Mexican Picadillo

Mexican Style Ground Beef Dish

Looking for a new twist on typical ground beef dinners? Try making Picadillo, a flavorful but not hot Mexican ground beef dish prepared with potatoes, carrots, raisins, and tomato sauce. Every Mexican family makes a variation of this dish.

Picadillo is enjoyed Latin America in addition to Mexico. Each country has its own preferred way of preparing it. It’s particularly popular in Cuba and Puerto Rico. Cuban style is prepared with bell peppers, white wine, and capers. Puerto Rican style is  uses a sofrito as its base.

How to Make Picadillo

• 2 lbs low-fat ground beef
• 2 medium white potatoes
• 2 medium carrots
• 1 cup green peas (preferably frozen peas not canned)
• ½ cup raisins
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

First Steps

• Peel the carrots and potatoes first.

• Chop the potatoes and carrots. We like the potatoes and carrots on the chunky side especially when we serve the picadillo over rice. If you plan on making tacos de picadillo chop the potatoes and carrots into smaller pieces.

Cooking

• Add the ground beef to a large preheated frying pan with 2 tablespoons of cooking oil.
• Gently break up the meat so that it browns evenly.

• Lightly brown the ground beef. Try not to over-brown the meat because it will be on the dry side. Use this picture as a guide.
• Don’t drain the liquid that the meat gives off. It incorporates into the dish and enriches the flavor.
• Add the potatoes and carrots to the ground beef and cook for about 6 minutes.

• Add the raisins and green peas to the mixture.
• Mix until all of the ingredients are evenly dispersed.

• Season with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper.

• Add the tomato sauce. You can add ¼ cup beef broth for extra flavor when cooking.

• Mix in the tomato sauce until it is fully incorporated.

• Cook the picadillo over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes until the liquid has reduced and the potatoes and carrots are fully cooked and have softened.
• Taste and add salt if necessary. 

How to Serve Picadillo

• Serve over white rice, on a tostada, or as a taco or burrito filling or even by itself.

• Substitute ground turkey or ground chicken for the ground meat.
• You can add ½ cup chopped white onion if you like. Add the onion at the same time you add the potatoes and carrots.
• If you want your picadillo to be spicy, add 1 or 2 very finely chopped serrano peppers or jalapeño peppers when you add the potato and carrots.
• For extra seasoning try adding a pinch of cumin, or Mexican oregano, or chili powder, or paprika.

Print Pin

4.06 from 18 votes

Mexican Picadillo Recipe

Mexican style ground beef with carrots, potatoes, green peas, raisins, and tomato sauce. Great as a taco filling, over white rice, or on a tostada. One of our favorite ground beef recipes.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword Easy, ground beef, picadillo

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 528kcal

Author Douglas Cullen

Equipment

• Cutting board
• Kitchen knife
• 3 or 4 small bowls
• Large frying pan or skillet

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. low-fat ground beef
• 2 medium white potatoes
• 2 medium carrots
• 1 cup green peas preferably use frozen peas not canned
• ½ cup raisins
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin optional
• 2 bay leaves optional (remove before serving)
• 2 tablespoon cooking or olive oil

Instructions

• Peel the carrots and potatoes first.
• Chop the potatoes and carrots.
• Preheat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
• Add the ground beef to the frying pan and lightly brown the ground beef. (about 5 minutes)
• Add the potatoes and carrots, stir and cook for 6 minutes.
• Add the raisins and peas and stir.
• Add the tomato sauce, salt and black pepper and stir.
• Reduce to medium-low heat and cook for 20 minutes until the liquid has reduced and the potatoes and carrots have softened.
• Taste and add salt if necessary.

Notes

Preparation

• Picadillo should be moist but not wet when served.
• If it is starting to get dry before the potatoes and carrots are cooked add 2 tablespoons of water as needed so that it remains moist.
• Chop the potatoes coarsely if you are going to serve it over rice or on a tostada. Chop them finer if you are going to serve it in tacos.
• If you are making tacos, it goes well with both corn and flour tortillas.
• If you use canned peas, rinse them well to remove excess salt.

Substitutions

• If you don’t have any tomato sauce, use 3 Roma tomatoes that have been smoothly blended as a substitute. Tomato paste works too using smaller quantities.

Optional Ingredients

• You can add ½ cup chopped white onion if you like. Add the onion at the same time you add the potatoes and carrots.
• If you want your picadillo to be spicy, add 1 or 2 very finely chopped serrano peppers or jalapeño peppers when you add the potato and carrots.

Storage

• Picadillo will keep well refrigerated for 3 day in an airtight storage container.
• It will keep well in the freezer for 3 monthsin an airtight storage container.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 528kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 17g | Sodium: 916mg | Sugar: 20g

More Mexican Beef Recipes

• Bistec a la Mexicana
• Carne Asada
• Beef Rolls in Tomato Sauce
• Beef Tenderloin in 3 Chile Sauce
• Pan-Fried Meatballs
• Sirloin Cap Roast (Picaña)