Cuban Picadillo (ground beef)
Cuban picadillo is a ground beef dish that’s really fast to make from pantry ingredients and tastes absolutely delicious.
Ground Beef Seasoning
Ground beef is the key to many quick weeknight meals in my house. There are many spices and seasonings that go with ground beef, which makes it a versatile ingredient. This recipe is one of the ground beef dishes that I make regularly. Some of the spices that go well with ground beef are garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, chili powder, oregano, cumin, ground annatto (achiote), and many more. I use my Cuban Seasoning, a Cuban spice blend that is a version of sazon. Having the pre-made spice blend on hand makes an easy dish even easier to throw together quickly.
What is Cuban Picadillo?
The word picadillo is a Spanish word that translates into “hash” or stew. Picadillo is traditionally made from ground beef, and a traditional dish in many Latin American countries and the Phillippines. Besides tomato, it also can include raisins, potatoes, olives, and capers, depending on the region and family recipe. Cuban picadillo usually contains pimiento-stuffed olives and/or capers, and is seasoned with sazon. It is eaten with rice or used as a filling for savory pastries.
Cuban Picadillo (ground beef)
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
- 1/2 medium onion
- 1/2 green bell pepper
- 1 tomato or 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup pimiento-stuffed Spanish olives or 2 Tablespoons capers
- 1 teaspoon Cuban seasoning
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
- Brown beef over high heat in a large saute pan and season with 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt. Use a metal spoon to break it up into small pieces.
- While meat is browning, dice onion, pepper, and tomato, and mince garlic. If olives are large, cut in half.
- Once the beef is cooked, turn down the heat to medium and add olive oil. Add chopped veggies, along with Cuban seasoning, olives, or capers, plus 2 Tablespoons of the brine from the olives. Add tomato paste and water, and simmer for about 20 minutes. Taste and add more salt if necessary.
- Traditionally picadillo is served with white rice.