Cuban Picadillo Recipe
sandravalvassori.com
This Cuban Picadillo recipe is bursting with traditional Latin American flavors! A mix of spices, onions, bell pepper, garlic, tender bits of potatoes, tomato sauce, manzanilla olives, and raisins combine with ground beef to create a sauce that tastes sharp, savory and structured. Each bite is a pop of salty-sweet that everyone finds irresistible. Serve over white fluffy rice and this restaurant-worthy meal will be on the table in under one hour.
Servings: 4 to 6
Ingredients
- 2 small potatoes, I use Yukon Gold, can also use russet, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (see notes)
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow or red onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1 small green pepper, cored, seeded, and finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 pounds lean ground beef (see notes)
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup broth, I use beef but chicken or vegetable works
- ½ cup pimento-stuffed Spanish olives plus 2 tablespoons brine
- 3-4 Tablespoons raisins, optional
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Place the cubed potatoes in a small saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until just slightly tender. Drain and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and green pepper and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more, just until fragrant.
- Stir in the tomato paste, oregano, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the spices are toasted and the tomato paste deepens in color.
- Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned and no longer pink, about 5–7 minutes. Pour in the white wine and cook for about 1–2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until slightly reduced.
- Stir in the tomato sauce, bay leaves, and broth. Bring to a gentle simmer. Add the par-cooked potatoes to the skillet along with the olives and brine, and raisins (if using). Stir well to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are fully tender and the flavors have melded.
- Remove from heat and stir in chopped cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Garnish with additional cilantro before serving, if desired.
Notes
- Potatoes: This Cuban-style picadillo includes small cubes of potato. Because the sauce doesn’t have a lot of liquid, the potatoes can take a while to become tender, even when cut small. To speed things up, I like to parboil the cubed potatoes for about 6 minutes before adding them to the picadillo. If you prefer to skip this step, simply add the potatoes raw and cook the picadillo for an additional 10—15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. You may need to add a little more broth if the sauce dries up too quickly.
- Ground beef: I don't like my picadillo too fatty so I recommend using a lean ground beef that is 85/15 (85% lean meat and 15% fat content). If your meat has a higher fat content, you may need to drain off some of the fat.
- To store: Leftover beef picadillo can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat until warmed through.