Cuban Picadillo Recipe

This quick and easy Cuban Picadillo recipe is my family’s favorite! It blends savory ground beef with tomatoes, onions, peppers, olives, and warm spices for a rich, tangy, and aromatic dish.

Cuban Picadillo

When I was a kid, my mom learned how to make picadillo from a Cuban friend who was more like a grandma to me. It was always my favorite, so it became a staple in our home. My friends loved eating over on the nights it was on the menu. My blog has many versions of this recipe, such as this Slow Cooker
Picadillo, Instant Pot Picadillo, and Turkey Picadillo. I also love the Puerto Rican version–Carne Molida.

Why I Make Cuban Picadillo Every Month

• Perfect for Meal Prep: You’ll want to double this simple picadillo recipe so you can have leftovers! It freezes and reheats well.
• Endless Possibilities: I provide 10 ways to serve it below, so you can switch up how you eat it. Another reason I love it for meal prep!
• Dietary Restrictions: Weight Watchers-friendly, gluten-free, high-protein, dairy-free, keto

If you make this healthy Cuban picadillo recipe, I would love to see it. Tag me in your photos or videos on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook!

What is Cuban picadillo?

Picadillo is a popular Latin American dish with ground meat and tomatoes. There are many variations, but typically, it has green olives, peppers, onions, garlic, and Latin spices. Traditionally, it contains raisins, but we prefer it without, so I skip them. But you do you!

Cuban Picadillo Ingredients

This ground beef recipe combines vegetables, spices, and olives to create a flavorful, satisfying dish. The recipe card has the exact measurements.

• Aromatics: Chopped onion and garlic
• Tomatoes: We use 2 types of tomatoes: fresh diced tomatoes and tomato sauce, which the meat simmers in.
• Bell Pepper: I like red bell pepper the best, but green works too.
• Cilantro adds a fresh, herbaceous flavor.
• Ground Beef is my favorite in picadillo. I use 93% lean meat to keep it light.
• Seasoning: Kosher salt, black pepper, ground cumin, bay leaves
• Green Olives and Brine are essential for authentic picadillo. If you use alcaparrado (a mix of olives, pimiento, and capers), make sure to buy the pitted version!

How to Make Cuban Picadillo

Cook the meat and vegetables, then let it simmer while you finish the rest of your dinner. The printable instructions are below.

1. Cook the Meat: Season the beef with salt and pepper and brown it on high heat in a large pan, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Once it’s no longer pink, drain all the liquid from the pan.
2. Saute the Vegetables: While the meat cooks, chop the vegetables. Add them to the pan and cook on low heat.
3. Simmer the Picadillo: Add the olives, brine, cumin, bay leaf, and more salt if needed, and pour in the tomato sauce with a quarter cup of water. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

Variations

• Meat: Swap ground beef for ground turkey or chicken.
• Not a fan of cilantro? Omit it.
• Olives: Replace green olives with capers.
• Picadillo with Potatoes: Add some diced potatoes when you cook the other vegetables.
• Does Cuban picadillo have raisins? Traditional picadillo does have raisins, which give it a sweeter taste. My family and I like it better without them, but you can add them if you prefer!
• Taste Test: Before you serve it, taste it. If you think it needs more olives, salt, or cumin, add it.

How to Serve Picadillo

I make picadillo a few times a month and make enough to have leftovers. It’s perfect for meal prep because it’s fast and easy to make. Plus, there are so many great ways to serve the leftovers that you won’t get tired of eating the same meal all week. Below are some of my favorites, but leave a comment if you come up with another way to serve it!

I have multiple recipes on my site that use picadillo:

• Air Fryer Empanadas 
• Picadillo Quesadillas
• Slow Cooker Picadillo Stuffed Peppers
• Picadillo Stuffed Sweet Plantains

Here are some more ways to use it:

• Tacos or tostadas with red onions and shredded cheddar cheese
• Rice bowl with a quick cabbage slaw and avocado or over cauliflower rice for a low-carb option
• Served as a main with sweet plantains or air fryer tostones on the side
• Add the meat to scrambled eggs and top with hot sauce
• Taco Bell-style Meximelt with cheese and pico de gallo
• On baked potatoes with shredded cheese

Storage

• Refrigerate leftovers for 4 days.
• Freeze it for up to 6 months. I like storing it in small glass airtight containers so I can reheat individual containers when needed.
• Reheat: Thaw the container in the fridge the day before and warm it in the microwave or a skillet on the stove.

More Cuban-inspired Recipes You’ll Love

• Ropa Vieja
• Quick and Delicioso Cuban Style Black Beans
• Instant Pot Garlicky Cuban Pork
• Cubano Chicken
• Arroz Congri (Cuban Rice and Black Beans)

Cuban Picadillo

4.84 from 149 votes 5 Cals:207 Protein:25 Carbs:5 Fat:8.5 Fiber:1 This Cuban Picadillo recipe is my family’s favorite! It’s really quick and easy to make, I make it a few times a month and make enough so we have leftovers! Course: Dinner Cuisine: Cuban, Latin

Prep: 10 minutes minsCook: 25 minutes minsTotal: 35 minutes mins Print Rate Pin Save Saved! WW Points Yield: 6 Servings Serving Size: 1 /2 cup 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• ½ large chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tomato, chopped
• ½ red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp cilantro
• 1 ½ lb 93% lean ground beef
• 4 oz tomato sauce, ½ can
• ¼ cup water
• kosher salt
• fresh ground pepper
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1-2 dried bay leaves
• 2 tbsp pitted green olives or alcaparrado, capers would work too
• 2-4 tbsp olive brine

Instructions

• Brown meat on high heat in large sauté pan and season with salt and pepper. Use a wooden spoon to break the meat up into small pieces. When meat is no longer pink, drain all juice from pan.
• Meanwhile, while meat is cooking, chop onion, garlic, pepper, tomato and cilantro.
• Add the vegetables to the meat and continue cooking on low heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add olives or alcaparrado and about 2 to 4 tbsp of the brine (the juice from the olives, this adds great flavor) cumin, bay leaf, and more salt if needed.
• Add tomato sauce and ¼ cup of water and mix well. Reduce heat and simmer covered about 20 minutes.

Notes

You can refrigerate the leftover picadillo for four days or freeze it for up to six months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 /2 cup, Calories: 207 kcal, Carbohydrates: 5 g, Protein: 25 g, Fat: 8.5 g, Saturated Fat: 3 g, Cholesterol: 74 mg, Sodium: 477 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 3 g