, and a 99/1 ground turkey breast is leaner still, trading some flavor and moisture for the lowest fat and calories of the bunch. The protein lands in a similar range across them, but the fat and calorie totals don’t, so the label on the package tells you what you’re actually getting in a way no generic figure can.
If you’re choosing ground turkey mainly to manage calories, reach for 93/7 or 99/1; if you want it juicier and don’t mind the extra fat, 85/15 cooks up more forgiving. Either way it’s an easy, affordable way to hit a protein target. For how it stacks up against the obvious alternatives, see our pages on chicken breast and ground beef — and the graded packaged turkey options below are where to start if you’d rather skip the guesswork.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much protein is in ground turkey?
About 23.3 g of protein in a 3 oz cooked serving (85 g), which is 27.4 g per 100 g, or roughly 7.8 g per ounce (USDA FDC 171506, turkey, ground, cooked). That 3 oz portion runs about 173 calories, giving it a strong protein-per-calorie ratio.
Is ground turkey a good protein source?
Yes — it's a lean protein workhorse. A typical 3 oz cooked serving delivers ~23.3 g, and unlike foods that only look good on the per-100g line, ground turkey holds up in real portions: a quarter-pound patty cooks down to roughly 26 g. It's a complete protein with solid B vitamins and a good protein-per-calorie ratio, which is why it's a staple for people managing both protein intake and calories.
How much protein is in a pound of ground turkey?
A raw pound (454 g) yields a bit less cooked once it loses water and fat, but the cooked product runs about 27.4 g of protein per 100 g — so a pound of cooked ground turkey lands near 90 g of protein total, typically split across three or four servings. The exact yield depends on the blend and how much fat renders out during cooking.
Is ground turkey a complete protein?
Yes. Like all poultry, ground turkey contains all nine essential amino acids in usable amounts, so it counts as a complete, high-quality protein on its own with no need to combine it with other foods. It's a reliable everyday source for muscle maintenance and recovery.
What is ground turkey good for nutritionally?
It's a lean, affordable, complete protein that's lighter and milder than most ground beef, which makes it easy to swap into burgers, meatballs, tacos, and pasta sauces. It carries good B vitamins (B6, niacin, B12) and selenium, an antioxidant mineral. The one thing to watch is the blend: 85/15 turkey has noticeably more fat and calories than this USDA cooked average, while 93/7 and 99/1 breast blends are leaner — the package label, not a generic figure, tells you what you're actually buying.
When was this data last verified?
2026-06-03, against USDA FoodData Central FDC 171506 (turkey, ground, cooked; SR Legacy). We re-verify reference pages periodically and update when USDA revises its underlying data.
Whole-food values are USDA reference data and are not assigned a Labelgrade — that score is for branded packaged products, where ingredients and added sugar/sodium actually vary. See our methodology and how much protein you need per day.