Delicious and simple, this Mexican Picadillo recipe is made with minimal, inexpensive ingredients. Serve your homemade beef picadillo with flour tortillas and rice for a filling and hearty meal that your whole family will enjoy.
Picadillo is a classic comfort food dish that you can find in many different Latin American countries. The specific ingredients and flavorings can vary by country or region, but Picadillo (or “picadillo con papas”) is almost always made with ground meat, vegetables, and plenty of bold flavors.
This is a traditional Mexican-style Picadillo recipe filled with savory ground beef, tender bites of potatoes, onions, and jalapenos. It’s simmered in a savory beef and tomato sauce seasoned with a delicious blend of herbs and spices.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
You’ll love making Mexican Picadillo for dinner because it’s made with inexpensive and filling ingredients, like ground beef and potatoes.
You can also make this easy recipe in less than 45 minutes, so it’s great for busy weeknights. It doesn’t take any longer to make Picadillo than it would take to make traditional beef tacos.
Use your picadillo mixture as a filling for tacos, wrapped in warm flour tortillas. Or enjoy it with a side of Mexican Rice or cilantro lime rice instead. No matter how you eat it, Picadillo is going to be a new favorite at your house.
For dessert, try a Mexican inspired treat! Mexican Fruit Salad and Sopapilla Cheesecake will both be the perfect finish to this traditional meal.
Key Ingredients in Mexican picadillo
Here’s what you need to make this tasty ground beef picadillo recipe:
- Beef: Start with a pound of ground beef. I usually like to use lean ground beef, but any style will do. This recipe will also work with ground turkey or chicken if you like.
- Potatoes: Grab a large russet potato, or two smaller ones. Dice it into small cubes. The potatoes will cook with the other ingredients so that they soak up all of the amazing picadillo flavors.
- Jalapeño: For a little bit of heat, diced jalapeno with the seeds removed is perfect. If you prefer less spice, use green bell pepper instead.
- Beef Broth and Tomato Sauce: These two work together to create the most amazing sauce for the dish.
- Spices: To make Mexican Picadillo taste perfectly authentic, use Mexican oregano, ground cumin, and ground coriander, along with some salt and pepper.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How To Make Easy Mexican Picadillo
- Brown the Beef: Start by heating olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the ground beef, stirring and breaking it up as it cooks, until it’s no longer pink. Drain away any excess fat if needed.
- Add Vegetables: Add the onion and garlic to the skillet with the beef, followed by the potatoes and diced jalapeno. Cook for about 3 minutes, or until the onion is soft.
- Make the Sauce: Pour in the tomato sauce and beef broth, then stir in the ground cumin, ground coriander, and Mexican oregano. Stir well to combine.
- Simmer: Reduce the heat on the stove to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Then remove the lid, stir, and cook for 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated.
Tip!
The heat level of your homemade picadillo can be easily adjusted! Skip the jalapeno to make this dish milder, or add extra for a spicy kick.
Recipe Tips
- Add other ingredients! This Mexican picadillo recipe is very simple and basic, but there are hundreds of different ways to make it. Try adding veggies such as diced carrots or frozen peas. To add sweetness, many versions of picadillo include raisins simmered in the broth or just a teaspoon of brown sugar or honey.
- Brown the beef well. So much of the flavor of this dish comes from the meat. Give the beef time in the pan to really brown and release all of that wonderful meaty taste.
- Try it in your slow cooker. Brown the beef and vegetables, then transfer them to the crockpot with the remaining ingredients. Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 hours, or until the potatoes are tender.
- Any potatoes will work. I like the soft texture of russet potatoes in this recipe, but you may prefer to use regular white potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes instead.
- Double the recipe. Leftovers can be frozen, so feel free to make extra! You’ll be able to pull a meal out of the freezer and reheat it later when you have an extra busy evening ahead of you.
Storing Tips
Leftover picadillo can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
You can also freeze this recipe for up to 3 months.
To reheat, use your microwave. You can also add it back to a skillet and reheat Mexican picadillo on the stove. If you need to, add a splash of water to make it saucy again.
How To Serve Mexican Picadillo
You can serve picadillo in various ways!
Try it as a taco filling, and add any of your favorite toppings, like homemade guacamole, diced onion, or shredded cheese.
Picadillo also makes a tasty topping for a Tex Mex style salad. Load up your plate with greens and fresh veggies.
For a heartier meal, serve beef picadillo with rice, Mexican street corn salad, and pinto beans.
Need more ideas? Try eating Mexican Piccadillo anywhere that you would enjoy plain taco meat. It makes tasty nachos, enchiladas, burrito bowls, or quesadillas.
Recipe FAQs
What is the difference between Mexican and Cuban Picadillo?
The two recipes have similar starts, but In Cuban picadillo, you’ll find other tangy, and sweet ingredients such as raisins, green olives, and capers.
Can I make Mexican Picadillo Ahead of Time?
Yes, you can make this recipe up to 3 days ahead of time. Store it in the refrigerator, and reheat it on the stove or in the microwave when it’s time to eat.
More Delicious Mexican Recipes
All Mexican →
It’s so easy to make this authentic, traditional, and delicious Mexican Picadillo, and your whole family is going to love it! Make sure to pin this recipe – it’s perfect for busy nights.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Mexican Picadillo
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
- 1 pound (450 g) ground beef
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 large russet potato peeled and diced into ½ inch cubes
- 1-2 jalapeños seeded and finely diced (or green bell pepper if you don’t like heat, diced)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 cup (240 ml) tomato sauce
- 1 ½ cups (360 ml) beef broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh cilantro chopped (for garnish, optional)
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium high heat, heat olive oil, and add the ground beef. Cook until no longer pink. Drain excess fat if necessary.
- Add onion and garlic to the beef, followed by potatoes, and pepper. Cook until the onion is soft, about 3 minutes.
- Pour in the tomato sauce and beef broth, and stir in ground cumin, ground coriander, and Mexican oregano. Stir everything to combine.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Uncover, stir and cook for 10 more minutes or until the potatoes are tender and most of the liquid is evaporated. Stir occasionally, and season with salt and pepper to your taste.
- Serve warm with white rice, garnish with fresh chopped cilantro.
Notes:
- Add other ingredients! This Mexican picadillo recipe is very simple and basic, but there are hundreds of different ways to make it. Try adding veggies such as diced carrots or frozen peas. To add sweetness, many versions of picadillo include raisins simmered in the broth or just a teaspoon of brown sugar or honey
- Try it in your slow cooker. Brown the beef and vegetables, then transfer them to the crockpot with the remaining ingredients. Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 hours, or until the potatoes are tender.
- Any potatoes will work. I like the soft texture of russet potatoes in this recipe, but you may prefer to use regular white potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes instead.
- Storing: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
terry says
Excellent recipe. So easy and very tasty. I added some other vegetables: corn, green beans and peas. Delicious.
Little Sunny Kitchen says
That sounds perfect and nutritious! Thank you for the great feedback.
Anna Richards says
•It was delicious even though I didn’t have beef broth. I had to use chicken broth. And I didn’t have all the right spices. But I had some adobe sauce in the freezer and I added that which gave it a kick!
Little Sunny Kitchen says
Good job figuring out how to make it with what you had on hand! It sounds like your substitutions were a success!
Jazmine says
Very flavorful and delicious.
Little Sunny Kitchen says
Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Lorraine says
Made this last night, added grated carrot and red pepper, we were very happy with the result and there’s plenty to freeze for another night, it’s a keeper !
Little Sunny Kitchen says
Thank you so much for trying my recipe! I think the added veggies sound delicious – I’ll have to try that next time I make this.
Micah says
Delicious and super easy to make! I’m always looking for easy, traditional recipes to make for my family. My husband is Mexican and both he and his mother loved it along with the kids too. Thank you for the recipe ❤️ This is going into my dinner rotation!
Little Sunny Kitchen says
I’m so happy to have such a great review from people who know what this dish should taste like! Thank you so much for the kind comments.