Ground beef vs turkey: which has more protein?
Full comparison · Protein · Calories · Healthier · Iron · Weight loss
Turkey has more protein: 25.2 g per 3.5 oz (100 g) of ground beef vs 29.1 g in turkey (15% more).
USDA FoodData Central.
| Ground beef | Turkey | |
|---|---|---|
| Per 3.5 oz (100 g) | 25.2 g | 29.1 g |
| Per serving | 28.6 g in 4 oz (113 g) | 33 g in 4 oz (113 g) |
| Per 100 calories | 12.4 g | 18.3 g |
| To get 30 g of protein | 4.2 oz (119 g), about 1.0 × 4 oz | 3.6 oz (103 g), about 0.9 × 4 oz |
Protein per calorie
Per 100 calories, ground beef gives 12.4 g of protein and turkey 18.3 g. This is the number that matters when you are fitting protein into a calorie budget, and it can rank foods differently from grams per 3.5 oz (100 g).
What the numbers don't tell you
The ground beef on this page, 90% lean and pan-broiled, has 28.5 g of protein in 4 oz (113 g). The turkey in the table is roasted whole bird. Separate USDA samples of 93% lean ground turkey, pan-broiled, held 27.1 g per 3.5 oz (100 g), about 30.6 g in 4 oz.
Raw 90% lean beef samples averaged 12.85 g of fat per 3.5 oz (100 g) and reached 14.75 g. Raw 93% lean turkey averaged 9.6 g and ran from 7.75 to 14.58 g. Beef brings more iron, 2.13 mg against 1.09 mg per 3.5 oz (100 g) raw, and more zinc, 4.19 mg against 2.95 mg.
FSIS says to cook ground beef to 160 °F and ground poultry to 165 °F, measured with a food thermometer, since color does not show safety. Federal testing found Salmonella in 15.9% of ground turkey samples from 2016 to 2022. A 2010 retail survey found it in under 1% of ground beef packages, with different methods. For ground beef, FSIS warns that toxin-producing E. coli may cause hemolytic uremic syndrome, particularly in young children. Children under 5, pregnant women, people 65 or older and people with weakened immunity are most at risk from contaminated food.
Choose turkey for a little less fat and a bit more protein, beef for iron and zinc. Use the thermometer either way.
Evidence behind this note
- Level E Pan-broiling concentrates 93% lean ground turkey to about 27 g protein per 3.5 oz (100 g), up from 17 g raw, as water cooks off. USDA FoodData Central Foundation Foods, release 2026-04-30, Turkey, ground, 93% lean, 7% fat, pan-broiled
- Level E In eight USDA Foundation samples labeled 90 percent lean, raw ground beef averaged 12.85 g fat per 3.5 oz (100 g) and ranged up to 14.75 g, while 80/20 samples ranged from 15.4 to 26.5 g. USDA FoodData Central, Foundation Foods, FDC 2514743 and 80/20 raw, release 2026-04-30
- Level E Raw 93% lean ground turkey measured 9.6 g fat per 3.5 oz (100 g) on average, ranging 7.75-14.58 g across 8 samples. USDA FoodData Central Foundation Foods, release 2026-04-30, FDC 2514747 Turkey, ground, 93% lean/7% fat, raw
- Level E Raw 90 percent lean ground beef in USDA Foundation samples held about 4.2 mg zinc and 2.1 mg iron per 3.5 oz (100 g), and 80/20 held 3.8 mg zinc and 2.0 mg iron. USDA FoodData Central, Foundation Foods, FDC 2514743 and 80/20 raw, release 2026-04-30
- Level E USDA FSIS advises cooking ground turkey and other ground poultry to 165 °F (74 °C), measured with a food thermometer throughout the patty, because color does not show that the meat is safe. USDA FSIS, Doneness Versus Safety
- Level C A 2024 study of federal verification data put average Salmonella prevalence in ground turkey at 15.9% for 2016-2022. J Food Prot, 2024
- Level C In 2,885 US retail beef samples bought in 2010, Salmonella turned up in under 1 percent of ground beef packages and Campylobacter in 7.35 percent of ground beef. J Food Prot, 2012
- Level E FSIS says the toxin made by STEC bacteria such as E. coli O157:H7 may cause hemolytic uremic syndrome, particularly in young children, and names children under 5, pregnant women, people 65 or older and people with weakened immune systems as most at risk from contaminated food. Ground Beef and Food Safety, USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service
Written from the studies and agency guidance we hold for both foods, reviewed by the Bioma editorial system. How we verify.
Keep exploring
Read more about these foods
- Ground beef: the lean label is a range, the risk is in the handling
- Turkey: the sleep story, and the vitamins the pot takes
Rankings and guides
- Which foods are highest in protein?
- Which foods give the most protein for the fewest calories?
- How much protein do you need per day?
- Protein: what it does and how much you need
- Protein: top food sources and Daily Value
- Ground beef: full nutrition facts
More comparisons
Where the numbers come from
- Ground beef: USDA FoodData Central, Beef, ground, 90% lean meat / 10% fat, patty, cooked, pan-broiled, FDC ID 171793 · full profile · all forms of ground beef
- Turkey: USDA FoodData Central, Turkey, whole, meat only, cooked, roasted, FDC ID 171481 · all forms of turkey
Each food is one USDA entry, chosen as it is usually eaten. Other cuts, brands and preparations differ, and the links show them. % DV uses FDA Daily Values for adults. How we verify.