Sharing my mom's Cuban picadillo recipe. When I'm craving comfort food, this cuban recipe is one of the first dishes that comes to mind. Cuban picadillo was a weeknight dinner staple growing up and one of my favorite childhood meals.
It's a staple in Cuban cuisine that is easy to make and full of flavor. This recipe is easy to make and ready in half an hour. I’ve been making this recipe for over twenty years and now my son loves it now too.
What is Picadillo?
Cuban beef picadillo is ground beef cooked in a tomato sauce with, onions, peppers, garlic and olives. Olives are a must and they should be Spanish queen olives. Pimento stuffed olives are also acceptable, but ideally just really great quality olives.
What is the difference between Mexican and Cuban picadillo?
Both Mexican and Cuban picadillo are delicious ground meat dishes, but they have some key differences:
Ingredients:
- Meat: Both use ground beef traditionally, but some variations might use chicken or turkey.
- Vegetables:
- Mexican: Often features potatoes, carrots, and peas.
- Cuban: Uses peppers (red or green) and sometimes incorporates capers and olives.
- Spices:
- Mexican: Known for its smoky and spicy character. Common spices include chipotle peppers, cumin, chili powder, and oregano.
- Cuban: More focused on savory and briny notes. Uses sofrito (a base of sauteed onions, garlic, and peppers), cumin, oregano, and sometimes a splash of white wine or vinegar.
Texture and Flavor Profile:
- Mexican: Tends to be thicker and more stew-like due to the presence of potatoes and a richer, smokier flavor profile from the chipotle peppers.
- Cuban: Generally has a drier texture and a more savory, slightly briny taste from the olives and capers.
Serving:
- Mexican: Often served with rice and corn tortillas, sometimes used as a filling for tamales.
- Cuban: Typically paired with white rice and black beans, and occasionally used as a filling for empanadas.
Why you'll love this Cuban Picadillo Recipe
- This dish is great for meal prep.
- This ultimate cuban comfort food is family friendly and great for kids.
- Can be easily customized to adjust to most dietary needs.
- Ready in less than 30 minutes and great for weeknight dinners.
Cuban Picadillo Ingredients
- Olive oil
- Ground chuck beef 80/20
- Salt
- Bay Leaf
- Large onion
- Large garlic cloves
- Green bell pepper
- Red bell pepper
- Tomatoes chopped
- Tomato sauce
- Dry white wine
- Cumin ground
- Crushed red pepper
- Oregano
- Green olives with pimento
- Olive brine from the olive jar
- Salt and pepper to taste
How to make Picadillo Cuban
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the pan is hot, stir in the ground beef, bay leaf and salt.
- Once your beef is browned, drain out half the liquid and fat then return back to the stove at medium heat.
- Add the onions, red bell pepper, green peppers and garlic. Stir well and allow it to cook a few 5 minutes.
4. Once your onions have become translucent, add the tomato sauce, wine, olives and olive brine.
5. Then add the cumin, oregano and pepper.
6. Lower the heat to low and cover. Cook for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat, add additional salt and pepper to taste and serve.
7. Garnish with fresh cilantro.
Picadillo Recipe Variations & Substitutitons
- Some people also enjoy putting mini potato fries in their picadillo. If you like your picadillo with papitas, peel and chop 1 yukon gold potatoe into small cubes and fry them separately while cooking the picadillo. Fold the fried potatoes into the picadillo right before serving so they don't become mush.
- If you're trying to lay off the beef? You can make this recipe with ground turkey or with ground chicken.
- Want some raisins in your picadillo? Raisins in picadillo tends to be a bit of a contentious topic within the Cuban community. Some people love them and don't eat their picadillo any other way, while others find them disgusting. I belong to the latter group. However, if you like raisins in your picadillo, feel free to add half a cup at the same time you add your olives.
- Dealing with picky eaters that don't even want to see bell peppers in their food? Place the onions, garlic and bell peppers in your food processor and pulse until the vegetables reach your desired size.
- Don't want to use ground chuck 80/20 beef? Opt instead for lean ground beef.
What to serve with Picadillo Beef
Picadillo is typically served with white rice, cuban black beans, and avocado salad. You can also make Cuban sloppy joes with picadillo by adding the picadillo to a Cuban bread roll or your favorite bread bun.
Storing Cuban Picadillo
Once cooked, your picadillo will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.
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Traditional Cuban Picadillo Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 Lb ground chuck beef 80/20
- ½ Teaspoon of salt
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 Large onion chopped
- 4 Large garlic cloves minced
- 1 Green bell pepper deseeded and chopped
- 1 Red bell pepper deseeded and chopped
- 8 oz tomato sauce
- ¼ Cup red cooking wine
- 1 Teaspoons cumin ground
- ¼ Teaspoon oregano
- ½ Teaspoon of black pepper
- ½ Cup of manzanilla olives with pimento pitted
- 2 Tablespoons of olive brine from the olive jar
- ¼ Teaspoon crushed red pepper optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the pan is hot, stir in the ground beef, bay leaf and salt.
- Once your beef is browned, drain out half the liquid and fat then return back to the stove at medium heat.
- Add the onions, red bell pepper, green peppers and garlic. Stir well and allow it to cook a few 5 minutes.
- Once your onions have become translucent, add the tomato sauce, wine, seasonings, olives and olive brine.
- The add the cumin, oregano and pepper.
- Lower the heat to low and cover. Cook for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat, add additional salt and pepper to taste and serve.
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