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!
Soooo close to my mom’s “Recipe”, except that she also adds potatoes for some reason. I loved it! Thank you so much for sharing these authentic dishes—without you, I’d have to follow my mom around the kitchen with a notebook, and even then she only eyeballs the ingredients!
This is authentic. My family uses everyone of these ingredients when the prepare this dish. Excellent.
There are obviously other ways to make picadillo, but this is the real deal. From Havana to Santiago we make it with these same ingredients.
So happy you loved it, Kiki!
This recipe reminds me of my Cuban mother-in-laws. Very authentic and delicious. Glad to have tried it and it will be my go to from now on!
Just needed to add to my previous review. I brought some to my sister, not knowing she wasn’t a fan of the olives! But she said she loved it :), and she is willing to try any recipe I make! Every recipe I have made so far has been so good, I sort of devote my Sundays now to making Cuban food ! It has become such a nice hobby.
This was delicious! I made 1/2 recipe for the two of us and served it over rice.
So happy you loved it, Carolyn!
Just wonderful! I love to make new recipes and surprise my family members with dinner!
So happy to hear you and your family enjoyed, Michelle! Thank you for your comment!
This recipe is perfection.
Thank you!
Hi Jamie, Sicilian-American here who HATES olives. It embarrasses my mother to no end but I just can’t no matter how many times I try. Olive oil is great, can drink it but can’t do the olives. Anyway what’s a good swap or should I just leave it out? I’m hoping to find a briny alternative because I do like the brine flavors.
I lived in Miami years ago working for the Airlines and a part time job at Planet Hollywood. After closing we went to a Cuban restaurant around the corner and I ordered Black Beans and Rice with raw white onions and cilantro on top. I’ve lived in 8 states and STILL can’t find a comparable THICK BLACK BEAN with sooo much flavor. IDK if it had lots of oregano or echiote but every recipe I see online is so thin and besides a green bell pepper they’re very bland. Can you tell me what you think I should be adding??
Hi Lisa, you can leave out the olives if you’d like. Also, you can try my Cuban black beans recipe to see if you’d like it. Click here for the recipe!
AMAZING!!!!
Your recipes are my go to when we want cuban cuisine! They are simply the best!
Thank you so much, Alessandra! So happy you love them.
Girrrlll! I made this tonight for dinner along with your black bean recipe and some plaintains. It was outstanding! I grew up in Tampa and ate at La Teresita whenever I got over to that side of town. This is even better!. I need to get over to the cafe con leche recipe cuz I really miss that!
Thanks so much for sharing your recipes!
Josette, so happy you loved this recipe!! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you Jamie, your recipes are always great and I love the variety of options you provide, but at the heart of it is the Cubanness 🇨🇺
Thank you, Ileana! So happy to hear!
This picadillo recipe is beyond delicious. Even my hubby who doesn’t usually like olives, loved it. I bought olives imported from Spain, which are much less salty and briny, and more fruity, so that could have something to do with it. And the combo of olives and raisins was just perfect, along with the red wine and tomato sauce. Wonderful! Thank you so much for another outstanding recipe, Miss Sassy!
So happy to hear, Eileen! Thank you for your comment!
Eileen, hello, I’m Sicilian-American and embarrass my family because I HATE olives but it looks like you know of some I might like combined with this dish. Hopefully you get to see this comment and can reply what brand and where you order those Spanish Olives from!! Thank you!! LisaS.
Hi Lisas. I would be happy to help you find the olives. I ordered them from Despana Brand Foods online. All of their food is imported from Spain. The brand name of the olives I bought is Bernal. Since they are located in Williamsburg, Virginia, I think my hubby & I will drive down and enjoy a shopping trip at their store, and then have tapas at their tapas bar. It will probably take almost 4 hours to get there. But I want to buy so many things, and the cost of shipping mounts up. I’ve been doing a lot if Spanish/Mediterranean cooking, and it makes me want to move to Spain where they get FRESH, quality veggies. I also invested in some wonderful smoked sweet Spanish paprika from Spain, and Spanish saffron which make a huge difference. For that, check Amazon. Check Despana out and please let me know.
Eileen
Hi again Lisas! I’m so sorry, I got confused between two Spanish food stores. The one I meant to tell you about is La Tienda, who are located in Williamsburg, VA. Despana is located in New York, and there’s no way I’m going to drive there. You can order from them as well, but I ordered from La Tienda.
Sorry for the confusion.
Eileen
Thanks so much!!!
I hope you’re able to get everything you are looking for.
I loved this recipe. As a Cuban who came to the US when young, I never really got to learn how to make Cuban food, but your recipes are delicious. Thank you!
So happy to hear, Nicole! Thank you for your comment!
Awesome recipes!!
So happy you like them, Ernesto!
I made this recipe tonight and it had rave reviews from my half-Cuban daughter. I have been making picadillo for many years, and although it is good I must say that this was better! Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Excellent! I followed the directions pretty closely and doubled it and it is delicious.
Love your recipes! So delicioso. Wanted to share I made this Picadillo last night. .realized I forgot the green pepper, so used 2 jalapenos (minus the seeds, just the green parts) that I had in fridge. My husband raved. We both .loved it. Thank you! Ill make it again with the green pepper cause I want to make your exact recipe. Just wanted to share😉
My Abeula, stuffed our thanksgiving turkey with piccadillo. Covered the bird with olive oil, black pepper,and mojo. Then cooked in the conventional way. How Cuban is that!
Yes! We used to make that Cuban Thanksgiving stuffing too – here’s the recipe!
Awesome! Tastes just like the picadillo Mami made. Thanks!
You’re so welcome! Your Mami sounds awesome! :)
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!
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
Is this the same as used in Cuban meat pastries?
Yes :)
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
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!
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!
This dish was extremely delicious. I’m going to make it on a regular basis
If I have two pounds of meat should I double the ingredients?
Yes!
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. :)
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
Good food the best cuban food thank you
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!!
Cuban Picadillo, great dish. Leftovers to heat added 1/4 cup of wine was the best part. fantastic
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
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 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.
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.
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!
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. ❤️
Dont skip the raisins!! Delicious!
So glad you loved it! It’s one of my faves too! :)
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!
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!!
Yay! Found you on page 1 when searching for picadillo.
I add 1 cup of dry cooking wine, multi-color sweet peppers and capers. Also, chopped cherry tomatoes instead of tomatoe sauce.