This Easy Cuban Picadillo Recipe combines savory ground beef with a flavorful combination of tomatoes, potatoes, olives, capers, and raisins. A classic Cuban comfort food, this quick and easy dinner is ideal for busy weeknights and pairs perfectly with rice, plantains, or warm tortillas.
If you love this recipe, check out Cuba’s national dish next, Ropa Vieja!
Picadillo con Papas (Picadillo with Potatoes)
This classic Cuban picadillo recipe is a flavorful and delicious weeknight dinner you never knew you were missing—until now! At least, that’s my experience, and now my family and I can’t get enough. A staple in Cuban cuisine, this comforting dish is an affordable, versatile, family-friendly meal that’s super easy to make. This version of Cuban picadillo will take about 45 minutes to cook (slightly longer than other recipes since it includes potatoes). It can be served in various ways—over rice, inside tacos, or even as a filling for empanadas!
Table of contents
What is Cuban Picadillo?
Picadillo [pronounced: pee-ca-dee-yo] is a Cuban-style hash that combines various textures and flavors, such as savory ground beef, briny olives and capers, and sweet raisins. The dish starts with a sofrito (more about this at the end of the post) which cooks slowly over low heat to soften and sweeten rather than crisp and caramelize.
But what really makes Cuban-style picadillo unique is the addition of green olives and raisins. Some variations also include potatoes (con papas) or capers, adding more depth to the dish (as I’ve done in this recipe). And, unlike some versions of picadillo (yes, there are many), Cuban picadillo is not spicy. Instead, it is saucy, aromatic, and downright delicious. If you prefer a spicier dish, check out its cousin, Mexican-style picadillo.
Pro Tips for the Best Cuban Picadillo Recipe
- Fry the potatoes first. If you’re including potatoes, frying them before adding them to the picadillo will help keep them crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and prevent them from becoming mushy in the sauce.
- Let it simmer. If you have the time, Let the sauce simmer for an extra 10-20 minutes. The longer it cooks, the more time the flavors have to blend.
- Make it ahead for better flavor (and meal prep). Piggy-backing off of the above, this picadillo with olives and raisins tastes even better the next day as the flavors are left to meld overnight. You can even double the recipe and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Serve it Cuban-style. The most traditional way to serve authentic Cuban-style picadillo is over white rice with sweet plantains (maduros) and black beans.
How to Make Cuban Picadillo
The complete recipe (with step-by-step images) is in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
You can balance this recipe’s sweet and savory flavors by adjusting the amount of raisins, olives, and capers to taste. The potatoes and the capers are optional, as is the white wine. Feel free to add fun additions like chopped hard-boiled eggs at the end of cooking for flavor and texture.
- Fry the potatoes in a large skillet with olive oil until golden brown and slightly crispy on the edges. Remove from the pan and drain the excess oil.
- Brown the beef in the same skillet until it is browned and no longer pink. Remove from the pan and drain all but 1-2 tablespoons of excess fat.
- Cook the sofrito (the diced onion and bell peppers) until softened, then add the minced garlic, dried herbs, and seasonings. Cook until fragrant.
- Pour in the tomato sauce, beef broth, and dry white wine, stirring to combine. Return the cooked ground beef and add the bay leaf. Simmer the sauce for 10 minutes.
- In the last 7-10 minutes, stir in the potatoes, green olives, raisins, and capers. Continue simmering gently until ready to serve. Adjust the seasonings if needed.
- Serve and enjoy!
Delicious Ways to Use Leftover Cuban Picadillo
Leftover Picadillo has quickly become one of my favorite recipes to repurpose into different meals. It’s incredibly versatile. Here are some suggestions:
- Use store-bought or homemade empanada dough to make picadillo-stuffed empanadas. Like my beef empanadas, fill each round with a spoonful of picadillo, fold, seal, and bake (or fry!) until golden brown.
- Swap out ground beef taco meat with picadillo to make picadillo tacos (or quesadillas). Add all your favorite toppings, like avocado, cheese, shredded lettuce, or cabbage.
- Upgrade your usual Sunday pot roast with a Cuban-inspired picadillo pot roast. It’s filled with juicy, shredded beef, green olives, bell peppers, onions, sofrito, and other yummy stuff in a savory beef and tomato gravy.
- Transform this easy dinner into a filling and flavorful picadillo breakfast hash. It already has the potatoes. All that’s left is the eggs (fried, scrambled, or poached all work)!
- Some of my other favorite ways to repurpose leftovers include picadillo-stuffed peppers, Cuban picadillo shepherd’s pie (topped with mashed potatoes or mashed sweet potatoes), or picadillo pasta sauce (just add some cooked pasta and a little parm for the perfect Cuban-Italian fusion).
What is Cuban-Style Sofrito?
Cuban sofrito is a savory, aromatic base in many Cuban dishes, like black beans, ropa vieja, stews, and this delicious authentic Cuban picadillo with potatoes. It’s made by slowly cooking onions, garlic, and bell peppers in olive oil with spices (cumin, oregano, salt, and black pepper) and (sometimes) tomato sauce. This flavorful blend is an essential flavor foundation in Cuban cuisine, similar to the way mirepoix is used in French cooking.
Have any questions? Drop me a message in the comment section below! I’m happy to help. And, if you enjoy this Cuban picadillo with potatoes, please rate it with some STAR LOVIN’ so other readers know to try it too! Tag me at #theforkedspoon. I’ll be sure to share! Thank you!
RECIPE CARD
Cuban Picadillo Recipe with Potatoes
Equipment
- Lodge 3 Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven with Lid I LOVE all of my Lodge products
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 yellow Idaho potatoes - (about 1 cup) peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 white onion - finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper - deseeded and finely diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper - deseeded and finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt - plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 cup low-sodium beef broth - plus more if needed
- ¼ cup dry white wine - optional, substitute with extra broth
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ cup green olives
- ¼ cup raisins
- 3 tablespoon capers - optional
Instructions
- In a large skillet or sauté pan, heat 1/4 cup of olive oil over medium heat. Add the cubed potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and slightly crispy on the edges (about 7-10 minutes). Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon and set aside on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
- Add the ground beef to the same skillet set over medium-high heat. Breaking it up with a wooden spoon, cook it until it's browned and no longer pink (about 5-7 minutes). Remove the beef and set aside. Drain any excess fat, leaving just 1-2 tablespoons in the pan.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the diced onion, red bell pepper, and yellow bell pepper. Stir and cook until softened (about 6 minutes).
- Add the minced garlic, oregano, salt, black pepper, and cumin powder, stirring for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Return the browned beef to the pan and stir in the tomato sauce, beef broth, and dry white wine. Bring to a simmer, add the bay leaf, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes (or longer), stirring occasionally.
- Add the fried potatoes, green olives, raisins, and capers, and mix well. Continue to simmer for an additional 5-7 minutes, allowing the flavors to develop.
- Season to taste with salt and black pepper, and remove the bay leaf. Serve over white rice with sweet plantains or warm tortillas. Enjoy!
Jessica’s Notes
- If you have the time, let the sauce simmer for an extra 10-20 minutes. The longer it cooks, the more time the flavors have to blend.
- If you like more sauce, add a splash of extra beef broth or tomato sauce until the desired consistency is reached.
- Looking for a bit of heat? Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a splash of hot sauce.
- Make it ahead for better flavor (and meal prep). This picadillo with potatoes tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld overnight. You can even double the recipe and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- The most traditional way to serve authentic Cuban-style picadillo is over white rice with sweet plantains (maduros) and black beans.
- Refrigerator: Store cooled picadillo in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: Transfer to freezer-safe containers or resealable freezer bags. Freeze for up to 3 months. For best results, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheating: Heat in a pan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. If needed, add a splash of beef broth or water to thin the sauce. Or, reheat in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between until hot.
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
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