I love Picadillo. One of my all-time favorite Picadillo recipes is my Authentic Cuban Picadillo Recipe. But if you are looking for an easier Picadillo recipe, this Easy Beef Picadillo recipe might be just what you are looking for.
What is Picadillo
In its simplest form, a picadillo usually includes some sort of sofrito (garlic, peppers, onions and various spices), meat (beef, turkey or chicken), raisins and olives. Different countries prepare their picadillo differently. Regardless of where it comes from, they are all delicious!
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While this picadillo recipe does call for quite a few ingredients, don’t let that scare you away. This picadillo recipe is quite easy to make and well worth the effort. It’s delicious!
I like to use an 85 / 15 blend of ground beef when making picadillo. A leaner ground beef makes this dish a little on the dry side for my tastes. Feel free to experiment though and select the one that is right for you.
Tips
- Don’t you hate it when raisins get stuck together in a big clump? To unstick the raisins, wet your hands with a little water then work the raisins apart.
Serving Suggestions
This Picadillo dish is best served over a bed of white rice or roasted potatoes. But feel free to experiment on your own!
Gather your Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make this Easy Beef Picadillo recipe (see recipe card for quantities): Olive Oil, Yellow Onion, Garlic Cloves, Ground Beef, Crushed Tomatoes, Green Olives, Raisins, Tomato Paste, Red Wine Vinegar, Unsweetened Cocoa Powder, Ground Cumin, Salt and Slivered Almonds.
How to Make Easy Beef Picadillo
- In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is tender, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in ground beef and cook, until meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
- Add tomatoes, olives, raisins, tomato paste, vinegar, cocoa, cumin, and salt. Stir to combine and heat to boiling.
- Reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened about 5 minutes. Stir in almonds and serve.
Easy Beef Picadillo
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Ingredients
- 4 Tsp Olive Oil
- 1 medium Yellow Onion, finely chopped
- 4 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 2 lbs Ground Beef
- 15 oz Diced Tomatoes
- ½ cup Green Olives, chopped
- ⅓ cup Raisins
- 3 Tbsp Tomato Paste
- 1 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
- 1 Tsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 1 Tsp Ground Cumin
- ½ Tsp Salt
- ¼ cup Almonds, slivered & toasted
Instructions
- In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is tender, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in ground beef and cook, until meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
- Add tomatoes, olives, raisins, tomato paste, vinegar, cocoa, cumin, and salt. Stir to combine and heat to boiling.
- Reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in almonds and serve.
This Beef Picadillo has a great taste. My family loves green olives and raisins. This was one of the reasons I tried this recipe. It turned out great and everyone loved it.