easy beef picadillo

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.

meat in skillet

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!

easy beef picadillo simmering

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!

red wine vinegar
Red Wine Vinegar

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.

easy beef picadillo with rice
easy beef picadillo

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.

This Picadillo dish is best served over a bed of white rice or roasted potatoes. But feel free to experiment on your own!

easy beef picadillo

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.

  1. In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is tender, about 5 minutes.
  2. Stir in ground beef and cook, until meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
  3. Add tomatoes, olives, raisins, tomato paste, vinegar, cocoa, cumin, and salt. Stir to combine and heat to boiling.
  4. Reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened about 5 minutes. Stir in almonds and serve.

More Recipe Ideas

Printable Recipe Card

beef picadillo

Easy Beef Picadillo

If you've never had Picadillo before then you must try this Easy to make Beef Picadillo. One of the easiest and tastiest dishes out there!
4.80 from 5 votes

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Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Cuban, Mexican
Author Rodney
Servings 6
Calories 508 kcal

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
  • â…“ 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.
Nutrition (1 of 6 servings)
Calories: 508kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 639mg | Potassium: 762mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 249IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 5mg
This information is an estimate and may vary based on several factors. If nutritional information is important to you and your diet, please verify this recipe with a Registered Dietitian.
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One Comment

  1. Alice says:

    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.

4.80 from 5 votes (4 ratings without comment)