Cuban Turkey Picadillo with Olives, Golden Raisins, and Sweet Potato with Gentle Mojo

Name: Cuban Turkey Picadillo with Olives, Golden Raisins, and Sweet Potato with Gentle Mojo
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Cubana
Ingredients: 1.1 lb ground turkey; 1.5 lb sweet potato; 1 1/4 cups white onion; 1 cup green bell pepper; 6 cloves garlic; 1 cup crushed tomato; 1/2 cup green olives; 1/3 cup golden raisins; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1/3 cup orange juice; 3 tbsp lime juice; 3 tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp sweet paprika; 1 leaf bay leaf; 1 tbsp white wine vinegar; 1 1/4 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 1/4 cup fresh cilantro

An original Cuban-inspired recipe featuring ground turkey sautéed with classic criollo sofrito, green olives, golden raisins, and warm spices, served with roasted sweet potato and finished with a gentle garlic, lime, and oregano mojo.

20 minPrep

40 minCook

60 minTotal

4Servings

Gluten-FreeDairy-FreeHigh Protein

Ingredients

Adjust servings

500 g ground turkey (preferiblemente muslo or mezcla magra)
700 g sweet potato (pelado and cut diced medium)
180 g white onion (chopped diced small, divided)
120 g green bell pepper (chopped diced small)
18 g garlic (chopped, divided)
240 ml crushed tomato (without sugar added)
70 g green olives (boneless and sliced)
45 g golden raisins (whole)
30 g tomato paste (for dar profundidad)
80 ml orange juice (natural)
45 ml lime juice (divided)
45 ml olive oil (divided)
3 g ground cumin
2 g dried oregano (divided)
2 g sweet paprika
1 unit bay leaf
15 ml white wine vinegar (for the mojo suave)
8 g salt (or to taste, divided)
2 g black pepper (or to taste, divided)
12 g fresh cilantro (chopped for terminar)

Nutrition facts

per serving

412 kcal

Calories

30.5 g

Protein

33.8 g

Carbs

17.4 g

Fat

5.3 g

Fiber

28.5 g

Net carbs

Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.

Allergens

Sulfites

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 220°C / 425°F. Place the sweet potato on a baking tray and toss it with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, turning halfway through, until tender and browned at the edges.
2
While the sweet potato roasts, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add half of the onion, the green bell pepper, and half of the garlic. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the vegetables are soft and fragrant.
3
Add the ground turkey to the skillet and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon, until no longer pink. Season with the ground cumin, sweet paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
4
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Then add the crushed tomato, orange juice, 1 tablespoon of the lime juice, the green olives, golden raisins, and the bay leaf. Cook over medium-low heat for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly and the picadillo is juicy.
5
For the gentle mojo, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small skillet or saucepan over low heat. Add the remaining onion and remaining garlic; cook for 2 to 3 minutes without browning. Add the white wine vinegar, the remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of black pepper. Cook 1 minute more and remove from the heat.
6
Remove the bay leaf from the picadillo and adjust the salt and pepper if needed. Stir in half of the chopped fresh cilantro.
7
Serve the hot picadillo alongside the roasted sweet potato. Spoon the gentle mojo over the sweet potato and finish the whole dish with the remaining fresh cilantro.
8
If you want to keep the sweet potato warm while finishing the picadillo, lower the oven to 95°C / 200°F for a few minutes, watching carefully so it does not dry out.

Chef tips

For deeper flavor, let the picadillo rest for 5 minutes before serving. Cut the sweet potato into even-sized cubes so it roasts evenly. If you prefer a juicier texture, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water at the end of the picadillo cooking time.

Substitutions

You can substitute ground turkey with ground chicken. Golden raisins can be replaced with dark raisins, and cilantro with fresh parsley for a milder profile. If you do not have sweet potato, use firm cubed squash and adjust the roasting time.

What I used to make it

Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.

Illustrative image
Ninja Professional BL610 Blender
Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Easy-to-wash jar
- Check the power and jar size
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Illustrative image
Cosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
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Illustrative image
TempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
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