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Picadillo is savory, spicy, Mexican-inspired comfort food made from juicy ground beef and tender potatoes stewed in seasoned tomato sauce. It’s easy to put together in one skillet and delicious served with soft tortillas or rice!
If you love Mexican flavors as much as I do, try more one-pan wonders like this weeknight burrito skillet and sizzling steak fajitas next.
This Mexican picadillo is a one-pan recipe with tender ground beef stewed with diced potatoes and veggies in a rich, spicy tomato sauce. In a way, it’s a bit like the Latin American version of Irish corned beef and hash. Packed with Mexican-style seasonings, picadillo is rich and savory with a touch of chili. Just all-around delicious!
Why You’ll Love This Picadillo Recipe
- Bold flavors. Picadillo is the perfect comfort food. It’s savory and a little spicy (with the option to adapt the heat, of course), filled with tender potatoes, bell peppers, and juicy ground beef. This simplified recipe uses easy ingredients you’ll find in most grocery stores.
- One skillet. You can make picadillo on the stovetop in under an hour. Everything gets sautéed, simmered, and served right out of the same pan.
- Versatile. Whether you serve your picadillo over rice, in a taco, rolled up inside a burrito or otherwise, one thing is pretty much guaranteed: It’ll be gone from the plate in minutes!
What Is Picadillo?
Traditional picadillo is a spicy Latin-American hash. It’s simmered like a stew or birria with ground meat and veggies, often served as a filling for tacos or with rice and beans. It’s a humble, flavorful dish that you can prepare in a single skillet, with loads of ways to customize the recipe.
Cuban vs. Mexican Picadillo
The recipe we’re making here is more of a Mexican picadillo, with ingredients like chili peppers, potatoes, and tomatoes. Meanwhile, Cuban picadillo recipes tend to be tangier, with red wine, vinegar, and add-ins like bay leaves and raisins. You’ll find Puerto Rican variations and picadillo from other cultures, too! Even the Philippines (of Filipino chicken adobo fame) has their version, called giniling.
Ingredients For Picadillo
I’ve adapted the ingredients in traditional picadillo to make this recipe a bit more approachable for folks at home. It may not be an authentic picadillo, per se, but I think it captures the essence and flavors while using readily available ingredients.
You’ll find some quick notes below. Scroll to the recipe card for the printable recipe details, followed by a step-by-step overview with photos showing how to make it.
- Olive Oil – Or another cooking oil with a mild flavor, for sautéeing.
- Ground Beef – I recommend lean ground beef. You can also make picadillo with ground pork, chicken, or turkey.
- Potatoes – The best potatoes for picadillo are russet and Yukon potatoes. Peel and dice the potatoes beforehand.
- Onion and Bell Peppers – Yellow onion and bell pepper; any color will work, but I use green and red. Remove the seeds from the peppers before you dice them.
- Chili Pepper – This can be poblano pepper (the classic choice for Mexican picadillo), jalapeño, serrano, or any variety you’d like. I highly recommend removing the seeds to temper the heat a bit. In a pinch, you can use dried chilies or chili flakes. Adapt the amount of chili or leave it out if you prefer a milder dish.
- Garlic – Freshly minced, or you can substitute ½ teaspoon of garlic powder per clove.
- Tomato Sauce – Choose your favorite store-bought or homemade tomato sauce, passata, or tomato purée.
- Seasonings – Cumin and oregano boost the Mexican-inspired flavors. You can also swap in a blend, like fajita seasoning, or add a little cinnamon for warmth.
Recipe Tips
- Drain any excess grease. After browning the meat, if you notice quite a bit of grease collecting in the skillet, be sure to drain it before you add the veggies. This often happens if you’re using beef with a higher fat content. You don’t want a greasy picadillo.
- Serve with lime. A squeeze of fresh lime brings out the picadillo’s savory, spicy flavors. Always serve with lime wedges!
- More add-ins. Feel free to add chopped carrots, pitted olives (for Puerto Rican-style picadillo), or raisins for a sweet-savory contrast.
- Amp up the heat. If you like your picadillo with more spice, stir in a little adobo sauce from a jar or chipotle in adobo. You can also add extra chili to taste.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve picadillo with lime wedges over fluffy jasmine rice or jeera rice with Mexican street corn (elote) or corn dip and chips on the side. It’s also a tasty alternative to taco meat piled over soft tortillas or crispy tostadas. Sometimes, I’ll even add picadillo to a taco bowl.
Finish off with a Mexican coffee and a slice of spicy Mexican hot chocolate fudge for dessert!
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Store leftover picadillo in an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 4 days. I often use leftover picadillo as the filling for Southwest egg rolls or beef enchiladas!
- Reheat. Warm your leftovers in the microwave or on the stovetop. If you find that the texture is a bit dry, add a little additional tomato sauce, broth, or water when reheating.
- Freeze. Picadillo freezes well for up to 2 months. Thaw the leftovers in the fridge overnight before you reheat them.
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Picadillo
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 3 to 4 small potatoes, peeled and diced, about 2 cups
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- ½ red bell pepper, seeded, chopped
- ½ green bell pepper, seeded, chopped
- 1 small chili pepper, like poblano or jalapeno, seeded and chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
Instructions
- Brown the beef. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef, season it to taste with salt and pepper, and cook until browned. Remove the beef from the skillet and set aside.
- Cook the veggies. In the same skillet, add the potatoes and cook them for 5 minutes. Add onion, bell peppers, chili pepper, and garlic. Cook, stirring for 5 minutes.
- Put it all together. Add the beef and return it to the skillet. Add tomato sauce, cumin, and oregano. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer the picadillo for 20 minutes.
- Finish. After 20 minutes, check the potatoes for doneness. They should be cooked at this point.
- Serve. Serve the picadillo with some freshly cooked rice or with tortillas.
Equipment
Notes
- Drain excess fat. If you are using beef with a higher fat content, make sure to drain excess grease from the skillet.
- Serve it with limes. Picadillo flavors pair amazing with lime juice, so always serve your picadillo with some lime wedges.
- More veggies. If you want some extra veggies in your picadillo, you can add corn or chopped carrots.
- Potato options. The best potatoes for this dish are russet and Yukon gold potatoes.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Make Picadillo
You’re about 45 minutes and one skillet away from this easy homemade Mexican picadillo. Follow the steps below:
- Brown the beef. First, season the ground beef, then brown it in a skillet with olive oil. Remove the meat to a plate afterward.
- Cook the veggies. Meanwhile, add the potatoes to the skillet. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the onions, bell peppers, chilies, and garlic. Sauté the veggies for another 5 minutes so that they soften.
- Put it all together. Now, return the cooked beef to the skillet. Stir in the tomato sauce, then the cumin and oregano, and season to taste. Simmer the picadillo for about 20 minutes, until the potatoes are done.
- Serve. Dish up your picadillo with rice or soft tortillas. See the section earlier for more easy serving ideas.
More Mexican-Inspired Recipes
Very tasty and satisfying.
I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂