Easy Cuban Beef Picadillo Recipe

You could be enjoying this easy beef picadillo recipe in less than 30 minutes of cook time! This is a fast way to make classic Cuban comfort food at home. Try it for yourself. You’ll love this …….!

Cuban Beef Picadillo Recipe

I’m excited to share my delicious recipe for picadillo with ground beef. This simple recipe with ground beef and rice combines classic Latin American ingredients of tomato, garlic, cumin, cilantro, onions, and bell peppers for an easy weeknight dinner. The traditional way this recipe is made is with slow cooking. But with the help of a pressure cooker or Instant Pot, cook time is slashed and you spend less time in the kitchen.

Ground Beef Picadillo made in pressure cooker

Great Batch Cooking Recipe

This ground beef picadillo is a great batch cooking recipe because it’s easy to double and triple the servings. Plus it’s better the second day. The recipe below makes enough for 6 servings. So I plan this for dinner one night and then enjoy it for lunch the second day or serve it again later in the week. If you like, you can swap out the ground beef for ground turkey

This recipe is also really good in burritos, served over skillet potatoes, or as part of a rice bowl with sautéed vegetables, beans, and fresh avocado.

What’s the Difference Between Cubano and Mexican Picadillo?

Every country has their version of a popular meat and rice dish. In Latin American and the Philippines, Picadillo is a popular choice and the two most popular versions are Cuban Picadillo and Mexican Picadillo. Both versions have ground beef, onions, peppers, garlic, and tomatoes. The Cuban version like the one I have for you here also includes olives. Other recipes may also include raisins or capers. The Mexican version varies by region but will almost always include potatoes and is more like a hash.

How to Make Picadillo

The printable recipe below outlines the instructions to cook this in an pressure cooker. Here I wanted to lay out different options if you’d rather cook this picadillo; Instant pot, slow cooker, or Dutch oven on the stove top.

To start, melt the butter in an Instant Pot on Saute or in a Dutch oven over medium high heat.
Add onion and bell peppers and cook until they are slightly softened, about 4 minutes.
Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink, about 8 minutes. Crumble the beef as it cooks.
Next add your cilantro, tomatoes, green olives, cumin, and garlic. Stir to combine.
Cook as follows:
1. Pressure Cooker – 15 minutes at pressure and allow a natural release for at least 10 minutes
2. Dutch Oven – Cover and reduce heat to low medium to allow a simmer for at least 20 minutes. Note: The longer you cook, the better the flavor.
3. Slow Cooker – Transfer everything to a slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.

Season with salt and pepper to taste after cooking. Serve with cooked rice and a lime wedge.

What to serve with Cuban Style Picadillo

The traditional way to serve this is with black beans and long-grain white rice. We also like to use brown rice which has a nuttier flavor. Both types of rice soak up all the flavors and the cooking liquid. If you want fewer carbs, try serving this with cauliflower rice or even mashed cauliflower. Another way to enjoy this is to think of the beef mixture as taco meat and serve in tacos, burritos, rice bowls, empanadas, or even enchiladas.

I have been using Platejoy meal planning service/website. There they had a slow cooker version of this recipe. They paired this popular Cuban dish with a simple side green salad and a vinaigrette with olive oil, a little lime juice, and a few dashes of ground.

Related: You can read more on PlateJoy and how it's making it easier for us to meal plan at home.

6 servings

Easy Cuban Beef Picadillo

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Additional Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

An easy classic Cuban comfort food recipe that is perfect for weeknight dinners.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter
1 large onion, diced
2 bell peppers, diced
1 pound lean ground beef
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
56oz crushed tomatoes (2 large cans)
1 cup or small jar with liquid drained green olives
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon garlic powder
6 cups cooked long-grain rice
1 lime
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Set Instant Pot to sauté and add butter.
Once butter is melted, add onion and bell peppers. Cook for 4 minutes or until slightly softened.
Add ground beef and Cook until no longer pink, about 8 minutes. Crumble meat with a wooden spoon as it cooks.
Add cilantro, tomatoes, green olives, cumin, and garlic to Instant Pot. Stir to combine.
Add lid and set machine to manual setting. Set time for 15 minutes at pressure. Cook and then allow a natural release for at least 10 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with cooked rice and a lime wedge.

Notes

This recipe is easily modified for a slow cooker (cooked low for 6 hours) or a Dutch oven (cooked on the stove top at a simmer for at least 20 minutes).

Easy Cuban Beef Picadillo Recipe