Picadillo
Ingredients
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- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion – finely chopped
- 1 medium green bell pepper – finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic – minced
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 2 leaves bay
- 1/2 cup pitted Spanish green olives – sliced
- 1/2 cup raisin
- 1 tbsp caper – rinsed
- 1/4 cup water – as needed
- white rice – cooked (for serving)
Instructions
1. Warm the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat until shimmering, 1–2 minutes.
2. Add the yellow onion (finely chopped) and green bell pepper (finely chopped); cook, stirring, until softened and lightly golden, 6–8 minutes.
3. Stir in the garlic (minced) and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
4. Add the ground beef; sprinkle with the kosher salt and ground black pepper. Cook, breaking the meat into small crumbles, until no longer pink and lightly browned, 6–8 minutes; spoon off excess fat if needed.
5. Sprinkle in the ground cumin and dried oregano; stir and cook to bloom the spices, about 30 seconds.
6. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until it darkens slightly and coats the meat, about 1 minute.
7. Pour in the dry white wine, scraping up any browned bits; simmer until reduced by about half, 2–3 minutes.
8. Stir in the tomato sauce, bay leaves, pitted Spanish green olives (sliced), raisins, and capers (rinsed). If the mixture looks dry, stir in the water. Bring to a gentle simmer.
9. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick and glossy and the flavors are well combined, 15–20 minutes; it should hold a shallow trail when a spoon is dragged through.
10. Remove the bay leaves and let the picadillo rest off heat for 5 minutes.
11. Serve over white rice (cooked).
Picadillo is a savory-sweet Cuban ground beef stew built on a sofrito of onion, bell pepper, and garlic, enriched with tomato and gently perfumed with warm spices. Briny green olives and sweet raisins create the hallmark contrast of salty and sweet, while a brief simmer yields a saucy, spoonable texture that clings to rice. The result is comforting, aromatic, and deeply satisfying—equally at home as a weeknight dish or a crowd-pleasing platter.
Rooted in the broader Iberian tradition, picadillo traveled to Cuba through Spanish colonial influence and evolved with local tastes and pantry staples. Cuban versions typically highlight green bell pepper in the sofrito, lean on cumin and oregano, and often include olives and raisins for a Moorish-tinged balance. It is commonly served over white rice and also used as a filling for empanadas, stuffed potatoes (papa rellena), and pastelón, reflecting its versatility in Cuban home cooking.