Give me a family meal recipe that is delicious, easy to cook, budget-friendly, and can be served in a variety of ways.- Said every mom ever! Guys, I got you. My picadillo recipe is made with simple ingredients and tastes like Mexican comfort.
What is Picadillo?
To describe what picadillo is, I will first tell you the meaning of the word. Pica is a Spanish word that means “chop” or “to chop.” This name was given to the dish because it is made with all or mostly all chopped ingredients.
The way it is prepared varies from region to region, but it is basically a mixture of chopped veggies and meat in a chile sauce. It could be made “seco” ( meaning dry ) or in a “caldo” ( meaning soup ).
I grew up eating it as a caldo, this version is tasty too, but I prefer it seco because I can use it for tacos. Yum!
How to Make Picadillo
Heat a large skillet or cast iron over medium heat. Add ¼ cup oil. Add in diced potatoes. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring every so often. Season with salt, then transfer them to a plate.
Add ground beef to the skillet along with the onion and carrots. Cook 10 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Drain the fat, then add the chile powder and chopped tomato. Stir to combine.
Add the pureed tomato, stir and simmer for a minute, then add the potatoes back in. Season with salt to taste. Cover and simmer on medium-low for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from the heat and sprinkle with chopped cilantro ( optional ). Serve hot with tortillas. Enjoy!
What to Serve With Mexican Picadillo
Picadillo is usually served with tortillas. It is used as a filling for tacos. If you would like to serve it a different way, or with a side, some good accompaniments are:
Pinto beans ( whole or refried )
Spanish rice
White rice
Ensalada de nopal ( cactus salad )
Guacamole
Picaillo is an easy, hearty meal for any day of the week. I hope you and your family love this recipe as much as we do.
Need more easy family meal ideas? check out my other recipes here.
Till the next one!
Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating and leave your thoughts in the comment section below. Snap a picture of the recipe you made and tag me @mariasblisscorner with the hashtag #mariasblisscorner. Thank you!
Mexican Picadillo
Ingredients
- ¼ cup oil
- 1½ lb ground beef
- 1 small yellow onion
- 1 large baking potato
- 1 carrot
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 Roma tomatoes
- 2 cups water
- 2 tsp chile California powder
- salt to taste
Serve with
- corn or flour tortillas optional
- cilantro optional
Instructions
Prep:
- Cut potato into about 1-inch cubes. Cut carrot into quarters then ½ inch slices.
- Dice the onion and 1 tomato. Puree the other tomato with the garlic cloves and 2 cups of water.
Cook:
- Heat a large skillet or cast iron on medium heat. Add ¼ cup oil. Add in the diced potatoes. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring every so often. Season with salt, then transfer to a plate.
- Add the ground beef to the skillet along with the onion and carrots. Cook 10 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Drain the fat, then add the chile powder and chopped tomato. Stir to combine.
- Add the pureed tomato, stir and simmer for a minute, then add the potatoes back in. Season with salt to taste. Cover and simmer on medium-low for 10 minutes, stirring ocasionally.
- Remove from the heat and sprinkle with chopped cilantro ( optional ). Serve with tortillas. Enjoy!
Leave a Reply