Picadillo Cubano

About This Recipe

Picadillo is one of Cuba's most beloved everyday dishes — seasoned ground beef simmered in a rich tomato sofrito with green olives, raisins and capers. The sweet-salty-savoury combination is quintessentially Cuban and reflects the African and Spanish influences that shaped the island's cuisine. It is nearly always served over fluffy white rice and with fried sweet plantain on the side.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 600 gground beef
• 1 largeonion(finely chopped)
• 1green bell pepper(finely chopped)
• 4 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 400 gcanned tomatoes(chopped)
• 60 ggreen olives(pitted and halved)
• 40 graisins
• 2 tbspcapers
• 1 tspground cumin
• 1 tspdried oregano
• 2 tbspolive oil
• 1 tspsalt

Instructions

1. 1

   Make sofrito

   Heat olive oil in a wide pan. Fry onion and pepper over medium heat until soft and golden, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.

2. 2

   Brown beef

   Add ground beef. Break up and cook over high heat until browned, about 8 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.

3. 3

   Add tomatoes and spices

   Add tomatoes, cumin, oregano and salt. Stir well and simmer 15 minutes until sauce has reduced.

4. 4

   Add olives, raisins, capers

   Stir in olives, raisins and capers. Simmer 5 more minutes.

5. 5

   Serve

   Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve over white rice with fried sweet plantain alongside.

Variations

• •

  Add diced potato for a more filling version.

• •

  Use turkey mince for a lighter picadillo.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Refrigerate for 4 days or freeze for 3 months. Reheats excellently.

Frequently Asked Questions