Versatile Colombian spiced beef mince with tomatoes, onions, and herbs — the workhorse filling for arepas, pasteles, empanadas, and rice bowls.
Picadillo is the fundamental building block of Colombian home cooking: finely minced or chopped beef seasoned with hogao (the Colombian tomato-onion base), cumin, sazon, and cilantro, cooked until golden and slightly dry. It is not a dish in itself but the filling or topping that makes other things into meals — stuffed arepas, empanadas de pipian, rice and picadillo bowls, stuffed peppers, and the everyday lunch plate (bandeja paisa) use it as a component. The technique is simple but requires attention: the beef must be cooked in a hot pan until all moisture evaporates and the mince begins to brown and develop a slightly crisp texture rather than steaming into a grey clump. The hogao base (onion and tomato cooked to a concentrated paste) is added to the browned meat, then cumin, garlic, and fresh cilantro finish the seasoning. The result is deeply savoury, slightly spicy, flexible, and efficient — a pot of picadillo on the stove means a week of quick, satisfying meals.
Serves 6
Heat oil in a large, wide pan over medium heat. Add onion and green capsicum if using. Cook 8–10 minutes until completely softened and beginning to turn golden.
Add minced garlic and diced tomatoes. Cook 8 more minutes, stirring frequently, until tomatoes break down completely into a jammy, concentrated paste. This is the hogao base.
Stir in cumin, sazon or annatto, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook 1 minute until fragrant.
Increase heat to medium-high. Add beef mince, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as finely as possible. Cook without stirring for 2 minutes to allow a brown crust to form on the base, then stir and continue cooking until all pink is gone.
Cooking the mince in a hot, wide pan without crowding ensures it browns rather than steams. Add it in batches if the pan is small.
Continue cooking over medium-high heat 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid released by the beef fully evaporates and the picadillo begins to sizzle and brown lightly. It should be moist but not wet.
Remove from heat. Stir in fresh cilantro. Taste and adjust salt. Use immediately as a filling or topping, or cool and refrigerate.
A wide skillet or sauté pan beats a deep pot for picadillo — the larger surface area means moisture evaporates faster and the beef browns instead of braising.
For a richer version, add 2 tbsp ají amarillo paste or a diced chipotle in adobo with the spices.
Picadillo is better the next day — make a double batch on Sunday and use it across the week in arepas, rice bowls, and empanadas.
Picadillo con papas: add 300 g diced cooked potatoes in the last 5 minutes for a heartier filling.
Picadillo de pollo: substitute minced chicken for beef; reduce cooking time by 5 minutes.
Sweet picadillo (Cuban-influenced): add 2 tbsp raisins and a splash of white wine for a sweet-savoury version.
Refrigerate up to 4 days. Freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat in a pan with a splash of water or stock over medium heat.
Picadillo (from 'picar' — to mince or chop) is a preparation shared across the Hispanic world, with distinct regional versions in Cuba, Mexico, the Philippines (as giniling), and Puerto Rico. The Colombian version is most characterised by the hogao base of tomato and onion that anchors the seasoning. It appears in Colombian household cookbooks from the 19th century as a practical, economical preparation for tough or cheap cuts of beef.
Yes — pulse coarsely cubed beef in a food processor 10–12 times for a coarser, more textured picadillo. Avoid over-processing to a paste.
Both are spiced beef mince preparations, but picadillo uses a hogao (tomato-onion paste) base, cumin, and achiote rather than wine and Italian herbs. The technique also differs: picadillo is cooked drier and is not meant to be a sauce.
The basic recipe is mildly spiced but not hot. Add chopped ají amarillo, malagueta pepper, or hot sauce to increase the heat level to your preference.
Per serving (160g / 5.6 oz) · 6 servings total
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