Cuban Picadillo

Deeply savory with a touch of sweetness, Cuban picadillo is an easy, satisfying dinner that’s great over rice.

Classic Cuban picadillo with ground beef in a seasoned tomato sauce is ready in a flash and delicious served over rice. Jennifer Segal

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Cuban picadillo is a comforting, family-friendly dish that’s perfect for a busy weeknight. It’s a quick, saucy beef dish made with ground beef simmered in a savory tomato sauce with onions, garlic, warm spices, briny green olives, and raisins—and it’s ready in about half an hour. If raisins sound unexpected, trust me—they add little pops of sweetness that really make the dish. Spoon it over rice and dinner’s done.

What You’ll Need To Make Cuban Picadillo

• Meat: ground beef, baking soda (for tenderizing)
• Aromatics: yellow onion, green bell pepper, garlic
• Sauce and seasoning: Spanish-style canned tomato sauce, beef broth, sazon seasoning, ground cumin, brown sugar, salt
• Add-ins & finish: raisins, pimento-stuffed green olives, red wine vinegar
• Cooking staple: olive oil

Step-By-Step Instructions

Step 1. Tenderize the beef. In a large bowl, mix the ground beef with the baking soda and water until evenly combined. Let sit for about 20 minutes to help keep the meat tender.

Pro Tip: Don’t skip the baking soda step. It might seem unconventional, but it raises the beef’s pH and helps it stay juicy as it cooks in the sauce—especially helpful since picadillo simmers rather than browns.

Step 2. Cook the aromatics. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more, being careful not to let it brown.

Step 3. Simmer the picadillo. Add the tomato sauce, broth, raisins, sazón seasoning, salt, cumin, brown sugar, and olives, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low, pinch off loose 1-inch clumps of the beef, and scatter them over the sauce. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally to break up the meat, until cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, then taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Pro Tip: Pinching the beef is important. Adding it in loose clumps (instead of dumping it in all at once) gives picadillo its signature texture—small, tender pieces suspended in the sauce rather than a uniform crumble.

Step 4. Serve or store. Serve warm over rice. The picadillo can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated, or frozen for up to 3 months.

Pro Tip: Like many saucy dishes, the flavors deepen after a night in the fridge—making it a great make-ahead option for busy weeks.

Cuban Picadillo

Serves 4 Prep Time: 25 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 40 minutes

• 1 1/4 pounds 85 percent lean ground beef
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 small green bell pepper, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (8-ounces) can Spanish-style tomato sauce (such as Goya)
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 2 packets Sazón seasoning (2 heaping teaspoons; see note)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons light or dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup chopped pimento-stuffed green olives
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, baking soda, and water. Mix until evenly combined, then let sit for about 20 minutes—this step helps tenderize the beef.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and pepper and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more; do not brown.

Add the tomato sauce, broth, raisins, sazon seasoning, salt, cumin, brown sugar, and olives. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Pinch off loose 1-in (2.5-cm) clumps of the beef and scatter them over the sauce. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally to break up the meat, until cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes.

Stir in the vinegar, then taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve warm over rice.

Notes

Sazón is a Latin seasoning blend that typically includes salt, garlic, cumin, coriander, and annatto, which gives dishes a warm yellow-orange color and savory depth. It’s widely available in most supermarkets—look for it in the international foods aisle, often near other Latin or Caribbean products. I use Goya Sazón with Coriander and Annatto, but Sazón con Azafran works too.

Make-Ahead/Freezing Instructions: Picadillo can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator; reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of water or broth if it thickens. It also freezes beautifully. To freeze, let it cool completely, then transfer to freezer-safe containers or zip-top bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and warm on the stovetop before serving.

Nutrition Information

Per serving (4 servings), Calories: 498kcal, Carbohydrates: 35g, Protein: 31g, Fat: 28g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Cholesterol: 96.4mg, Sodium: 753.8mgFiber: 5g, Sugar: 17g

Nutritional Data Disclaimer

Gluten-Free Adaptable Note

To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you’re following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.

This article was originally published on OnceUponaChef.com. Follow on Instagram

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