Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the ground turkey and brown, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon; season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste.
While the turkey cooks, prepare the sofrito: finely chop the onion, garlic, red bell pepper, tomato, and cilantro (use a mini chopper if desired).
When the turkey is mostly browned, reduce the heat to low and add the sofrito to the pan; stir to combine and cook briefly until the vegetables soften, about 2–3 minutes.
Add the pitted green Spanish olives and about 2 tablespoons of the olive brine, then stir in the ground cumin and bay leaves; taste and add more salt if needed.
Pour in the tomato sauce and 1/4 cup water, stir to combine, then cover and reduce heat to low.
Simmer gently, covered, for 15–20 minutes to meld the flavors. Remove bay leaves before serving and stir in optional chopped cilantro.
