Fragrant and deeply satisfying, this comforting Turkey Picadillo is a lighter version of the classic that is simple to make but does not compromise on flavour. A wonderful dish for a weeknight meal that the whole family will love!

Picadillo is a dish that takes me straight back to the sunny Caribbean island where I grew up, the Dominican Republic. A hearty, slightly saucy stew of minced meat with an assortment of contrasting savory ingredients, picadillo is much loved in tropical warm countries, but I also crave it on chilly nights.
Whether you are familiar with it or not, picadillo is a dish that has an unfailing ability to bring comfort. As soon as you smell picadillo’s distinctive fragrance, it creates anticipation for something delicious, soothing, and warming to come. Ground beef is traditional for picadillo but here we are using ground turkey for a lighter, leaner version that is just as delicious.
Best of all, picadillo is super easy to make and tastes even better the next day which is why it’s always been a top choice for our family weeknight dinners. We love it with fluffy white rice and sweet plantains on the side but there are endless ways you can enjoy picadillo and I list many of them below.
I hope you give this turkey picadillo a try and love it as much as we do!
What Is Picadillo?
The name of this dish “picadillo” is the diminutive form of the Spanish word picado which means finely chopped, or minced. The main ingredient in picadillo is ground, or minced meat, hence the name.
Though Cubans claim it as their own, Picadillo is a beloved dish in many Latin America countries. Every country has its own ingredient list for Picadillo, though I find these only vary slightly. The dish is also popular in the Philippines where it is called Giniling which means ground meat.
Ground beef is the traditional meat in Picadillo with ingredients like olives, capers, and raisins contributing a marvelous blend of complex textures and flavours. Tomato sauce and sometimes white wine, help give the dish a stew-like characteristic, though Picadillo shouldn’t be overly saucy.
Picadillo is an easy, family-style dish and barely a week went by without it popping up at our table when my kids were little. It is even better the next dayย when all the lovely flavors have had more time to meld.
Why Turkey Picadillo?
Years ago, I would have never dared swap out ground beef for leaner ground turkey when making Picadillo. In fact, I wrote a recipe for ground beef Picadillo a few years back and in that post I warn you that ground turkey will not make a great Picadillo. I was wrong.
We no longer eat a lot of beef but there was no way I could give up eating Picadillo. Turns out, ground turkey is a great option. It’s healthier, it has a fantastic ability to take on other flavours, and it’s inexpensive. It also cooks faster than beef making it a great option for a quick weeknight meal.
Aside from the meat, this turkey Picadillo is very similar to a traditional beef Picadillo with a few tweaks to give it more flavour. I now enjoy this turkey Picadillo just as much, maybe even more, than a beef Picadillo.
Ingredients And Notes
The ingredients in turkey Picadillo are very simple and straightforward. I highly recommend you follow the recipe as written the first time you make it, then tweak to your taste or to ingredients you have on hand.
- Ground turkey: Here we are using ground turkey to make our Picadillo. But ground chicken, ground pork, ground beef, or a mix of any ground meat, can also be used.
- Sofrito:ย Though it sounds fancy, generally speaking, sofrito is a simple sautรฉ mixture of onions and garlic with other ingredients used to enhance flavor in many Latin American dishes. For this Picadillo, red (orย yellow) onions, green pepper, and garlic make up the base of the sofrito. I know some people don’t love green peppers but in my opinion, the green pepper gives picadillo one of its most distinct flavors. If you truly can’t tolerate green peppers, try and use a mix of green pepper and red bell pepper.
- Tomato paste: For adding color and depth of flavour.
- Tomato sauce: Here you must use restraint. Picadillo is not supposed to be a tomato-heavy ragu. Just one cup of tomato sauce is plenty. You can also use crushed tomatoes or 2 small chopped fresh tomatoes.
- Dry white wine: Cuban versions of Picadillo often include white wine and I really like it. If you are avoiding alcohol feel free to leave it out.
- Spices: Cumin, oregano, and paprika are always added to my Picadillo. Cinnamon or all spice is sometimes added which gives it a bit of moorish touch.
- Bay leaves: For some lovely aroma.
- Pimento stuffed olives, capers, andย raisins: Many Spanish-inspired stews are finished with these three ingredients. Here, the combination adds a sweet-sour jolt that lends a unique flavor to the picadillo. The raisins provide a little sweetness to balance the briny flavours of the capers and olives. But feel free to leave them out if you are a raisin-hater. I like capers in myย Picadillo butย others in my household not so much. Feel free to omit them, if you wish. The green olives, however, are not optional. Their tangy-briny sharpness is one of the most critical flavors in aย Picadillo.
- Cilantro sprigs:ย Cilantro is not an ingredient used very often in Picadillo but I like the flavor so I add a bit. You can omit it altogether or use parsley if you prefer.
Variations And Substitutions
Here are a few other ingredients or variations you might enjoy with your Picadillo:
- Jalapeรฑos: Picadillo is not meant to be a spicy dish. That said, if you like a little heat, add 1 chopped jalapeรฑo.
- Diced potatoes: Particularly in Cuba, Picadillo often includes diced potatoes. Yes, even when served with rice. If you haven’t tried it, it’s quite a delicious combo and it helps stretch the dish to serve a crowd. I love it with potatoes but omit them when I’m in a hurry or I don’t want so many carbs in one sitting.
- Peas and carrots: In the Philippines, Picadillo often includes carrots and peas as well as potatoes. Sounds delish!
- Add black beans: Not traditional, but if you’d like to use this picadillo recipe to make tacos, go ahead and add a can of rinsed and drained black beans.
How To Make Turkey Picadillo
Loaded with flavour, this homey turkey picadillo recipe is surprisingly easy to throw together. Perfect for a quick weeknight meal, but special enough to serve to company. Here is the step-by-step to make it:
- Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat and cook the onions and green pepper until soft. Stir in half of the garlic along with all the spices and bay leaves. Cook until fragrant about 1 minute. Full disclosure: I forgot to divide the garlic in the photos – it’s not an essential step but reserving a bit of garlic to add at the end will give the Picadillo more flavour.
- Add the tomato paste and continue to cook until it darkens in colour, about 1 minute more.
- Add the turkey and cook, breaking it up into small chunks, until no longer pink.
- Stir in the tomato sauce, wine, and water: Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low then simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
- Remove the lid and stir in the olives, capers, raisins, cilantro sprigs, and remaining garlic. Cook for 10 more minutes, covered. Serve with accompaniment(s) of your choice and enjoy!
Great For Meal Prep
Turkey picadillo is even better the day after you make it which makes it a great dish to make for meal prep! I like to make a big batch than vary the sides each time I serve it. See below for a list of sides and/or uses for your delicious batch of picadillo.
What To Serve With Turkey Picadillo
My favourite way to serve Picadillo is with white rice, black beans, and a side of plantains. An avocado salad alongside is always a good idea. Here are a few more suggestions:
- Serve the Picadillo on top of white rice then top with a fried egg (so good!)
- With Spanish Rice and Beans
- As a baked potato stuffing
- With mashed potatoes, or roasted sweet potatoes, instead of rice
- On toasted bread or buns – sloppy Joe style
- As a filling for empandas
- With brown rice or cauliflower rice
- As a filling for wraps or tacos
Storing And Freezing Tips
Like any stewed meat, Picadillo is even better the next day so making a double batch for a few meals is always a good idea.
To store: Leftover turkey picadillo can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat until warmed through.
To freeze: Picadillo is great for freezing. Once completely cooled, transfer to an airtight container or freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight then reheat on the stovetop until warmed through. You may need to a few splashes of water if it seems dry.
More Ground Turkey Recipes To Try
- Turkey Taco Salad
- Harissa Turkey Chili
- Turkey Stuffed Peppers
- Indian-Spiced Shepherd’s Pie
- Turkey Stuffed Eggplant
If you give this Turkey Picadillo recipe a try, don’t forget to rate the recipe. Our readers find it so helpful to read your reviews, adaptations, and suggestions! Have a question? You will get a response within 24 hours.
Turkey Picadillo
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium red onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1 small green pepper, cored,seeded, and finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced and divided
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika (not smoked!)
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/4 pounds *ground turkey (see notes)
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- ยฝ cup dry white wine (optional)
- 1/4 cup water (or 1/2 cup if you omit the wine)
- ยฝ cup pimento-stuffed Spanish olives plus 2 tablespoons brine
- 2 Tablespoons capers (optional)
- 4 cilantro sprigs plus more for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet or saucepan with lid over medium-high heat. Add onion and green pepper and cook until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in half the garlic, tomato paste, oregano, cumin, paprika, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until tomato paste darkens, about 1 minute.
- Add the ground turkey, stirring and crumbling up the chunks, until browned and no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the tomato sauce, wine (if using), and water and bring the mixture to a low boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer the picadillo for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the bay leaves and add the olives with brine, capers (if using), remaining garlic, and cilantro sprigs. Cover and cook 5 minutes more, until the meat has absorbed most of the juices but is still saucy. Serve with white rice.
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