This comforting recipe for Cuban Picadillo (made with ground beef!) is a true one-pot wonder, packing simmered-all-day-flavor in less than 1 hour.
Table of Contents
What is Picadillo?
Picadillo is an iconic Cuban dish that can be found in the recipe boxes of many cultures, across both Latin America and the Philippines. It may vary from home to home, but it’s largely the same: A savory, spiced tomato-based ground beef dish often studded with salty olives and sweet raisins.
Since my husband is Cuban, mastering picadillo was a must, and I’m thankful my mother-in-law has guided me along the way!
Why You’ll Love It
- It’s savory, a bit briny and subtly sweet.
- It requires cost-effective kitchen staples you likely already have on hand.
- A one-pot meal that’ll be on your dinner table in 60 minutes or less.
- Hearty, Cuban-style stew that tastes great over coconut rice and topped with a fried egg.
- It’s also an amazing filling for baked potatoes and tacos, or all on its own alongside white rice and fried plantains.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Lean ground beef: Choose either 96/4 or 97/3 lean ground beef, since there won’t be a chance to drain any of the grease while you cook.
- Green olives: I prefer pitted and pre-sliced to cut down on prep time. You’ll also need ¼ cup of olive juice.
- Onion: I use a yellow onion for this recipe because it holds up to heat well and becomes sweet and flavorful as it cooks, but a white or red onion will work, too. It won’t change the outcome of the dish, just the flavor a bit.
- Green pepper: An essential addition to the sofrito (a mix of green pepper, onion and garlic).
- Garlic: Fresh or minced works.
- Beef bouillon: Be sure to whisk with 2 tablespoons very hot water before adding to the pot.
- Tomato sauce: Adds depth of flavor and lends a “sauciness” to the consistency.
- Ground cumin: Its warm, earthy taste is a welcome addition to this flavor-packed dish.
- Lime juice: Freshly squeezed will have a brighter, fresher more intense flavor than bottled lime juice. Squeezed from fresh limes is always a better option to get the best taste and more intense flavor, however bottled lime juice is a suitable substitution.
- Bay leaves: They add subtle flavor and depth to whatever you’re cooking. Always be sure to discard them before serving.
- Raisins: Optional, but I find they add just the right amount of sweetness.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Cuban Picadillo
- Make a sofrito. In a food processor or blender, combine the green pepper, onion and garlic. Pulse until puréed. This blended trio of ingredients is known as sofrito, and is used as a foundation in many Latin American dishes.
- Cook the sofrito. Add olive oil to a large heavy-bottom stock pot set over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the mixture and cook, stirring, until the liquid has evaporated and the vegetables are tender, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the tomato sauce, beef bouillon mixture, olive juice and lime juice. Simmer until liquid is reduced by half, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the ground beef and cumin. Cook, breaking apart the beef with a spatula until the beef is cooked through. Stir in the bay leaves, green olives and raisins then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Uncover the pot and simmer for an additional 5 minutes or until any remaining liquid has been absorbed. Discard the bay leaves.
- Spoon over steamed white rice and serve. I love to squeeze a little fresh lime juice over it to cut through the richness. My husband enjoys topping picadillo with fried eggs over easy.
Pro Tips for Recipe Success
- Ground Beef Substitutes. Ground beef is the classic meat in Cuban picadillo, but it can be substituted with any other ground meat, such as pork or turkey.
- Don’t skip the sofrito. This trio of ingredients is essential to Cuban cuisine and delivers big flavor.
- Customize the add-ins. My family is divided when it comes to Team Olives and Team Raisins. My husband only likes the addition of the olives, while the boys and I love olives and raisins.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do you eat picadillo with?
It tastes great alongside black beans or served over rice and topped with a fried over-easy egg. It’s also the perfect filling for tacos or stuffing for burritos.
How should it be stored?
Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. To reheat, simply microwave for a minute or two until warmed through or simmer in a pan on low until it reaches your preferred temperature.
Can it be frozen?
Yes! This can be frozen in a zip-top bag or airtight container for up to three months.
More Cuban-Inspired Dishes
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Ingredients
- 1 medium green pepper, stemmed, seeded and roughly chopped
- 1/2 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 5 cloves garlic
- 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 (8-oz.) can tomato sauce
- 1 cube beef bouillon, whisked with 2 Tablespoons very hot water
- 1/4 cup green olive juice
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 pounds lean ground beef (See Kelly’s Notes)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup pitted, sliced green olives
- 1/2 cup raisins (optional)
- Cooked white rice, for serving
Instructions
- In a food processor, combine the green pepper, onion and garlic. Pulse until puréed.
- Add the olive oil to a large heavy-bottom stock pot or Dutch oven set over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the green pepper mixture and cook, stirring, until the liquid has evaporated and the vegetables are tender, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the tomato sauce, beef bouillon mixture, olive juice and lime juice. Simmer until liquid is reduced by half, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the ground beef and cumin. Cook, breaking apart the beef with a spatula, until the beef is cooked through. Stir in the bay leaves, green olives and raisins (optional) then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 15 minutes. Uncover the pot and simmer an additional 5 minutes or until any remaining liquid has absorbed. Discard the bay leaves.
- Spoon the picadillo over white rice and serve.
Kelly’s Notes
- Must be lean (96/4 or 97/3) because no chance to drain grease.
- My husband enjoys topping picadillo with fried eggs over easy. Break apart the yolks and stir them together with the meat and rice.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Nutrition
Calories: 332kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 34g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 94mg, Sodium: 617mg, Potassium: 706mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 172IU, Vitamin C: 20mg, Calcium: 42mg, Iron: 4mg
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I made this recipe close to the published version. I used my neighbors cow he raised for my beef. I can not eat peppers, so I substituted tomatillos. I minced the olives and left the onions,garlic and tomatillo in bigger pieces…….soo good !!!!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Lynda!
Wow! What was great about this recipe was it was so unique and so easy! Of course, I had to riff and added some pepperoncini with its juice, along with the olives and some Calabrian chilis, well, because I like it hot. This was a nice change from chili on a brisk fall day.
I’m thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the recipe!!
Ok…. So I didn’t follow the recipe to a T because I am making this for empanadas and it resembles the closest recipe to my favorite Cuban sandwich shop with THE BEST BEEF & CHZ EMPANADAS. I made a half-ish portion and didn’t use lean beef as recommended because… Costco beef already in the fridge… but I did drain quite a bit with a spoon and a paper towel.
Either way- the texture and flavor is great! I prepared the picadillo in advance for the empanadas and will keep you posted how it goes ♀️
P.S: empanada pastry wraps and melty cheese recs are welcome ♀️
I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Cindy! I can’t wait to read how the empanadas turned out!
I can’t wait to make this- is it supposed to be a green bell pepper or other kind of green pepper? Thank you!
Hi Amy! Green bell pepper or, for a more traditional option, cubanelle peppers. Either works great!
Looks just pretty close the picadillo I grew up on. We also add capers and sometimes some small cubed potatoes. This is the comfort food that is made at practically every family gathering. We even had a picadillo cooking contest between we 6 siblings with our newly immigrated cousin as the judge. My sibs variably add more or less cumin, and as in your family, olives and raisins tend to be optional. ( I prefer both, but in order to get one of my kids to eat it with raisins, I had to grind up the raisins so they were less texturally detectable. But then, one of my other kids bemoaned the loss of the whole raisins which she describes as “meat juice pillows” her favorite part. Another sibling of mine likes to add chiles. However it is made its always a favorite in my family. As a follow up on the contest, my cousin said that all of the samples were delicious and he couldn’t choose. Because these days, and after the Revolution in general, beef is extremely scarce and most Cubans can’t afford it; they can get a soy substitute and he couldn’t remember when if he ever had beef picadillo.
Loved reading this, Tania! Thanks so much for sharing!
Tried this today, absolutely delicious!
I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Heather!
Kelly, I am unable to eat onions, peppers or garlic. I substitute onion and garlic powders and do ok. Is there a substitution for the green pepper?
Thank you for all of the recipes and background for them. I do a lot of copying everything! I have notebooks and folders in the kitchen and office. I rate this recipe as a 5 even tho I have not yet made it as you have not let me down yet!
Hi Sue! You can just omit the green pepper from the sofrito. The final taste will be slightly altered, but not so much so that it won’t still be delish!