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Mexican Picadillo

Mexican picadillo is a traditional ground beef recipe simmered with diced potatoes, green olives, capers, and tomato-spiced broth. This easy Mexican dinner turns into a fragrant, hearty skillet meal that’s great over white rice.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Picadillo base
  • 1.5 lb ground beef Use 80/20 for best flavor.
  • 2 Yukon gold potatoes Peel and dice small for even tender bites.
  • 1 onion Dice for quick sauté.
  • 4 garlic Minced.
  • 2 roma tomatoes Dice (or use canned diced tomatoes).
  • 0.5 cup green olives Sliced.
  • 2 tbsp capers Drained.
  • 1 cup beef broth Low-sodium works; adjust salt at the end.
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 0.5 tsp oregano
  • 0.25 salt To taste.
  • 0.25 pepper To taste.
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 0.25 fresh cilantro For garnish.
  • 1 white rice For serving.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the ground beef, breaking apart, until no longer pink. Drain fat if there is excess.
Bloom spices
  1. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes, stirring until softened. Add the garlic, cumin, chili powder, and oregano and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Simmer the broth and potatoes
  1. Stir in the diced tomatoes, potatoes, beef broth, salt, and pepper, then bring the mixture to a boil. Cover and simmer on medium-low for 15–18 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
Finish with olives and capers
  1. Stir in the green olives and capers and cook for 3 more minutes to warm through. Adjust seasoning, garnish with cilantro, and serve over white rice.

Notes

Pro tip: dice potatoes small so they tenderize evenly within the 15–18 minute simmer. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days; reheat in a skillet with a splash of broth. Freezing is not recommended because potatoes may soften further after thawing. For a lower-fat option, use lean ground beef and drain any extra fat after browning.