If you are looking for an easy recipe to make on a lazy evening, the Cuban Picadillo is a great option. It’s a Cuban dish full of flavor, colorful and nutritious. The dish is popular in Latin America and the Philippines. Some ingredients used to prepare this delicacy include raisins, potatoes, lean ground beef, tomatoes, olives, and spices to make it saucy and packed with flavor.
That said, you can choose to prepare it differently depending on your region. For example, the Mexican Picadillo is sweet and spicy and the Spanish variation is made without potatoes. Furthermore, you can use ground chicken, ground turkey and ground pork as substitutes for beef. Always remember that cooking ingredients aren’t set on stone and that’s what makes it a lovely experience.
With all that in mind, here are the ingredients and instructions for making the Cuban Picadillo recipe, the ultimate Cuban comfort food.
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How to Make Cuban Picadillo
Equipment
- Wooden spoon
- Large skillet
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- 2 teaspoons of dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons of ground cumin
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 1 medium yellow or white onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 small red bell pepper, cored and seeded, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
- 1 large waxy potato (such as Yukon Gold or red, about 8 ounces), peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup pimento-stuffed olives plus 2 tablespoons brine
- 4 medium cloves garlic, finely chopped (about 4 teaspoons)
- 1/3 cup raisins
- 1 cup diced canned tomatoes
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Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pan or skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the ground beef and continuously stirr until it’s brown and no longer pink. When it’s done, set aside the meat in a bowl.
- Drain off the excess fat then pour in the onions and cook until they are soft. Add the bell pepper to the mixture, followed by the oregano, garlic, cumin and bay leaf. After about 2 minutes, add the tomato paste and mix it in until its color deepens.
- When the ingredients are well cooked, pour in the ground beef and wine and stir properly. Add the raisins, capers, potatoes, worcestershire sauce, tomatoes, green olives, and brine.
- Let the mixture cook for about 12 minutes under reduced heat to allow the potatoes to cook. When it’s almost ready, remove the bay leaves, and season with salt and pepper.
- Serve a dish of Cuban Picadillo with your desired accompaniment. This can be cilantro lime rice, tortilla chips, enchiladas and hard taco shells.
Cuban Picadillo
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons of dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons of ground cumin
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 1 medium yellow or white onion finely chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 small red bell pepper cored and seeded, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
- 1 large waxy potato such as Yukon Gold or red, about 8 ounces, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup pimento-stuffed olives plus 2 tablespoons brine
- 4 medium cloves garlic finely chopped (about 4 teaspoons)
- 1/3 cup raisins
- 1 cup diced canned tomatoes
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pan or skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the ground beef and continuously stirr until it’s brown and no longer pink. When it’s done, set aside the meat in a bowl.
- Drain off the excess fat then pour in the onions and cook until they are soft. Add the bell pepper to the mixture, followed by the oregano, garlic, cumin and bay leaf. After about 2 minutes, add the tomato paste and mix it in until its color deepens.
- When the ingredients are well cooked, pour in the ground beef and wine and stir properly. Add the raisins, capers, potatoes, worcestershire sauce, tomatoes, green olives, and brine.
- Let the mixture cook for about 12 minutes under reduced heat to allow the potatoes to cook. When it’s almost ready, remove the bay leaves, and season with salt and pepper.
- Serve a dish of Cuban Picadillo with your desired accompaniment. This can be cilantro lime rice, tortilla chips, enchiladas and hard taco shells.
Video
Nutrition
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