Picadillo Cubano is a simple, but satisfying popular Cuban dish. I like it because it's easy to prepare and tastes brilliant.
What is Picadillo Cubano?
It's one of the most popular Cuban dishes. There are different variations and recipes, but it's basically a dish made with ground beef, vegetables and spices. Some cooks add stuffed olives, capers, potatoes and raisins to their picadillo. I learned to make this dish from my uncle's wife in Miami. She's from Cuba and this is the way her family make it.
What do I Serve with This?
The flavors of this dish are incredibly intense and rich. You'll just have to go and make it yourself to see what I mean. You'll love every bite of this dish, I promise.
I like to serve my picadillo with white rice to soak the delicious sauce, plantains and avocado.
What you Need to Make Picadillo Cubano
You'll find the printable recipe card with exact amounts and directions below.
Oil: I like to use olive oil.
Ground Beef: You can use any ground meat with the fat percentage that you prefer.
Spices: ground cumin, ground oregano, bay leaf, salt and pepper.
Vegetables: onion, green bell pepper and garlic.
Tomato Sauce and Tomato Paste: add sweetness and body to the dish.
White wine: Use your favorite or replace it with beef broth if you don't want to use wine.
Stuffed Spanish Olives: they add amazing flavor to this recipe.
Raisins: If you don't like them just omit it.
How to Make this Dish
In a large sauce pan on medium-high heat and add the olive oil.
Add the beef and brown, stirring occasionally, then add the cumin, oregano, bay leaf, onion, bell pepper, garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes more.
Add the tomato sauce, white wine, olives and raisins. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring often.
Remove the bay leaf and serve over plain white rice.
More Beef Dishes to Try
Carne Desmechada (Shredded Beef)
Sudado de Carne de Res (Beef Stew)
Bistec a la Criolla (Creole Steak)
Bistec Encebollado (Steak with Onion Sauce)
Picadillo Cubano Recipe (Cuban Ground Beef Dish)
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 pound ground beef
- ½ teaspoon of ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon of ground oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 1 green bell pepper finely chopped
- 5 garlic cloves crushed
- Salt and pepper to your taste
- 1 cup of tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
- 1 cup of white wine
- ½ cup of stuffed Spanish olives cut in half
- ⅓ cup of raisins
Instructions
- Place a large sauce pan on medium-high heat and add the olive oil.
- Add the beef and brown, stirring occasionally, then add the cumin, oregano, bay leaf, onion, bell pepper, garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes more.
- Add the tomato sauce, white wine, olives and raisins. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring often.
- Remove the bay leaf and serve over plain white rice.
Roxanne Brackley
My family and I are absolutely addicted to this meal! Not one complaint or thought on adding/subtracting an ingredient. This is definitely a keeper and made very often. Thank you so very much for this great recipe!
Samantha
Fantastic! I visited Cuba a few years ago and have since dreamed about all the amazing food I had while I was there. I went on a search to find something that might help my cravings and found this recipe! It is now my favorite meal and my family requests it constantly. The flavors are incredible. We use beef broth instead of wine because my son doesn’t love it with the wine (darn kids) and it’s still just as tasty! Thank you for this recipe.
Taharra
Can I add diced potatoes to it?
Erica Dinho
Yes
Amber
This turned out great! I was craving picadillo and this came out exactly like what I was looking for. As for the salt & pepper “to taste” I used 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper and it was perfect. My fiancé said it was delicious as well. It’s just the two of us but I am SO glad that we have leftovers haha. Thank you!
K
My friend with Cuban parents got me eating this! Their recipe adds a chopped tart apple and a pinch of thyme. And I add sliced black olives (Kalamata when I can find them. I make nachos, tacos or quesadillas with it. It's always a huge hit!
Thank you!
Vivian
Have someone who cannot have rice. could I sub.
Orzo or egg noodles instead?
Erica Dinho
Yes
Rocky Butler
Thanks for the recipe, just started cooking because of the covid virus. Can no longer take wife out for Friday night. So I guess it's up to me to make something happen. This meal worked out great, I and everyone else no loved it ...
Cathy
Delicious recipe and a family hit (kids normally don't eat anything with onions and peppers). This is also a great empanada filling with cheese, ah-mazing!!!