Mexican picadillo

Mexican picadillo is comfort in a skillet: ground beef simmered with potatoes, tomato sauce and warm spices until everything melds into a rich, savory stew. It is the kind of dish that feeds a crowd without fuss and somehow tastes even better the next day.

What I love most about picadillo is how it changes from region to region — and from household to household. Some cooks add carrots or olives; in the south of Mexico you will find versions with raisins, capers and green olives that play sweet against salty. There is no single “correct” picadillo, which is exactly the charm.

This version is a straightforward, family-friendly one: beef, potatoes, bell pepper and a cumin-scented tomato broth. Serve it over rice, tuck it into tacos or gorditas, or just eat it from a bowl with warm tortillas. Let’s get cooking!

Mexican Picadillo Recipe

Prep time: 20 minutes · Cook time: 20 minutes · Total: 40 minutes · Servings: 4 · Calories: ~265 per serving

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• ½ cup diced onion
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 2 cups peeled and diced potato
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 oz tomato sauce
• 1½ cups beef broth
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 bay leaf

Instructions

1. Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain the grease and return the skillet to the heat.
2. Add the onion, bell pepper and potatoes, and cook until the onion and pepper soften.
3. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
4. Pour in the tomato sauce and beef broth, season with the salt, pepper, cumin and coriander, stir, and drop in the bay leaf.
5. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.

Recipe Notes

• Regional variations add carrots, olives, almonds or raisins — the southern style with raisins, capers and green olives is especially good.
• Ground chicken or turkey work well in place of beef.
• Picadillo is a favorite filling for tacos, gorditas and tamales — or serve it simply with rice and tortillas.
• Leftovers keep beautifully and the flavor deepens overnight.