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Cuban Picadillo

Growing up, my dad never went to the grocery store with a grocery list.

On Saturday mornings he would call out that we were heading to the grocery store and my brother and I would groan, knowing that this meant that we would be at the store for at least 2 hours, slowly winding up and down each aisle and running our fingers over the sales prices while my dad looked for produce and meat that were on sale for the week.

My mom would take a look at our haul when we came back and would always know what to do with the ingredients we brought back with us.

Cuban Picadillo

One of our childhood dishes was a hearty “stew” where she would simmer ground beef, tomatoes, potatoes, and carrots with onions, garlic, ginger, and bay leaves. It’d slow cook on the stove in the afternoon, then she would serve it over steamed basmati rice for dinner. Reminiscent of the filipino dish giniling, it was an inexpensive meal that would last our family of four an entire week

When looking through a cookbook a few years back, I came across a dish called Picadillo. Picadillo is a versatile dish that is made in Spain, Latin America, and the Philippines. At it’s core, it’s a slow-simmering ground beef dish and over time, each country has adapted the recipe to it’s own unique flavors – from adding raisins, honey, lime, or beans – and to it’s own unique uses – from a stew over rice, to an empanada filling, or even a fritter.
 
Cuban Picadillo
 This recipe is most similar to a Cuban Picadillo. Cuban Picadillo uses bell peppers, onions, garlic, cumin, tomato sauce, olives, and sometimes raisins and capers. I typically opt to not use raisins and instead add red potatoes and low-sodium beef stock.
 
I sauteed onions, garlic, and the bell pepper over medium-high heat, then browned the beef. I added seasonings like cumin, oregano, and cinnamon, and then added fresh tomatoes, tomato sauce, and a beef broth. Add chopped olives, olive brine, and bay leaves and simmer on low heat for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. I boiled and fried 2 red potatoes and tossed them in right at the end of cooking time, and served the entire dish warm over a bed of steamed basmati rice.
Cuban Picadillo
Serves 8
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Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
30 min
Total Time
45 min
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
30 min
Total Time
45 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 lb. ground beef
  2. 2 red potatoes
  3. 1 green bell pepper, diced
  4. 1 large yellow onion, diced
  5. 4 garlic cloves, minced
  6. 2 tomatoes, diced
  7. 8 ounces tomato sauce
  8. 2 tsp cumin
  9. 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  10. 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  11. 2 bay leaves
  12. 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  13. 1/4 - 1/2 cup low-sodium broth
  14. 2/3 cup of olives, halved + 2 - 3 tbsp of brine
  15. kosher salt & pepper, to taste
  16. white rice, for serving
Instructions
  1. In a small pot, bring potatoes and water to a boil and cover. Let simmer for 20 minutes, then set aside to cool.
  2. In a large pot, heat olive oil on medium high, then add the onion and bell pepper. Saute until the bell peppers are tender and onions translucent, about 8-9 minutes. Add garlic and stir for an additional minute. Add the ground beef, breaking it up as your stir, until browned. Drain extra grease.
  3. Add the seasonings: cumin, oregano, cinnamon, and kosher salt and pepper. Stir for 1-2 minutes, then add in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, and broth. Add bay leaves and chopped olives and brine, then lower heat to low and simmer covered for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. In the meantime, peel and chop potatoes into 1/2 inch pieces. Heat a small skillet with olive oil. When oil is hot, add the potatoes and quickly fry.
  5. When it is nearly time to remove the picadillo from the stove, taste the seasonings and add more salt or pepper, if necessary. Add the potatoes, and serve over warm white rice.
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  1. Sadie's Nest says

    Your dad and I having our means of grocery shopping in common! Such a disappointment though when I had taken the time to write down the ingredients of a recipe I wanted to try and left the list at home! This sounds yummy Jasmine! (As usual!)

    Reply

  4. Rhonda Sittig says

    This looks so cozy and warming or when the weather gets cooler Jasmine– and I love that it has olives in it! Sounds like you have a fun father! Spontaneous and practical– I’ll bet you learned a lot from him… Thanks for the yummy recipe! Hope you’re in the middle of a great week! xox

    Reply

  5. lynne hoareau says

    I am thankful you decided to leave raisins out (lol, not my favourite) This really does sound and look so hearty Jasmine. Childhood memories, are the best. I must say, I tend to shop like your dad too, get home and then make a plan with what I have bought. 🙂

    Reply

    • Jasmine says

      Thank you, Lynne! Raisins aren’t our favorite, either. I think shopping that way is great and allows you to be creative with your dishes! 🙂 I hope you’ve had a good week!

      Reply

  8. Roberta Briffa says

    Hi Jasmine – what a lovely recipe! It reminds me so much of something similar we have here in the Mediterranean region called caponata. It’s usually devoid of beef and spices, and heavier with capers and olives, which we have plenty of. I just love your use of cumin and cinnamon in your recipe with the beef. Everything sounds so homey and this is great to have on hand during the colder months. As usual, I will bookmark it. Thanks for sharing x

    Reply

    • Jasmine says

      Roberta, thank you so much for your kind words!! I will look into the caponata dish – it sounds wonderful with the salty capers and olives! Thank you for sharing that with me!

      Reply

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