Tired of the same old ground beef recipes? Let’s take your taco night on a flavor trip to the Caribbean with this incredibly easy and delicious Cuban Picadillo. This isn’t just a ground beef skillet; it’s a vibrant, savory, and slightly sweet stew that’s the national dish of Cuba for a reason. Imagine lean ground beef simmered with onions, bell peppers, garlic, tomatoes, and the star ingredients: briny green olives and a splash of their tangy olive brine.
The result is a mouthwatering mixture that’s perfectly balanced; savory, a little salty, subtly sweet from the tomatoes, and deeply satisfying. It comes together in one pan in about 30 minutes, making it the ultimate quick yet impressive weeknight dinner. Serve it over rice, stuff it into tacos, or use it as a filling for empanadas. Let’s get cooking!
Why You’ll Love This Cuban Picadillo
- 30 Minute Wonder: From chopping to serving in half an hour. It’s faster than takeout and packed with homemade flavor.
- One Pan, Minimal Cleanup: Everything cooks in one large skillet. More flavor, less washing up!
- Incredibly Flavorful & Unique: The combination of cumin, olives, and olive brine creates a distinct, addictive taste that’s unlike any other ground beef dish.
- Meal Prep & Freezer Champion: This recipe tastes even better the next day and freezes beautifully for easy future meals.
- Endlessly Versatile: The perfect filling for bowls, tacos, stuffed peppers, empanadas, or even as a topping for baked potatoes.
Let’s Make Cuban Picadillo
This recipe is a masterclass in building layers of flavor quickly. The key is browning the beef well and letting the vegetables soften to create a rich base.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 1 ½ pounds 93% lean ground beef
- ½ large yellow onion, chopped
- ½ red bell pepper, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium tomato, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped (plus more for garnish)
- 4 oz (½ cup) tomato sauce
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoons sliced pitted green olives (or alcaparrado)
- 2-4 tablespoons olive brine (the juice from the olive jar)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1-2 dried bay leaves
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- For serving: White rice, black beans, fried plantains, lime wedges
Step by Step Instructions
1Brown the Beef: Heat a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the ground beef, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until the beef is fully browned and no longer pink.
Pro Tip: Once browned, carefully drain off any excess grease from the pan for a less oily final dish.
2Sauté the Aromatics: Reduce the heat to medium. To the same pan with the beef, add the chopped onion, red bell pepper, and garlic. Cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes until the vegetables have softened.
3Build the Flavor Base: Add the chopped tomato and cilantro to the pan. Stir and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the tomato begins to break down.
Stir in the sliced olives, olive brine (start with 2 tbsp), ground cumin, and bay leaves. Give everything a good stir, letting the fragrant cumin toast for about 30 seconds.
4Simmer to Perfection: Pour in the tomato sauce and ¼ cup of water. Stir well to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan (that’s flavor!).
Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pan and let it simmer gently for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the flavors have melded and the sauce has thickened slightly.
5Final Seasoning and Serve: Remove the bay leaves. Give the picadillo a taste; this is crucial! Adjust the seasoning with more salt, pepper, or a final splash of olive brine if you want more tang.
Serve immediately over a bed of fluffy white rice. Garnish with extra chopped fresh cilantro.
Serving Suggestions & Expert Tips
- The Olive Brine is Key: Don’t skip it! This liquid gold adds a complex salty, tangy depth that defines authentic picadillo. Start with 2 tablespoons and add more to taste.
- Choosing Your Olives: Manzanilla olives with pimientos are classic. For a more authentic Cuban touch, look for alcaparrado, which is a mix of olives, capers, and sometimes pimientos.
- Make it Your Own: Add Raisins: For a traditional sweet and salty twist, add 2-3 tablespoons of raisins with the olives. Add Potatoes: For a heartier stew, add 1 cup of diced russet or Yukon Gold potatoes with the tomatoes and increase the simmering time by 10 minutes.
- Spice it Up: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a diced jalapeño with the bell peppers.
- Perfect Pairings: Serve with classic sides like black beans, sweet fried plantains (maduros), a simple avocado salad, or warm tortillas.
- Storage: Let the picadillo cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
This Cuban Picadillo is more than just a quick dinner; it’s a passport to big, bold flavors any night of the week. I hope it becomes a beloved staple in your kitchen!
Easy Cuban Picadillo (30 Minute Meal)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs 93% lean ground beef
- ½ large yellow onion chopped
- ½ red bell pepper chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium tomato chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped
- ½ cup 4 oz tomato sauce
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tbsp sliced green olives plus 2-4 tbsp olive brine
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1-2 dried bay leaves
- Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large skillet, brown beef over medium high heat. Season with salt and pepper. Drain excess fat.
- Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook 5 mins until soft.
- Stir in tomato and cilantro; cook 2 mins.
- Add olives, 2 tbsp olive brine, cumin, and bay leaves. Stir 30 sec.
- Pour in tomato sauce and water. Stir, bring to simmer.
- Reduce heat to low, cover, simmer 15-20 mins until thickened.
- Discard bay leaves. Season to taste with salt, pepper, or more brine.
- Serve over rice.
Notes
- Olive Brine: Essential for authentic flavor. Start with 2 tbsp, add more to taste.
- Add Ins: Traditional additions include 2-3 tbsp raisins or 1 cup diced potatoes (add with tomatoes).
- Storage: Refrigerate for 4 days or freeze for 3 months.
