If you were to ask me what weeknight recipe I had the most often as a kid, the answer would be this Cuban picadillo recipe!

My mom was never a microwave mom; She made delicious Cuban cuisine every night.

On those busy nights, there was nothing easier to make than this flavorful tomato-based Cuban-style picadillo. Needless to say, I too make this dish all the time! I also make my delicious Cuban turkey picadillo all the time but I digress. Hehe.

I’m a huge fan of 30-minute one-pan meals like this Cuban beef picadillo so I always have ground beef in my freezer as a result.

Let me show you how to make my version of this Cuban recipe for picadillo!

5 stars
5-star review

“Oh my! Yet another favorite done right! Made this tonight and it was amazing. Simple but the right ingredients put together to make this Cuban staple. I thoroughly enjoyed it on a Monday evening! Thanks for all you do Jamie, I really appreciate you! :)”

—Chris
cuban picadillo with olives and raisins served on top of white rice on a white plate

What is Cuban picadillo made of?

First things first, let’s talk about what exactly is picadillo. The actual word comes from the Spanish word “picar” which means “to mince” and/or “picado” which means “to chop”.

Picadillo [pronounced: pee-ca-dee-yo] is a classic Latin dish made with , sofrito (a mix of garlic, onions, and green bell pepper which is the base of most Cuban dishes) then simmered in a tomato-based sauce with spices, green olive, and raisins.

Don’t worry, it does not taste like pure tomato sauce. As you cook this dish ‘low and slow’, the ground beef will absorb all the different flavor profiles of the sauce making it truly flavorful.

Many Latin American countries have their own variation of this saucy dish. Some will add chopped potatoes, others will give it some heat.

This Cuban picadillo, like most Cuban dishes, is not spicy. It’s a saucy, fragrant, tomato-based, hash-style ground beef dish and it’s delicious!

This Cuban-style picadillo recipe is what I grew up with and it’s my personal favorite.

When you’re done making this easy picadillo recipe, check out my other Cuban dinner recipes!

browning ground beef and adding tomato sauce and spices for picadillo recipe
Heat oil over medium heat. Make Cuban sofrito then add ground beef and cook about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat down to medium-low. Stir in cooking wine, tomato sauce, and spices. Simmer for 10-12 minutes.
cuban picadillo cooked in a skillet
Remove from the heat. Stir in olives and raisins (if using). Serve with white rice.

Serving Suggestions

This one-pan meal is usually served over white rice. You can also serve picadillo with Cuban black beans, fried sweet plantains, and crispy tostones.

But hear me out… you can also add a fried egg or a sliced banana on top. I know it sounds weird but trust me. It’s an easy and flavorful weeknight meal. The leftovers the next day are even better!

Repurposing Ideas

Is this picadillo delicious? Absolutely. Can you use the leftovers in creative ways? Also yes!

Here are my favorite repurposing ideas for Cuban picadillo:

  • Make aji rellenos. Picadillo stuffed peppers are one of my favorite ways to repurpose picadillo. Just stuff halved bell peppers with cooked picadillo and bake in the oven. Add ajies rellenos to your weekly menu.
  • Stuff it! No wait, I’m not telling YOU to stuff it… I’m suggestion you make picadillo stuffed recipes like my Cuban-style stuffed sweet potatoes which are packed with chopped sweet plantains and creamy avocado, or make my Cuban tostones rellenos, which are plantain cups, that you can stuff with picadillo!
  • Make beef empanadas. You can buy empanada rounds in the freezer section of your grocery store to make empanadas OR… create your own homemade Cuban empanada dough infused with pork lard and brown sugar cinnamon syrup. Que rico!
  • Turn it into a sweet treat! Yes, you heard that right. You can use picadillo to make pastelitos de carne with puff pastry that’s cut into rounds, baked to flaky perfection, and brushed with simple syrup. It truly is chef’s kiss!
cuban picadillo served with white rice on a white plate

That’s all folks! I mean… how good does that look!

This is very versatile and one that I know will become part of your weekly rotation.

4.65 from 84 reviews

Easy Authentic Cuban Picadillo

Learn how to make flavorful and authentic Cuban picadillo at home with this simple 30-minute recipe. Made stovetop, it features ground beef, tomato sauce, select spices, olives, and raisins. Serve with rice for an easy weeknight dinner.

Ingredients
 

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 cup diced onion
  • 1/2 cup diced green pepper
  • 3-4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1/3 cup vino seco, (dry cooking wine)
  • 6 ounces tomato sauce
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • Salt and pepper to taste, (start with 1/4 teaspoon then adjust from there)
  • 1/4 cup Spanish olives cut in half
  • 2 tablespoons raisins, (or more to taste) optional

Instructions
 

  • In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and green peppers and, sauté for 2-3 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
  • Next, add ground beef and cook, breaking the meat apart, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat down to medium-low.
  • Stir in cooking wine, tomato sauce, cumin, oregano, and, salt + pepper to taste. Simmer for 10-12 minutes until fragrant and saucy.
  • Remove from the heat. Stir in olives and raisins (if using). Serve with white rice. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Optional
If you’d like to add chopped potatoes to this Cuban picadillo recipe, peel and cut 2 small Yukon gold potatoes into small cubes. Make sure they are all the same size so they cook evenly. Add them to the skillet in step 3 so they cook with the tomato-based sauce until tender.
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 271kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Protein: 14g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 54mg, Sodium: 321mg, Potassium: 349mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 170IU, Vitamin C: 7mg, Calcium: 40mg, Iron: 2mg
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