Best Mexican Picadillo Recipe

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On busy weeknights, I always turn to cooking a hearty meal that the whole family will enjoy, and this Mexican Picadillo recipe is one I almost always find myself turning to.

The flavors are absolutely delicious, and is perfect if you want to enjoy home cooked meals without putting too much effort.

Plus, it is packed with protein and fiber and is super healthy too!

What I Love About this Recipe

This Piccadillo recipe is great for many reasons. Not only is it a hearty, meaty and filling dish, but it packs in super savory flavors that my family is a huge fan of.

The fact that I can make Picadillo ahead of time and freeze it for later is another big plus, which also makes it a great option for those who like to meal prep.

I can just reheat and serve the leftover Picadillo when I’m short of time and am looking for a dish that has great flavor and can be ready for dinner tonight.

Mexican Picadillo Cooking Time

• Yield: 5-6
• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cook Time: 22 min
• Total Time: 37 min

Mexican Picadillo Ingredients

You’ll need a handful of simple ingredients to put this flavorful Picadillo recipe together.

• 1 pd Ground Beef 80/20
• 4 tbsp. Mexican Spices, divided
• 1 Can Fire Roasted Tomatoes
• 2-3 Chipotle Peppers, diced
• 3 cups Baby Potatoes, sliced and quartered
• 1 Purple Onions, sliced small
• 1 of each Red, Yellow, Orange, Green bell Pepper, diced
• 2-3 Jalapenos, diced
• 3 cups White Rice, cooked
• 8-10 Baby Tomatoes, sliced
• 1⁄2 cup Cilantro, chopped
• 1 Lime, juice

How to Make the Picadillo Recipe

Once you have the ingredients ready, here’s what you’ll need to do to make Picadillo from scratch.

Step 1: Brown Ground Beef in a Pan

In a saucepan or a large skillet over medium heat, add ground beef, and half of the Mexican seasonings. Toss to combine, cook over medium high heat for 5 minutes.

Step 2: Add Tomatoes and Peppers

Add tomatoes and chipotle peppers and toss to combine. Continue to cook on medium heat until it is fully cooked. Remove from the pan and set to the side.

Step 3: Add Onion, Potatoes and Seasonings

Add your onions, peppers, potatoes, jalapenos, and the other half of the Mexican spices to the tomato mixture and toss to combine.

Cook over medium to high heat for 5 minutes, make sure to stir often. Cover the saucepan, reduce heat and cook for another 10 min or until the potatoes are soft.

Step 4: Combine Everything and Cook

Add the beef to the potato mixture, stir to combine, cover, and cook for 5-7 minutes on medium heat.

Step 5: Cook White Rice

Cook the white rice as directed on the package. Add the lime juice and half of the diced cilantro.

Step 6: Combine and Serve.

Toss to combine. Garnish with the sliced tomatoes.

Tips and Tricks to Make the Mexican Picadillo

While making the Mexican Picadillo is easy, you might want to keep these tips and tricks handy.

• In addition to the tomatoes, bell pepper and onions, you can also add other veggies to the ground beef mixture. Chopped mushrooms, green beans and green peas are good options.
• To lend the Picadillo a bit of texture, you can use whole tomatoes instead of slicing and dicing them.
• Manzanilla olives can also be an excellent addition to the Picadillo. It can lend the dish a nice salty flavor. If you don’t have Manzanilla olives, you can use green olives too!
• I also like to add a bit of ground cumin and some salt and pepper in addition to the other seasonings in the recipe. Use freshly crushed black pepper to get the best flavor.
• Chopped garlic is another one of my favorites that I always end up adding to the Picadillo. If you don’t have fresh garlic, you can also use a dash of garlic powder instead.
• You can also add a bay leaf into the ground beef mixture while it is being cooked, and then remove it towards the end before you serve.
• To bring some healthy fats into the dish and to lend more flavor to the ground beef, you can add a bit of olive oil too.
• If you don’t have baby potatoes, you can use regular diced potatoes instead. I would recommend against using mashed potatoes, but if you don’t mind the texture, you can totally use them.
• If you don’t have the fire roasted tomatoes that the recipe calls for, you can use tomato sauce and some crushed black pepper or some spicy peppers of your choice instead.
• Remember to use good quality tomato sauce for the recipe, as it can make all the difference in the flavors and textures of the Picadillo.
• If the Picadillo seems to be drying up too much, you can loosen the mixture by adding some more tomato sauce or some beef broth.
• I like to use low sodium beef broth to keep my sodium intake in check. If you don’t have beef broth, you can use a stock cube and some water or any other broth of your choice too.
• You can also add some chopped peppers or cayenne pepper into the Picadillo if you want to bring some more heat into the dish.

What is Cuban Picadillo?

Cuban Picadillo and Mexican Picadillo are quite similar in many aspects. The only difference really likes in the ingredients that go into making them.

Both these versions of Picadillo use ground beef as the key ingredient, along with some diced potatoes and tomato sauce.

The Cuban version of the Picadillo recipe calls for the addition to green olives, black beans and capers, and occasionally some bay leaves too.

Mexican Picadillo, on the other hand, focuses on the use of ground beef or ground meat, bell pepper, garlic and seasonings.

There’s also a Filipino-style Picadillo recipe that calls for the addition to some green peas in addition to the ground beef and tomato sauce mixture.

What Can I Use Instead of Ground Beef?

While traditional Mexican Picadillo is made with ground beef, you can also try making a version of this recipe with some ground turkey or any other ground meat of your choice.

Remember that ground beef has the maximum flavor and is the best choice for this recipe.

Can I Prep the Picadillo in Advance?

You sure can! I usually brown ground beef in a big batch and allow it to cool down completely before freezing it in airtight containers.

Then, when I want to put this dish together, all I need to do is combine the defrosted ground beef with some tomato sauce, chopped bell pepper, salt, black pepper, garlic, ground cumin and other seasonings and spices.

How to Serve and Eat Picadillo

This Mexican Picadillo is super versatile, and is commonly served with rice or tortillas.

To make it a complete meal, you can serve it with some Mexican rice or wrap it in a warm tortilla.

To bring some more flavor and deliciousness to the dish, you can also top it with some fresh cilantro, chopped onion, crumbled cheese, or diced avocado. In fact, it can also be teamed up with some homemade Pico de Gallo.

This Picadillo can also be used as a filling for your empanadas, tacos, or burritos. All you need to do is spoon some of the mixture into your tortilla or pastry and add your favorite toppings.

How to Store the Leftovers

If you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, and then reheat in the microwave or on the stove, being careful to ensure that it is heated all through before serving.

This can be a great delicious recipe to serve with steamed rice and enjoy with the whole family.

More Delicious Recipes

If you enjoyed making this Mexican Picadillo, and are inspired to try some more recipes, here are a few good ones you might want to check out.

• Instant Pot Chicken Stroganoff
• Instant Pot Enchilada Soup
• Instant Pot Chicken Legs
• Instant Pot Lettuce Wraps
• Mexican Rigatoni: Date Night Rigatoni