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4.0 from 63 votes

Mexican Picadillo Recipe

Mexican style ground beef with carrots, potatoes, green peas, raisins, and tomato sauce. Great as a taco filling, over white rice, or on a tostada. One of our favorite ground beef recipes.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
40 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 528 kcal
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs. low-fat ground beef
  • 2 medium white potatoes
  • 2 medium carrots
  • 1 cup green peas preferably use frozen peas not canned
  • ½ cup raisins
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. black pepper
  • ¼ tsp. ground cumin optional
  • 2 bay leaves optional (remove before serving)
  • 2 tbsp. cooking or olive oil

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Peel the carrots and potatoes first.
  2. Chop the potatoes and carrots.
  3. Preheat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
  4. Add the ground beef to the frying pan and lightly brown the ground beef. (about 5 minutes)
  5. Add the potatoes and carrots, stir and cook for 6 minutes.
  6. Add the raisins and peas and stir.
  7. Add the tomato sauce, salt and black pepper and stir.
  8. Reduce to medium-low heat and cook for 20 minutes until the liquid has reduced and the potatoes and carrots have softened.
  9. Taste and add salt if necessary.

Notes

  • Preparation
  • Substitutions
  • Optional Ingredients
  • Storage
  • Picadillo should be moist but not wet when served.
  • If it is starting to get dry before the potatoes and carrots are cooked add 2 tablespoons of water as needed so that it remains moist.
  • Chop the potatoes coarsely if you are going to serve it over rice or on a tostada. Chop them finer if you are going to serve it in tacos.
  • If you are making tacos, it goes well with both corn and flour tortillas.
  • If you use canned peas, rinse them well to remove excess salt.
  • If you don't have any tomato sauce, use 3 Roma tomatoes that have been smoothly blended as a substitute. Tomato paste works too using smaller quantities.
  • You can add ½ cup chopped white onion if you like. Add the onion at the same time you add the potatoes and carrots.
  • If you want your picadillo to be spicy, add 1 or 2 very finely chopped serrano peppers or jalapeño peppers when you add the potato and carrots.
  • Picadillo will keep well refrigerated for 3 day in an airtight storage container.
  • It will keep well in the freezer for 3 monthsin an airtight storage container.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1cup Calories 528kcal (26%) Carbohydrates 61g (20%) Protein 38g (76%) Fat 17g (26%) Sodium 916mg (38%) Sugar 20g (40%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 528

% Daily Value*

Serving 1cup
Calories 528kcal 26%
Carbohydrates 61g 20%
Protein 38g 76%
Fat 17g 26%
Sodium 916mg 38%
Sugar 20g 40%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.