Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics & Base
- 15 ml olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 3 garlic, minced
Protein
- 500 g ground turkey, raw
Seasonings
- 5 g ground cumin
- 3 g dried oregano
- 4 g fine sea salt
- 2 g black pepper
Sauce & Mix-ins
- 400 g canned crushed tomatoes
- 50 g green olives, pitted and halved
- 20 g capers, drained
- 40 g raisins
- 15 ml white wine vinegar
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 342 kcal
- Protein
- 28 g
- Carbohydrates
- 25 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 15 g
- Sodium
- 987 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 86 mg
- Potassium
- 888 mg
- Calcium
- 118 mg
- Iron
- 4.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 72 mg
- Phosphorus
- 326 mg
- Zinc
- 3.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 110 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 63 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.5 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 12 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.16 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.28 mg
- Niacin
- 9.1 mg
- Folate
- 37 mcg
- Water
- 180 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Dice the yellow onion and red bell pepper. Mince the garlic cloves and halve the pitted green olives. Keep all prep separated.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and bell pepper, and cook until softened and translucent.
Add the ground turkey and minced garlic to the skillet. Cook, breaking the meat apart continuously with a wooden spoon, until browned and thoroughly cooked. Ensure the turkey reaches a safe internal temperature of 74°C/165°F.
Sprinkle the ground cumin, dried oregano, fine sea salt, and black pepper over the turkey mixture. Stir vigorously to coat the meat and cook until highly fragrant.
Pour in the crushed tomatoes, green olives, capers, and raisins. Stir well to combine. Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet, and simmer gently to allow the contrasting flavors to meld.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the optional white wine vinegar if using. Taste the mixture and adjust salt or pepper as necessary before serving hot.
Chef's Notes
- Using dark meat ground turkey (typically labeled as 93 percent lean) will provide significantly better flavor and moisture retention than ultra-lean breast meat.
- The contrast between the briny capers, salty olives, and sweet raisins is the signature flavor profile of this style of dish, known as agridulce (sour-sweet).
- A final splash of white wine vinegar or lime juice off the heat cuts through the rich tomato and meat base, brightening the deep cumin notes.
- Ensure your skillet is fully preheated before adding the turkey to prevent the meat from steaming in its own juices.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container. Flavors will deepen after a day.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze in individual portions in airtight containers or heavy-duty freezer bags.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water, or microwave in 60-second intervals until steaming.
Troubleshooting
The hash is too dry and crumbly
Cause: Lean turkey breast was used or the mixture simmered uncovered too long
Fix: Stir in 50ml of chicken broth or water and heat through to restore moisture
Prevention: Use 93 percent lean turkey instead of 99 percent, and keep the pan covered while simmering
The dish tastes too sweet
Cause: Over-accumulation of raisins without enough balancing acidity
Fix: Add an extra 10ml of white wine vinegar or a splash of brine from the capers jar
Prevention: Measure raisins accurately and do not omit the capers or olives
Cultural Context
This dish is heavily inspired by Picadillo, a traditional comfort food foundational to many Latin American, Spanish, and Caribbean cuisines. While authentic versions rely on ground beef or pork, utilizing ground turkey creates a lighter, modern variation. The distinctive combination of raisins, olives, and capers reflects the Moorish and Spanish historical influences that shaped South American culinary traditions.
