Turkey Picadillo (Picadillo de Pavo)

Picadillo de Pavo in a caldero next to a bowl of salad and a serving of turkey picadillo.

Turkey Picadillo (Picadillo de Pavo)

Course: dinner, Entree

Cuisine: Afro-Caribbean, Caribbean, Cuban, Latin American, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Puerto Rican/Hispanic

Keyword: ground meat, picadillo, turkey

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 25

Total Time: 45

Servings:

Calories: 132kcal

Author: Marta Rivera

Turkey Picadillo (Picadillo de Pavo) is a lean, boldly seasoned Puerto Rican classic made with ground turkey, sofrito, and tomato sauce. Perfect in pastelón, empanadillas, or served simply with rice and salad for a filling and fast weeknight meal.

Print Recipe

US Customary - Metric

Equipment

5-quart caldero or dutch oven (or larger)

Ingredients

2 pounds lean ground turkey (99% lean/ 1% fat)
1 tablespoon adobo
3 teaspoons sazón con culantro y achiote (or 2 packets)
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups yellow onion diced (about 1 medium yellow onion)
1 cup green bell pepper diced (about 1 medium bell pepper)
1/4 cup garlic minced (4 large cloves)
1/2 cup sofrito
2 8-ounce cans tomato sauce
10 manzanilla olives sliced (1/3 cup), optional
1 tablespoon capers optional
2 small bay leaves optional

Instructions

Brown and Season the Ground Turkey

Add the ground turkey to a cold, large skillet, dutch oven, or caldero.
Turn the stove on medium-high heat to coax the little bit of fat from the meat.
Use a wooden spoon or a potato masher to begin spreading out the ground turkey into a layer as it begins to cook.
Once the raw ground turkey is spread about the pot, sprinkle on the adobo, sazón, dried oregano leaves, and black pepper.
Continue to cook the ground turkey, as you continue breaking it up into crumbles while it browns.
After 8 minutes of cooking, the meat will be a tan color, and the juices in the pot will run clear. There will also be a small amount of grease at the bottom of the pot.

Add the Aromatics

Create a well in the center of the ground turkey and add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, and sofrito to it.
Stir these into the ground turkey and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring every minute and a half.
Once the veggies look translucent and glossy, add the tomato sauce, olives, capers, and bay leaves to the pot.
Stir the tomato sauce and the other ingredients into the turkey and turn the stove to low heat.

Simmer to Finish the Turkey Picadillo

Cover the pot and allow the turkey picadillo to simmer in the liquid for 10 minutes, stirring every 2-3 minutes.
Once the cooking time has elapsed, you can remove the bay leaves or leave them in.
Serve turkey picadillo over steamed white rice, quinoa, or a similar cooked grain.
Serving this picadillo with a garden salad and sliced avocado will make a complete meal.

Notes

Swaps and Substitutions

Use a white onion if you don't have yellow.
Replace the green bell pepper with a red one for a slightly sweeter turkey picadillo.
You can omit the olives and capers but the picadillo will lack that tangy flavor it's known for.
This picadillo can be made with ground beef, pork, or chicken, but you will need to drain the rendered fat after sautéing the veggies.
I recommend using 99%/1% ground turkey, but you can use less lean turkey. You may have to drain the rendered fat after sautéing the veggies if you're using a fattier ground turkey.
Add a pinch of powdered scotch bonnet or cayenne pepper for a spicier picadillo.

Tips and Techniques

For Cuban-style picadillo, add 1 teaspoon of ground cumin and 1 cup of parboiled diced potatoes.
Adding the spices to the ground turkey while still raw allows them to penetrate the meat better. Once it caramelizes in the pot, the seasoning is sealed in, making the picadillo more flavorful.
Use this turkey picadillo recipe in dishes like pastelón, rellenos de papa, or empanadillas (pastelillos or empanadas), or as a filling for tacos, topping for nachos, or served with fries (or chips) or tortillas.
If you don't want to freeze the leftovers, use this turkey picadillo for easy meal prep.

Optional Add-Ins

Stir these add-ins into the ground turkey with tomatoes and olives.

Stir in one 15-ounce can of rinsed and drained black beans (you can also use pinto beans)
Add one cup of small diced potatoes that have been simmered in water for 10 minutes to soften them
Stir in 1/2 cup of black raisins to add a sweet flavor to the picadillo

Storage Tips

Store leftover turkey picadillo in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To reheat picadillo, transfer the amount you want to eat to a microwave-safe bowl and heat it for 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until steaming hot. You can also reheat the picadillo in a skillet with a little water over medium heat until hot.

To Freeze Turkey Picadillo:

Transfer the cooled turkey picadillo to a freezer food storage bag.
Flatten the bag and seal it, then put it in the freezer.
Stand the bag up after freezing solid. This method takes up less space in the freezer.
When you're ready to eat it, thaw the turkey picadillo in the fridge overnight, then reheat it using the instructions above.

Nutrition