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!
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 ground beef, 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. My niece loves my vegan Cuban chickpea picadillo!
How is Cuban picadillo served?
This one-pan meal is usually served over white rice. You can also serve picadillo with:
- Black beans
- Sweet plantains
- Tostones
- Fried eggs.
- Sliced banana (I know it sounds weird but trust me!)
It’s an easy and flavorful weeknight meal. The leftovers the next day are even better!
If you have any leftover Cuban picadillo, you can make my Cuban Stuffed Peppers (Ajies Rellenos) or my Papas Rellenas (Fried Stuffed Potatoes)!
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!
- 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.
- Vino seco aka dry cooking wine. You can also use chicken broth if you prefer.
- Ground cumin and oregano. Earthy spices are the best spices. 1 teaspoon of each is fine.
- Spanish 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 well 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.
- Ground beef. I like using ground beef for this recipe since when cooked properly, it’s juicy from soaking in the spiced sauce. Yum! You can use lean ground beef, if you prefer. I buy my ground beef from Butcher Box!
ButcherBox 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!
Step-by-Step Instructions
- First, make the sofrito. 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.
- Brown the ground beef. Next, add ground beef and cook, breaking the meat apart, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat down to medium-low.
- Make the tomato-based sauce. 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). Raisins are completely optional but they do give the savory picadillo a touch of sweetness.
When you’re done making this easy picadillo recipe, check out my other Cuban dinner recipes!
Recipe Variations
- Add potatoes. If you’d like to add chopped potatoes to this 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.
- Make lettuce wraps. You can spoon this flavorful picadillo inside Boston lettuce leaves and serve them with sweet plantains.
- Stuff it into roasted sweet potatoes. My Cuban-style stuffed sweet potatoes are packed with this Cuban beef picadillo, chopped sweet plantains, and avocado. It’s always a hit in my house!
- Make beef empanadas. You can buy empanada rounds in the freezer section of your grocery store to make empanadas. Great idea for leftovers too!
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.
Easy & Authentic Cuban Picadillo
Equipment
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!
Archibald Lowrey says
Good food the best cuban food thank you
Patricia says
Omg I made this and it was awesome! I added the potatoes but not the raisin. I am an itilian/American and you would have never guessed I made this!! Thanks for the recipe!
Estrella says
Hi. Cuban American mom finally cooking on my own (use to have help from grandma). Recipe came out delicious , unfortunately my kids won’t eat garlic, onion or pepper if they see it in the food. I hear tales of moms blending them so it’s not visible. Would this be possible and still come out as good? Sofrito seems to be the most important part thank you!
Jamie Silva says
Yes, you can absolutely blend it!!
Leo says
Cuban Picadillo, great dish. Leftovers to heat added 1/4 cup of wine was the best part. fantastic
Donna says
This was a great and easy recipe. My son has a new roommate who is Cuban from Florida. I wanted to cook him something from home since he is now in California. He loved it and took home ALL of the leftovers!!! Thanks
Cissy says
I have been a raving picadillo fan for 60 years, but haven’t made it myself. I LOVE the raisins in it! Hoe much should I add?
Jamie Silva says
As much as you’d like! You can start with 2 tablespoons and go from there. :)
Manny says
This dish has so much flavor. Following the recipe is easy and the picadillo came out so yummy. You can pair this dish with so many things.
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.
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
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. ❤️
Claudia says
Dont skip the raisins!! Delicious!
Jamie Silva says
So glad you loved it! It’s one of my faves too! :)
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!
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!!
Janeris says
Yay! Found you on page 1 when searching for picadillo.
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.