Portions: 4 portions Calories: 200kcal |
Are you looking for a simple, inexpensive, and very light main course? Well, here is this turkey picadillo recipe, a very interesting option for weeknight dinners. With a few substitutions, the result is a healthy and tasty dish that is just as good as the traditional recipe.
By - Revised . Original Oct 13, 2025.
Ground Turkey Picadillo [Video+Recipe].
Why we ❤️ it
- Ground turkey makes this dish much lighter than traditional ground beef picadillo or ground pork picadillo.
- I've substituted some vegetables to lower the carbohydrate content, but with the same or better amount of nutrients.
- It's an excellent dish to freeze and store, so you can prepare it in advance.
Ground Turkey Picadillo [Video+Recipe]
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Utensils and tools
Ingredients
- ½ pound ground turkey, [0.7 kg]
- 1⅓ teaspoons salt, or to taste
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ tablespoon sweet paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 1 large carrot, large, (wash, peel, and dice)
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- ¾ cup tomato sauce
- ½ cup pitted green olives
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 large zucchini, [0.35 kg] (wash, peel, and cut into cubes)
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, or parsley
Video
Preparation
1. Browning turkey meat
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat.Add the ground turkey and cook, stirring, until all the liquid has evaporated and the meat is lightly browned.
2. Seasoning
- Season with 1 teaspoon of salt, add the bay leaf and paprika, and stir.Add the onion, carrot, and garlic, and cook, stirring, until heated through and the onion begins to turn translucent.
3. Adding vegetables
- Add the olives, red pepper, and tomato. Stir to combine.Add the tomato sauce and broth, and mix well. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover with a lid. Cook until the carrots are tender.Add the zucchini. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.Season with salt to taste.
4. Serving
Remove from heat. Add the cilantro and mix. Discard the bay leaf.Serve hot.
Top tips
- With chicken: You can use ground chicken instead of ground turkey and follow the same instructions.
- Storing leftovers: Refrigerate and serve the next day. You can freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to one month.
- Other vegetables: You can add other vegetables, such as green peas or canned sweet corn.
You can make a turkey picadillo with potatoes instead of zucchini. In that case, add the potatoes when you add the carrots.
Serving suggestions
Serve this picadillo with Brown rice, Spring rice, or White rice.
You can use it as a filling in a potato pie with meat, with tortillas, in tacos, or empanadas.
I love Fried plantains with picadillo, and some ripe plantains or Fried sweet potato go very well if you serve it with rice.
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Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutrition information.
I have high cholesterol and my doctor advised to swtich to poultry. I found this recip eon pinterest and tried it. This picadillo was a bit dry, but I understand that turkey meat is leaner so there's nothing you can do about that. I added potato and it was tasty… Read more »