Delicious Cuban Picadillo is made with lean ground beef, potatoes, bell peppers, green olives, capers and raisins simmered in a perfectly seasoned tomato sauce. A Latin America comfort food favorite, Cuban Beef Picadillo cooks in one-skillet, comes together quickly and delivers lots of flavor!
Cuban Beef Picadillo
Satisfying and flavorful Beef Picadillo is a simple dish made with easy to find pantry ingredients in very little time. A staple of Cuban cuisine, this ground beef recipe is so popular that most Latin American countries have their own similar version of Picadillo.
From Mexican Picadillo to this Cuban version of one of the most beloved and popular dishes in Latin America, one thing is certain, you can count on this recipe to be quick and easy to make, affordable and packed with flavor.
Cuban Picadillo is often served on a bed of white rice, with black beans and fried plantains. Picadillo is a typical filling for empanadas and depending on the country, can be served stuffed in tortillas like tacos and quesadillas (Mexico), savory piononos (Puerto Rico) and kipes (Dominican Republic).
Why You Should Make This Recipe?
- Quick and Easy: No complicated steps and a bit over 30 minutes makes this traditional dish a great weeknight dinner option.
- Simple Ingredients that are Budget Friendly: Cuban-style Picadillo is made with affordable common ingredients that you can find in any grocery store or supermarket.
- One-Skillet: is all cooked in one pot on the stovetop, so clean up is a breeze!
What Is Beef Picadillo?
Picadillo (pronounced pi-kuh-di-yo) Picadillo is a dish made with deliciously seasoned ground meat, pimento stuffed green olives, bell peppers, and raisins simmered in a tasty tomato sauce. The combination of briny olives and the pop of sweetness of the raisins makes this savory dish incredibly tasty and well balanced.
Picadillo is a Spanish word that means “minced”. This popular dish is made in many different countries and varies greatly from region to region and even from household to household.
I couldn’t call this an authentic Cuban Picadillo recipe because even in Cuba everyone makes it a bit differently. This is my grandmother’s version and I am happy to share it with you all.
Cuban Picadillo Ingredients and Substitutions
For specific ingredients and their quantities, check the printable recipe card below.
- Ground Meat: Cuban Picadillo is mostly made with ground beef although sometimes a combination of ground beef and ground pork is used. I prefer using lean ground beef with 10% to 15% fat to make this recipe. Although not traditional, ground turkey or ground chicken can be used.
- Oil: I use olive oil but any mild cooking oil works well.
- Bell Peppers: : Red bell pepper is mostly used but a combination of red and green bell pepper can be used if preferred.
- Canned Tomatoes: Tomato sauce and tomato paste are used.
- Beef Broth: I am not a huge fan of store-bought beef broth so I often use chicken broth in beef recipes. That is just a personal preference. Beef stock, chicken broth or vegetable broth work. Red or white wine can be used instead of broth.
- Potatoes: Although some Picadillo recipes don’t include potatoes, I love them in this recipe. The potatoes soak up some of the tasty tomato sauce while making this dish a bit more filling. You can use Russett potatoes, Yukon gold, red or golden potatoes.
- Olives: Traditionally, Cuban recipes include pimento stuffed green olives. The olives’ briny and salty flavors give this dish a pop of brightness.
- Condiments: Ground cumin, dried oregano, bay leaves, sea salt, ground black pepper, Worcestershire sauce.
- Aromatics: Onions and fresh garlic cloves. Substitute fresh garlic with garlic powder if needed.
- Other: Capers, raisins, cilantro (optional)
How To Make Cuban Picadillo
These are just highlights on how to make this Cuban recipe. For detailed instructions check the recipe card below.
- In a large skillet, heat the oil and sauté the onions and bell peppers until they become soft.
- Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for about a minute.
- Add the ground beef and cook until cooked through and no longer pink.
- Add the spices and stir to combine.
- Add the broth and cook for a couple of minutes.
- Stir in the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, raisins, olives, capers and potatoes. Cover and simmer over low heat until the potatoes become tender.
- Stir in chopped cilantro and serve.
What is Cuban Picadillo Made Of?
Cuban Picadillo is a simple dish made with seasoned ground meat, usually ground beef or a combination of ground beef and ground pork, sofrito (a mixture of onions and bell peppers), pimento stuffed green olives, and raisins simmered in a wonderfully tasty tomato sauce.
What Is Picadillo Called In English?
Picadillo (pronounced pi-kuh-di-yo) means “mince or to mince” in Spanish, the best translation for the name of this dish in English is “hash” since the recipe includes ground meat and other ingredients that are either diced (onions and bell peppers) or bite size (olives).
What Goes Good With Picadillo?
Picadillo is commonly served over white rice with a side of fried plantains and black beans. Many countries in Latin America and in Europe, Spain, use picadillo as a filling for empanadas. Mexican picadillo is often served stuffed in tortillas like a taco while in Peru and Cuba is the tasty stuffing of papa rellenas (stuffed mashed potato balls).
At home, you can serve picadillo with white rice, quinoa or cauliflower rice for a low carb meal.
Making Ahead, Storing and Reheating
Picadillo is a great recipe to use for meal prep since it can be made ahead and reheats well.
Cool the beef picadillo completely, and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 5 days. To reheat, place the picadillo in a skillet and heat over medium-low heat stirring as needed until warm through. If the mixture is a bit dry, stir in a bit of broth. You can also reheat picadillo in the microwave, covered until heated through.
Can I Freeze Beef Picadillo?
Yes, beef picadillo freezes well. Cool completely and store it in an airtight container or freezer safe resealable bag. I like to freeze smaller portions of picadillo as it is easier to thaw out that way. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in a skillet or in the microwave.
Cuban Picadillo Recipe Tips and Notes
- Cut the potatoes into small pieces, no larger than 1/2-inch. Potatoes need time to get tender. If you cut them too big, you may need to add additional liquid (broth) and cook them longer.
- When adding the potatoes, I try to push them down with a wooden spoon so they are submerged in the stewing liquid. This will help the potatoes to cook evenly and quicker.
- You can skip the raisins if you prefer, however the little sweet bites really add a lot of flavor to this dish.
- My grandma used to make this Cuban recipe with wine instead of beef broth on special occasions.
- Chopped hard boil eggs can be added to picadillo (common in Peru and Dominican Republic)
- Skip the capers if preferred.
- Skip the cilantro or use chopped parsley instead.
Take A Look At Some of Our Favorite Cuban Recipes:
- Guava Cream Cheese Cuban Pastries (Pastelitos)
This post first appeared at The Salty Marshmallow where I am a contributor
Email me this recipe for later!
Cuban Picadillo
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef (I use 93% lean)
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons salt (use less if you are sensitive to sodium)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup beef broth (you can use white wine as well)
- 1 (15-ounces) can tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/3 cup raisins
- 3/4 cup pimento stuffed olives
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch cubes (red potatoes, Yukon gold or Russett)
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, plus more for serving (optional)
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onions and bell peppers and cook, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes or until soften. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for about a minute.
- Stir in the ground beef and cook, breaking up the meat into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook until no longer pink.
- Add the cumin, oregano, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Add the beef broth or wine and bring to a boil. Cook for about 2 minutes.
- Stir in the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, raisins, olives, capers and potatoes. Cover and simmer over low heat for 10 to 14 minutes or until the potatoes are tender, stirring a few times during the cooking.
- Add the cilantro and stir well. Adjust seasoning if needed and serve.
Recipe Notes
- Cut the potatoes into small pieces, no larger than 1/2-inch. Potatoes need time to get tender. If you cut them too big, you may need to add additional liquid (broth) and cook them longer.
- When adding the potatoes, I try to push them down with a wooden spoon so they are submerged in the stewing liquid. This will help the potatoes to cook evenly and quicker.
- You can skip the raisins if you prefer, however the little sweet bites really add a lot of flavor to this dish.
- You can store beef picadillo in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 days.
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