If you are part of a Cuban family, I don't need to explain the amazingness of picadillo to you. You already know that it's the ultimate Cuban comfort food. But if you've never had or even heard of picadillo you're probably wondering, "what's so great about this ground beef concoction?" Well it's savory ground beef in a tomato based sauce with spices and a few extra goodies. I know it doesn't sound particularly exciting...but it's just plain good! I promise 🙂
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Picadillo is one of those meals that is complete comfort food to me. My (American) husband thinks I'm crazy but I could eat it a couple times a week and never get sick of it! It's nothing fancy or complicated, but to me, it's the perfect meal. And if you're wondering why there's a banana in the photo...well that's my Cuban roots. I can't eat picadillo without a banana on the side. There's something about that salty/sweet combination that's just perfection.
It start with the same base as any good Cuban recipe...onions, green peppers, and garlic. 
And this is not a sponsored "[easyazon_link identifier="B001TA9MDQ" locale="US" tag="cocandash-20" cart="n"]Adobo[/easyazon_link]" post but I love the stuff so much that I'm going to go ahead and give them a shout out here. If you don't have adobo in your pantry...go get some right now! If your grocery store doesn't sell it, you can find it [easyazon_link identifier="B001TA9MDQ" locale="US" tag="cocandash-20" cart="n"]here[/easyazon_link]. You could sprinkle it on a shoe and it would taste amazing. It's basically a mix of salt, garlic powder, turmeric, and a few other things. I use it more often than I use salt and pepper and this dish is no different. 
Now I'm not big olive fan, but there's something about them that's just perfect in picadillo. If you don't like olives though, you can leave them out and it'll still be great! And you don't need any fancy olives, just the jarred, pimento-stuffed olives. I slice mine in half but you can leave them whole or dice them up small if you'd like. 
Once you add the tomato sauce and paste and seasonings, you just let it simmer for 15 minutes and it will thicken up and be ready to serve!
I like to serve mine over a big bowl of white rice. Here's a post on how to make perfect white rice every time!
I hope you enjoy this picadillo dish and find as much comfort in it as I do. And by the way, it's very kid friendly! My kids have been devouring this stuff since they first were able to chew! (I do leave out the olives for them thought because...toddlers) 🙂
Cuban Picadillo
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion - diced
- ½ large green pepper - diced
- 2 large cloves of garlic - minced
- 1 and ½ lb ground beef (I use lean)
- ½ teaspoon adobo seasoning (if you don't have this...go out and get some asap!! It's the best)
- 1 8 ounce can of tomato sauce
- 3 tablespoon tomato paste
- ¼ cup white wine
- ¼ cup pimento stuffed olives plus 1 tablespoon of the brine from the jar (I just slice my olives in half but you can leave them hole or dice them finely)
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once it's hot, add in your olive oil and then add your chopped peppers and onions. Saute until they are soft. It usually takes about 5 minutes.
- After the 5 minutes, add in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add in the ground beef and sprinkle with the adobo seasoning. I have to be honest, I never measure this. I just sprinkle it all around the beef. It does have salt in it though so if you are sensitive to salt, try not to go over the ½ teaspoon.
- Cook the meat until it's browned then add in the rest of the ingredients. (tomato sauce, tomato paste, white wine, olives and brine, sugar, and cumin)
- Stir everything to combine and cook uncovered for 15 minutes over low heat.
- Serve over a big bowl of white rice! CLICK TO LEARN HOW TO MAKE WHITE RICE!
Notes
Mindy says
I've never had this but it looks delicious and easy! I might add to my meal plan this week. Now to see if i can find pimento stuffed olives..
Coco and Ash says
Thank you!! And I find the olives near the pickles in the grocery store. They're in a little jar. 🙂 hope you like it!
Angel Rigal says
I love this recipe, I’m Cuban and my family loves it. Very easy to make and flavorful
Coco and Ash says
Thank you!!
Michelle Frank | Flipped-Out Food says
This looks delicious! I'd love to try this mix as an empañada filling. YUM!
Coco and Ash says
Yes!! It's amazing in empanadas! I was actually planning to do a post about those and link it to this picadillo 🙂 Thank you!
Mark says
They sell this at the Miami fairgrounds events . You recipe is AWESOME !! It looks just like Miami ! It is SOOO DELICIOUS !!!
Coco and Ash says
Thank you!!
Elaine @ Dishes Delish says
I have never heard of Picadillo, I love all the ingredients and I can imagine I'll be making this very soon! I have to get some of that adobo stuff too! Mmmm.
Christine says
Oh this looks so good! I love authentic ethnic recipes and hearing the stories behind them.
Coco and Ash says
Thank you so much!
Platter Talk says
I'm not Cuban but this dish looks like a perfect comfort food, to me! It sounds especially good in these winter months. I'd think I'd put it on a leaf of lettuce and roll it up.
Coco and Ash says
That sounds like a great idea to me!!
Kim @ Three Olives Branch says
Yummy! I have been working on trying more foods from various cultures lately, this looks like a perfect thing to try out!
Coco and Ash says
Thank you!! Let me know if you try it!
Melissa | Bits of Umami says
Didn't realize you were also Cuban! Loving this picadillo recipe. One of my absolute favorites! Also... Gotta love that shot of Adobo 😉
Coco and Ash says
Thank you!! I just checked out your site and you have some yummy Cuban recipes too!! I'll have to try some of them!! Cuban food is the best isn't it?! 🙂
Melissa | Bits of Umami says
Cubans unite! Haha. It's definitely the best 🙂
Heather Buentello says
My husband would love this! And I can't get enough olives in my life so....
Coco and Ash says
Let me know if you try it!! 🙂
Christina says
I love that you accompanied the picadillo with a banana - that's how my mom used to serve it if we didn't have plantains. I grew up in Southern California and it wasn't easy to score plantains where we lived 😉
Coco and Ash says
Aw! Gotta have the banana! I hope you get to enjoy it!
Regine says
So so good. I used 1 tsp instead of 1/2 tsp adobo. Recipe is perfect. Comfort food at its best. Mine looked exactly like your picture and we served it with banana. Thanks.
Coco and Ash says
Adobo is life!! I'm so glad it turned out well for you! 🙂
AnaMaria PedroPan says
Great for leftovers. When I fix it i double or triple recipe. I freeze for pastelitos de carne. I use peperidge farm sheet pastry dough,also great for stuffed peppers. Mix left over Piccadilly with left over rice.Prego sauce on top and bake.Delish.
Alicia Reilly says
I’m a Cuban married for 54 years to a lovely American. Naturally he loves picadillo even though he still pronounces it “picalillo”. Never fails to amuse our three “cubanaza” daughters. I too eat it with a banana when plantains are not available. Sometimes I eat a fried egg with my white rice. Did you know that Argentinians call arroz con huevo frito “Cuban rice?
Ana Maria says
When I was in Spain in the 90's, the restaurants had arroz con huevo as an entree. So it seems it's brought down through the Spaniard who came to Cuba.
Huevo frito, arroz y picadillo is the way to go with picadillo. Or put it as the filling for empanadas, or pastelitos. YUM.
FINALLY a recipe that doesn't add cinnamon or potatoes. And yes, we add raisins (but I don't remember Mami adding any cumin).
My mom used to put the green pepper and onion in the blender so we wouldn't see it and complain, but it would still have the flavor. When young, he'd pick out the raisins and olives if they were showing. I did too, but love them as an adult. Without raisins it just doesn't have the 'picadillo' flavor! I look forward to trying these measurements. won't rate now, because I haven't cooked it yet.
Alicia Reilly says
By the way, like Ana María, I’m also a Pedro Pan”.
Pam says
Everyone loves this!! I'm so glad I found your recipe. I made exactly as written. Ty!!!
Vicki says
We have used your sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving, your Cuban Chicken Soup to sooth the soul, Ropa Veja on cold nights, and the Picadillo tonight again for dinner. Oh and we did the Chicken Mojo on Monday night in the crockpot! The next is the Arroz con Pollo. Thank you for always sharing the best of the best. Our family is grateful to be sitting down with some Cuban food to remind us of Miami where home will always be.
Coco and Ash says
Thank you Vicki! So glad you're enjoying the recipes!
Julianne Gabert says
Awesome recipe! I had to make a few substitutions cause of covid but great work!
Coco and Ash says
Thank you!
Tp says
Ok I'm not Cuban so please bear with me but...i can't find anything about draining the meat. Do you leave the fat in?
Coco and Ash says
Totally your preference. I don’t drain mine only because I use lean beef. But I’d drain it if it’s fatty 🙂
AL says
I grew up in Miami and love authentic Cuban food. I love using this recipe in empanadas. It is a family favorite.
Coco and Ash says
Awesome! Thank you!!
Darrow Molder says
Easy and delicious.
Jan Jones says
I made this and put it in a pie crust and baked it to be similar to empañadas. ¡It was delicioso!
Carrie Feinstein says
Excellent. I made plantain fritters to serve on the side ! And some guacamole. So good!
Coco and Ash says
Thank you!!
Marlene Sandford says
I just made Picadillo with black beans and white rice, and Maduuros. A little side of Yucca doesn’t hurt.
HERTHA DUBARRIE says
THE ONLY THING MISSING IN HERE ARE THE RAISINS
Coco and Ash says
Feel free to add raisins if you like! 🙂
Jason Cueto says
Which white wine do you use?
Coco and Ash says
Any dry cooking wine will work! Nothing fancy needed 🙂
Gayle says
Can ground pork be used instead of ground beef?
Coco and Ash says
I don’t see why not but I have never tried that. Let me know if you do!
Ann Gem says
This recipe’s flavor profile is spot on! It takes me back to my childhood, when my Dad would make this amazing dish. The only addition that I made was diced potatoes. Yum!
Coco and Ash says
I add the potatoes too every once in a while! Thank you!
Kelly says
What adobo seasoning to you recommend? They seem to vary greatly. I see some that are mostly white in color (Goya), others that are very red (like Morton & Bassett), and several in between (like Simply Organic). I would appreciate some direction from a Cuban cook. Thanks!
Coco and Ash says
Hi Kelly! I ALWAYS use the Goya adobo with the red lid. I hope that helps 🙂
Stephanie says
Hi ! What kind of white wine do you use? Is dry cooking wine optional ?
Coco and Ash says
Definitely dry cooking wine for this. Nothing fancy is needed. But you can use whatever you have open 🙂
Garlic Girl says
Made tonight for dinner. No rice but put over potatoes. Yummo!!!