Ground Beef Picadillo Recipe

Prepare aromatics and brown beef

Heat a large skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. When shimmering, add the chopped onion and green bell pepper and sauté 4–5 minutes until softened and starting to brown at the edges. Add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Push vegetables to the side and add the ground beef in an even layer. Let it brown undisturbed 2 minutes, then break it up with a spoon and continue to cook until no longer pink, about 4–5 minutes.

Drain excess fat (if needed) and season

If the beef released a lot of fat, tilt the pan and spoon out excess, leaving about 1 tablespoon for flavor. Stir the beef with the softened vegetables. Add the ground cumin, dried oregano, smoked paprika, ground cinnamon, salt, and black pepper. Cook, stirring, 1 minute to toast the spices and coat the meat and vegetables.

Add tomatoes, broth and simmer

Pour in the tomato sauce, drained diced tomatoes, and beef or chicken broth. Add the bay leaf. Stir to combine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low. Partially cover and simmer gently 15 minutes, stirring occasionally so mixture thickens and flavors meld.

Finish with sweet-salty accents

Stir in the raisins, sliced green olives, and capers (if using). Continue simmering uncovered 5–7 minutes until sauce is thick and raisins have plumped. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Remove and discard the bay leaf.

Add fresh herbs and rest

Stir in the chopped cilantro or parsley. Turn off the heat and let the picadillo rest 5 minutes so flavors settle before serving.

Spoon the picadillo over cooked white rice, or warm tortillas and serve family-style with lime wedges on the side. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheat on the stove or in the microwave.