If you were to ask me what was the recipe I had the most often during the week as a kid, the answer would be this Cuban picadillo recipe!
My mom was never a microwave mom. She cooked every night. On those busy nights, there was nothing easier to make than this flavorful tomato-based ground beef dish.
Needless to say, I always have ground beef in my freezer ready to go. I get my ground beef from Butcher Box!
Butcher Box is a service that curates boxes of grass-fed, no-hormone-added, humanely raised beef, chicken, pork, salmon + sustainable seafood and, they deliver it right to your door. I love getting my box delivered directly to me. There are always specials – like free bacon or free ground beef – you gotta check them out! Click here to find out more info on Butcher Box!
I’ll be honest, for a long time, I would only make turkey picadillo with ground turkey. And while it was good, nothing truly compares to Cuban beef picadillo!
Let me show you how to make it.
What is picadillo?
First things first, let’s talk about what exactly is picadillo.
Picadillo [pee-ca-dee-yo] is a classic Latin dish made with ground beef, tomato sauce, raisins, olives, and lots of spices.
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 is what I grew up with and it’s my personal favorite.
This one-pan meal is usually served over white rice. It’s an easy and flavorful weeknight meal. The leftovers the next day are even better!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Onion, green pepper, garlic. Cuban sofrito is the basis of most Cuban dishes. Some call it the “Holy Trinity”. It consists of garlic cloves, onions, and green peppers. You sauté the sofrito in a skillet with a bit of olive oil before continuing with the rest of your recipe and that’s what gives meals such a unique and distinctive flavor!
- Ground beef. I like using ground beef for this recipe since when cooked properly, it’s juicy from soaking the spiced sauce. Yum! You can use lean ground beef, if you prefer.
- Tomato sauce. The basis of this dish. I add about 6 ounces so it adds enough sweetness and acidity without it being too saucy or having too much of an intense tomato flavor.
- Ground cumin and oregano. Earthy spices are the best spices. 1 teaspoon of each is fine.
- Green olives. Salty, briny olives complement all these flavors so well. Be careful when you’re adding salt to this dish since the olives are already salty enough.
- Raisins. A touch of sweetness. I know it sounds weird and it’s a bit controversial in some places (lol) because raisins are boring but it does taste good mixed in with everything else. I’ll be honest though, I’m not the biggest fan of raisins and typically don’t add them (don’t hate me) so it’s totally cool if you want to omit them.
How To Make Cuban Picadillo
- First, make the sofrito. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions, green pepper, and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Brown the meat. Add ground beef and cook at medium heat, breaking the meat apart using this meat chopper tool, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
- Simmer with the sauce. Turn the heat down to low. Stir in tomato sauce, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 10-15 minutes so the meat soaks up all the delicous sauce.
- Add the olives and serve. Stir in the green olives and raisins (if using). Remove from heat and serve over white rice. You can also serve picadillo with veggies or even inside of sweet potatoes.
What is Cuban picadillo made of?
The Cuban version of picadillo is made with ground beef in a tomato-based sauce with lots of spices, green olives, and raisins.
Where did the word picadillo come from?
The word comes from the Spanish word “picar” which means “to mince” and/or “picado” which means “to chop”.
Is Cuban picadillo spicy?
Cuban picadillo is not spicy. It’s a saucy, fragrant, tomato-based, hash-style ground beef dish and it’s delicious!
What sides to serve with picadillo?
I like to serve picadillo over white rice, black beans, and/or sweet plantains. You can also serve it in lettuce wraps, inside empanadas, roasted potatoes, or fried eggs.
Do you have to add raisins to picadillo?
Nope, they are completely optional but they do give the savory picadillo a touch of sweetness.
That’s all folks! I mean… how good does that look!
It’s very versatile and that’s one of my favorite things about it. Make it tonight!
You may also like:
- Cuban Black Beans (Frijoles Negros)
- Classic Cuban Arroz Con Pollo
- Cuban Beef Stew (Ropa Vieja)
- 30-Minute Arroz Con Salchicha (Cuban Yellow Rice + Sausage)
- Cuban Arroz Con Leche (Rice Pudding)
Easy Cuban Picadillo Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 1/2 green pepper finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound ground beef (or lean ground beef)
- 6 ounces tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste (start with 1/4 teaspoon then taste + adjust from there)
- 1/3 cup green olives cut in half
- 1/4 cup raisins
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions, green pepper, and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the ground beef and cook, breaking the meat apart, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
- Turn the heat down to low. Add in tomato sauce, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the meat soaks up the delicious tomato sauce.
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the green olives and raisins. Serve with white rice and enjoy!
Milagros Gomez says
I add 1 cup of dry cooking wine, multi-color sweet peppers and capers. Also, chopped cherry tomatoes instead of tomatoe sauce.
Janeris says
Yay! Found you on page 1 when searching for picadillo.
Ari says
I will be making this every week for the foreseeable future! So easy, such clean ingredients, and great flavor! Topped it with lots of cilantro. OBSESSED.
Jamie Silva says
So happy you + the fam loved it, Ari!!
Karen Hernandez says
Do you not drain the beef after you cook it??
Jamie Silva says
Hi Karen, I don’t drain the beef because I like to incorporate it into the rest of the ingredients. It’s flavorful after all. That said, it also depends on the meat you use. If you find that there is WAY too much liquid/fat in the pan after you cook it, you can drain it. Hope that helps!
Claudia says
Dont skip the raisins!! Delicious!
Jamie Silva says
So glad you loved it! It’s one of my faves too! :)
Sarah says
Delicious! My Dad grew up in Cuba so I made this dish for him using this recipe. He LOVED it. He was most happy to have this over fluffy rice, with plantains, and black beans. I’m going to work on flan next which actually requires voodoo. Thanks for giving this experience to my Dad and family. ❤️
Chris Edwards says
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! :)
Jamie Silva says
Happy you loved it, Chris!
Sarah says
This is a staple meal in our house. I add about 3/4 cup of small cubed russet potato which I pan fry in oil till crispy before adding the peppers, onions, and garlic. I use extra lean beef, the entire 8 ounce jar of tomato sauce, 1 cup of raisins (they’re my husbands favorite part!), omit the olives and season with all purpose Goya Adobo seasoning (salt and pepper too, of course). I also add a can of Goya pink beans (they’re a staple in our American/Puerto Rican home). I allow it to stew in my cast iron skillet for a bit to develop flavor. I serve on rice or tortillas with a side of plantains.
The beans and potato really bulk up the meal so we can look forward to some “better-the-next-day” leftovers.