Ground Turkey Picadillo Recipe
This ground turkey picadillo is a lighter twist on the Cuban classic, made with lean turkey, vegetables, tomato sauce, and olives. Quick, easy, and meal prep friendly.
Servings 4
Calories 273kcal
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion finely diced (yellow or white)
- 2 medium carrots small dice
- 1 celery rib small dice
- 3–4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 pound ground turkey use 93/7 or 85/15, not turkey breast
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup white wine or substitute chicken broth
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- ½ cup pitted Spanish olives
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Raise the heat to medium-high. Add the ground turkey, tomato paste, salt, oregano, cumin, and black pepper. Immediately stir and break up the meat with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Cook for 3–4 minutes, continuing to break up the meat, until lightly browned.
- Carefully add the white wine and cook for 1–2 minutes, letting most of the liquid evaporate.
- Lower the heat to medium-low. Stir in the tomato sauce, chicken broth, and olives.
- Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust the heat to keep it at a gentle simmer.
- Taste and add more salt if needed. As a reference we did not add extra to ours. Serve hot with white rice or your favorite side dish.
Notes
- Use lean ground turkey (93/7 or 85/15) for best results. Avoid turkey breast—it’s too dry.
- Break up the meat before cooking to avoid stringy texture.
- Simmering helps the flavors develop—don’t skip this step.
- Go easy on the salt at first. The olives, broth, and wine all add saltiness, so it’s best to taste at the end and adjust if needed.
- This recipe is great for meal prep. It keeps well in the fridge or freezer and reheats beautifully.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 273kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 1289mg | Potassium: 744mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 5549IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 2mg