Easy & Authentic Cuban Picadillo
If you asked me what weeknight dinner I ate most as a kid, it’d hands-down be this classic Cuban picadillo.
My mom wasn’t a microwave kind of mom. She was serving full-on Cuban dinners every night, even after work. Icon behavior.
This recipe is fast, cozy, and full of flavor… my kinda meal!
I keep ground beef stocked just for 30-minute meals like this. I also make Cuban turkey picadillo when I want to switch things up… but we’ll save that for another day.
5-star revie
“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
How To Make Cuban Picadillo
Making picadillo isn’t complicated. This is the part where I channel my mom, walking me through each step while something’s already sizzling on the stove. Thankfully, I didn’t have to chase her down for exact measurements. That’s how easy it is to make this recipe!
🙋🏻♀️ Not a fan of raisins in picadillo? SAME. They’re a classic part of Cuban picadillo, so I include them in the recipe, but personally, I leave them out. Maybe I’m biased but this dish is just as good without them!
This one-pan meal is usually served over Cuban white rice. You can also serve picadillo with fried sweet plantains. This is one of my favorite Cuban dinners and, the leftovers the next day are even better!
Recommended For This Recipe
Large Skillet
A 10-inch skillet perfect for cooking all kinds of dishes! It’s non-stick, with a wide flat bottom for frying, sautéing, or browning.
Leftover Ideas
Is this picadillo incredible on its own? Absolutely. But, leftover picadillo is basically a free pass to get creative. I’ll use it to make aji rellenos, or stuff it into tostones rellenos, those little plantain cups are always a hit.
If I’m feeling fancy, I’ll roll out some empanada dough and bake them off, or go all in with pastelitos de carne for that sweet-savory combo I can’t resist.
🍽️ Ok hear me out… you need to try picadillo with a fried egg on top or alongside a sliced banana. I know it sounds weird but TRUST ME. Either combo tastes so good!
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 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 to taste, (start with 1/2 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
- 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.
- Cook with the tomato-based sauce until tender. That’s it!
I add 1 cup of dry cooking wine, multi-color sweet peppers and capers. Also, chopped cherry tomatoes instead of tomatoe sauce.
Yay! Found you on page 1 when searching for picadillo.
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.
So happy you + the fam loved it, Ari!!
Do you not drain the beef after you cook it??
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!
Dont skip the raisins!! Delicious!
So glad you loved it! It’s one of my faves too! :)
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. ❤️
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! :)
Happy you loved it, Chris!
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.
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.
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?
As much as you’d like! You can start with 2 tablespoons and go from there. :)
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
Cuban Picadillo, great dish. Leftovers to heat added 1/4 cup of wine was the best part. fantastic
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!
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!
Yes, you can absolutely blend it!!
Good food the best cuban food thank you
Cuban Picadillo, may of had the heat just a little high (dry) so added a little more red wine hic and all was great. DELICIOUS
I have now made Cuban Picadillo a couple of times now, and it was delicious. I substituted white wine vinegar and water for the vino seco and served it with Arroz Amarillo rather the Arroz Blanco but otherwise followed the recipe as shown. As stated, leftover Picadillo can be put into the freezer and after thawing and reheating tastes as good as the day it was prepared originally, so my wife and I get two meals out of it. We usually have Cuban food at least once a week, and Picadillo is definitely going to remain a regular staple at our house.
Happy to hear it, Andy! You should try Picadillo Stuffed Peppers next time. :)
If I have two pounds of meat should I double the ingredients?
Yes!
This dish was extremely delicious. I’m going to make it on a regular basis
My partner of over 20yrs was Cuban, we lived in Tampa, so I have been in the Cuban community for the last 23yrs. He passed away in January and I moved back to Alabama, where I can’t find my Cuban food! I found you on Pinterest and you have been a lifesaver with your wonderful recipes, Thank you very much!
Thank you. My husband is Cuban and I have enjoyed learning to cook Cuban food and my family loves it. I always make a double batch, and the only thing I do different is use 1 pound of ground beef and 1 pound of hot ground sausage. Adds a little heat and a little more flavor. We love the raisins, however! We just got back from our first trip to Cuba (my husband left 61 years ago) and the picadillo there didn’t have raisins or green olives–maybe they couldn’t find them. I loved how my children gauged the Cuban food we ate: on a scale of 1 to Mom’s!
This recipe is absolutely delicious. Just made it for my family I followed the recipe to exact it was so easy to follow came out so well my husband loves it now I have something wonderful to serve my friends thank you for sharing your recipes with us
Is this the same as used in Cuban meat pastries?
Yes :)
This is the second time I’ve made this, but not using the exact same recipe. The other one called for can of petite diced tomatoes, so I added that after the tomato sauce, and doubled the raisins and olives. Will also granish with chopped fresh cilantro. It does taste the same but it took me much longer to prepare than you say. That’s ok though. I enjoy the process. More like this please
I tried this as an empanada filling for dinner tonight and it tasted great. My wife doesn’t care for green olives so I cut the amount in half and chopped them up real small to hide them in there. She still spotted them but didn’t object. This recipe is easy to make and definitely a keeper!
Awesome! Tastes just like the picadillo Mami made. Thanks!
You’re so welcome! Your Mami sounds awesome! :)