Mexican Picadillo
User Reviews
4.2
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
30 mins
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Total Time
45 mins
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Servings
8
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Calories
189 kcal
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Course
Main Course
Mexican Picadillo
Description
This recipe begins by roasting fresh plum tomatoes before blending them with onion, garlic, and jalapeño into a sauce base. Ground beef is browned with minced onion and garlic, then combined with diced potatoes and carrots to cook until tender. The roasted tomato-jalapeño mixture is added along with cumin, chili powder (optional), salt, black pepper, and stock or water to allow flavors to meld as the dish simmers.
The cooked picadillo develops a texture featuring soft vegetables and ground meat in a spiced tomato sauce with a mild heat from jalapeño and smooth sweetness from optional raisins. This mixture can be served as a filling for tacos, empanadas, or alongside rice. It reflects Mexican home-cooking flavors through its balance of savory, spicy, and slightly sweet elements.
The recipe notes mention that olives and capers are common additional ingredients in variations, should you want to try more briny flavor profiles.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 potato
- 1 carrot
- 1/4 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 teaspoons chili powder optional
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- black pepper freshly cracked
- 1 cup stock or water
- 1/3 cup raisins optional
For the Tomato Jalapeno blender mixture:
- 6 plum tomatoes
- 3/4 onion
- 1 jalapeño
- 2 garlic cloves
Instructions
- After rinsing the tomatoes and cutting out the stems, roast them in a 400F oven for 20-25 minutes or until you need them.
- Saute 1/4 onion in oil over medium heat for a few minutes. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and saute briefly. Add 1 lb. ground beef and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook over medium heat until the ground beef is lightly browned. (You can drain off some fat if you want.)
- Chop the potato and carrot into smallish pieces (larger pieces will require more simmering time). Once the beef is lightly browned, add the potato and carrot. Saute briefly as you gather the additional ingredients.
- For the Tomato-Jalapeno mixture, add the roasted tomatoes to a blender or food processor along with 3/4 onion, 2 garlic cloves and 1 jalapeno. Combine well.
- Add the Tomato-Jalapeno mixture to the beef, along with 1 teaspoon cumin, some freshly cracked black pepper, and 1 cup of stock (or water). I also add 2 teaspoons of chili powder but that is optional.
- Combine well and simmer over medium-low heat for 20-25 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked all the way through.
- Take a final taste for seasoning. I added another generous pinch of salt to this batch. Serve immediately.
- If you want to serve your Picadillo with raisins, you can add them to the beef mixture for the last few minutes of the simmer or you can simply add them as a final garnish.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
Notes
- Roast tomatoes before blending to deepen their flavor in the sauce.
- Dice potatoes and carrots into small pieces for even cooking; larger chunks require longer simmering.
- Add olives and capers if you want to experiment with more briny tastes typical in some picadillo variations.
- Simmer gently to allow vegetables and meat to become tender and flavors to combine well.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 189 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 189kcal | 9% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.2
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