Let me start off by saying that I’m pretty sure every household in Mexico has its own unique Picadillo Recipe. Perhaps your grandmother added cumin, mint, or even chipotle peppers.
This is just a basic recipe for picadillo that will allow you to make your own version at home, one picadillo recipe that you can claim as your own. For many, this is also a comfort food, a hash made out of ground beef and potatoes that can be as diverse as your imagination (and your supply of ingredients) allows.
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Picadillo Recipe
Ground beef and potatoes cooked in a tomato sauce is a dish known as picadillo sencillo, or carne molida con papas. All the ingredients are usually chopped before cooking. “Chopping” in Spanish is “picar” or “cortar”, which is where the dish gets its name. Picadillo is really an easy dish to prepare, and very helpful when you’re in a hurry and have run out of ideas for what to cook for dinner. It is also a popular filling for gorditas, tacos, and other types of Mexican food that we collectively call “antojitos”. Picadillo gorditas or Tamales are a favorite in this household.
Now, let me tell you that there is another Picadillo recipe on the blog, it is a most complex one that includes raisins, capers, and green olives. However, this type of Picadillo is more common in the south part of Mexico, where these last ingredients are added to some tomato-based stews. It could be chicken or beef.
For this easy picadillo, I'm using beef bouillon, but you can use homemade beef or chicken broth to enhance the flavor of your Picadillo. Since the use of bouillon either in powder form or cube is very popular in the average Mexican kitchens. And of course, you can also make your picadillo using ground chicken or turkey meat.
I hope that you enjoy this easy version of Picadillo, and come back to tell me about your experiences with the recipe!
How to make picadillo
DIRECTIONS:
- Heat oil in a large skillet; once oil is hot add the ground meat to cook. Break up large lumps of meat using a wooden spoon to make sure all the little pieces are well cooked. Fry until brown, about 8 minutes. (Please check the ingredients list below)
- Add the onion and garlic. Stir and cook for about 1 minute, just enough to allow the onion to get transparent, then add Serrano pepper plus diced potatoes. Stir and keep cooking until potatoes are slightly tender, but still firm. This will take about 5 more minutes since you will still keep cooking them when you add the tomatoes.
- Now, add the diced tomatoes and Knorr beef bouillon to your picadillo and stir again. The tomatoes will release their juices and the beef bouillon will dissolve, adding more flavor to the mix. Place a lid on your skillet and lower the heat. Keep cooking until your potatoes are completely cooked and the tomatoes have formed a thick sauce on your picadillo.
- Finally, season your Mexican Picadillo with salt and pepper and add the chopped cilantro.
Of course, I hope you serve the Picadillo together with rice and warm corn tortillas. As many of our daily Mexican meals. This dish is especially good the next day. Enjoy!
Provecho
Mely,
Leave a comment and share your experience with this Mexican Picadillo recipe.
Picadillo recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 lb ground beef 85/15%
- ⅓ cup white onion chopped
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 serrano pepper
- 1 ½ cup diced potato about 8 ounces
- 1 lb tomatoes diced (About 2 large tomatoes)
- 1 Knorr® beef bouillon cube
- ⅓ cup chopped cilantro
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large skillet; once oil is hot add the ground meat to cook. Break up large lumps of meat using a wooden spoon to make sure all the little pieces are well cooked. Fry until brown, about 8 minutes.
- Add the onion and garlic. Stir and cook for about 1 minute, just enough to allow the onion to get transparent, then add Serrano pepper plus diced potatoes. Stir and keep cooking until potatoes are slightly tender, but still firm. This will take about 5 more minutes since you will still keep cooking them when you add the tomatoes.
- Now, add the diced tomatoes and Knorr beef bouillon and stir again. The tomatoes will release their juices and the beef bouillon will dissolve, adding more flavor to the picadillo. Place a lid on your skillet and lower the heat. Keep cooking the picadillo until your potatoes are completely cooked and the tomatoes have formed a thick sauce.
- Finally, season with salt and pepper and add the chopped cilantro.
- Mexican Picadillo recipe the easy version
- Serve with rice and warm corn tortillas. Enjoy!
Vicky
How long would you say it would take from start to finish?
mmartinez
Hello Vicky,
It will take you about 30 minutes. While you cook the meat, chop the rest of the ingredients.
Tifferella
I made the other version of this recipe. Thanks for giving me ideas for next week meals.????
Lea Ann (Cooking On The Ranch)
I've been wanting to make picadillo for a long time now. I've saved about three different recipes and they all sound amazing. I really liked yours. Thanks for sharing!
Anonymous
My daughters fav dish..we love it!
E. Rojas
Used your recipe and added celery and carrots. It was great. Thanks for the simple recipe!
E. Rojas
Used your recipe and added celery and carrots. It was great. Thanks for the simple recipe!
Anonymous
LOL sounds like dinner tonight...
Tomas Revollo
When I have it at Mexican rest. tastes delicious. When i cook it myself, it tastes too meaty!!
mmartinez
Hello Tomas,
Maybe is the type of meat you are using. Mexican markets usually sell the ground meat with more fat content than the average American market. Maybe the restaurant where you tried it used that type of meat. Like 80/20 ground fat content.
Maria Romero
Can you use ground turkey? And if so would chicken bouillon work better than beef?
Mely Martínez
Hello Maria,
Yes, you can use ground turkey and add the chicken bouillon. Happy cooking!
Ricardo
Picadillo is one of my family’s favorite, your recipe is a keeper
Mely Martínez
Hello, Ricardo,
Thank you for trying the picadillo recipe. Buen Provecho!
Natalie
I made this wonderful — and fast! — recipe tonight. My husband said that he wouldn’t mind if I made it more often, like every week, because it reminds him of his childhood. I say that is the best compliment of all. Thank you!
mmartinez
Hello Natalie,
So glad to know you like it. At home, it is always a big hit!
Peggy H.
Very good. Very authentic.
Gina
Take out the serrano and the cilantro, and you have my mother's"hachis parmentier". Tastes great made with leftover roast or braised beef too.
Sharon Redding [Shahan]
Hi Mely, I tried this recipe tonight using lamb and it was a hit with the family. Thank you so much for all of your wonderful recipes, easy to follow directions [with pictures] and of course, this blog~<3
mmartinez
Wow!I like Lamb, I bet it was delicious! Thank you for coming back and sharing the tip of using lamb. Need to try it.
Nathan
Do I drain the grease from the ground beef or just keep it in the pan
mmartinez
Hello Nathan,
Is the ground beef you are using renders too much fat, yes. Happy cooking!
Elia
I made it for dinner and it was delicious. Wouldn’t change anything in it. My husband and adult sons loved it. Reminded them when my mom used to cook for them. Thank you so much.
mmartinez
Hello Elia,
Those are great memories. thank you for sharing with us. Happy cooking!
Amy O.
The recipe was similar to my mom’s. I just needed to add cumino and oregano...my daughter loved that I made a dish her grandma used to make for me. Thanks for sharing “memories.”
Thomas Rudolph Gonzales
My mom used one can of tomato paste and water instead of tomatoes. The papas were not so much fried, but boiled and steamed with a lid. The picadillo was soupy. Was wonderful with refritos and with homemade tortillas and salsa made with Chile hueritos. Still make it for my family, including the chile.
mmartinez
Hello Thomas,
That sounds really good! Thank you for sharing your mom's picadillo recipe. Happy cooking!
Joann
Hello, making this tonight but I don’t know if I need to dissolve the beef cube first or add in solid?
mmartinez
Hello Joann,
You can do either way. The cube will dissolve in the sauce. You have to stir to dissolve it.
Maureen
Mely, this was delicious. It inspired me to make gorditas tomorrow for the leftovers, please keep postings.
mmartinez
Hello Maureen,
So glad to know you like the Picadillo, it is perfect for gorditas.
Crystal Mireles
Mely, I must admit you are such a great cook, I’ve been following you for a few months already and must say I love all your recipes. I’ve made a few of them and last night I made this picadillo and it was AMAZING my hunny loved it. I just want to say your doing such an amazing job, thank you for bringing these recipes to us all.
mmartinez
Thank you Crystal,
I bet it is your own personal touch too that brings the recipes alive!
Sudie530
I remember watching a neighbor make this when I was a child. I loved Picadillo so much and have since made this as an adult. Your recipe confirmed I have been making it the way I remember. I love the simplicity and to keep authentic the flour tortillas are done on a stove top. We did not have microwaves when I was a child. A little char, some butter and oh my gosh. Heaven. Thank you for posting your recipe.
Camille
Yes! Easy and delish. The way my mom makes it
Kylie Rosales
Made this recipe last night with ground turkey and omg it was heavenly!!! I don't usually cook but this recipe looked easy enough and my wife and I LOVED it! She complimented me all night and even went back for seconds. If you're debating making this, just do it. Thanks so much for this awesome recipe and making me feel like I know what I'm doing LOL
mmartinez
Hi Kylie,
There is another even easier recipe here in the blog using ground beef. Here is the link: EASY GROUND BEEF RECIPE
Vee
Quick, easy, and delicious! Thanks for sharing the recipe. I had forgotten the order of cooking picadillo.
mmartinez
Hi Vee! So happy to know you like the picadillo recipe! Happy cooking!
Rose
Was great and really enjoyed making! Thanks!
mmartinez
Hello Rose,
I'm so glad to know you like it this Easy Picadillo recipe.
Chelsea
My wife and I LOVED this recipe! Reminded her of her mother’s cooking. Thanks so much for your beautiful blog.
mmartinez
Hello Chelsea,
Thank you fro trying the Picadillo recipe. I'm glad to know you guys like it.
Lily
Do I chop the serrano pepper?
mmartinez
Hello Lily,
Yes, chop the serrano pepper and add after the onion.
#1Dad
Very easy recipe. Just like abuela used to make for Dora and I!
Amirah A.
Do you think this would work well in the slow cooker?
Mely Martínez
Hello Amirah,
I'm not sure since I have never tried it in the slow cooker. If you make it in the slow cooker please come back and let me know the results.
Michelle
I love this recipe. Reminds me of my grandmas. Thank you!
Darci
What can I serve it with as a side. Any recommendations.
Mely Martínez
Hello Darci,
This dish is usually served with rice and beans, corn tortillas are also used.
Megan Lule
Hi quick question about this recipe. Do I drain the fat from the ground beef? I love all your recipes thanks so much for sharing your culture and culinary expertise! 🙂
Mely Martínez
Hello Megan,
Is the meat renders too much fat, yes.
Karen F. Knapp
Mely, my husband and I loved this recipe. We actually live on the west coast of Mexico and so I found delightful ripe Roma tomatoes and lovely fresh cilantro to add to the goodness. We ate it piled on tostadas, our favorite, with some guacamole. YUM. Thanks so much. This will become part of our regular meal rotation.
Mely Martínez
Hello Karen,
Thank you for trying the recipe. This picadillo is so good that you can use it for many things, like your tostadas.
Manuel
K.I.S.S.... sexy😊. Easy and delicious.
Rhonda
I love picadillo, growing up, there were 6 kids in the house and my Mom would make it and add drained canned corn and green beans to it, along with the potatoes and carrots to make it stretch, with beans and rice and tortillas, it's always been my most simple quick dinners, I'm glad you're sharing this with everyone, thank you for giving everyone a taste of home.
Lupita V.
This recipe is so easy to make, it always makes my kids happy. My mom always added knorr suiza to the picadillo. Gracias!
Mely Martínez
Hi Lupita,
I'm so glad to know your kids like this easy picadillo. Happy cooking!
Tara
Delicious!!! A new favorite recipe!
Gina Bisaillon
I was wondering what to do with the ground beef I got yesterday and now I know. Thanks for the reminder!
Alma
Amazing Recipe a favorite dish on Sunday especially during NFL season thank you for sharing and God bless!
Mely Martínez
Hi Alma,
Yes, great idea! Enjoy your picadillo in tacos or with corn tostadas.
Ben
I'm confused and concerned? Is this actually 272,000 calories (272kcal) per cup?
Mely Martínez
Hello Ben,
Kcal means = kilocalorie
Scientifically, 1 kilocalorie (1000 calories or 1 kcal)
This recipe is 272 calories per cup, NOT 272,000
Lucinda Larson
I love this recipe. My first time making it!!!
Mely Martínez
Hi, Lucinda,
Enjoy it! Please come back to let me know how did it go for you.
Bertha H
This has become my go to recipe for picadillo. Comes out perfect every time. My husband loves it which says it all!
Mely Martínez
Hello Bertha,
Thank you for trying the Picadillo recipe.
Terry
Very simple, yet flavorful recipe. I didn't blend the tomatoes, I just put them in chopped with a bit of serrano. It was great, and we enjoyed it even more the second day.
Mely Martínez
Hello Terry,
Thank you for trying the Picadillo Recipe.
Nancy H
I just took your class yesterday through Milk Street. It was excellent and both dishes turned out excellent, delicious and down right yummy. Thank you for sharing your talent and culture.
Mely Martínez
Hello Nancy,
It was an honor. Have fun cooking and I hope you keep making this picadillo recipe.
Yvette
I know how to make this dish because I grew up with it. By "know" I mean I know what goes in it and can likely make it. BUT it helps so much to have the recipe steps and measurements. This is a delicious dish, so simple, authentic and fast. I use ground turkey and it is just as fabulous. Yum and thank you Mely!!!
Alicia A Ballas
Great, delicious and easy to make. Love the flavors after reheated.
Crystal Mireles
I’m always looking to your blog for recipes, let me just say this came out delicious., very satisfying, I’ve tried many other recipes and I’ve never made them again. I will definitely be keeping this recipes .