Picadillo

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare ingredients: peel and dice the potato (250 g) and carrot (100 g); dice the onion (150 g); mince the garlic (6 g); drain the tomatoes (200 g); mince the chipotle if using; measure spices and broth.

2. 2

   Heat the skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil.

   15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil
3. 3

   Add the ground beef to the hot skillet and break it up with a spatula; let it brown without crowding until most pieces are browned, about 6–8 minutes.

   400 g ground beef (80/20)
4. 4

   Push the beef to one side, add the diced onion to the oil and beef fat and cook until translucent, 3–4 minutes, then stir in the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

   150 g (about 1 medium) white onion, diced6 g (2 cloves) garlic, minced
5. 5

   Add the diced potato and carrot to the pan, toss to coat, and cook 3 minutes to start softening.

   250 g potato, peeled and 1 cm dice100 g carrot, diced
6. 6

   Stir in the chopped tomatoes, broth, ground cumin, dried oregano, and the minced chipotle or sliced serrano; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer.

   200 g canned chopped tomatoes (or ripe fresh), drained120 ml beef or chicken broth (low sodium preferred)2 g (1 tsp) ground cumin1 g (1/2 tsp) dried oregano1 small (about 7 g), adjust to taste chipotle in adobo, minced (or 1 serrano chile, thinly sliced)6 g (1 tsp), plus more to taste salt1 g (1/2 tsp) black pepper, ground
7. 7

   Reduce heat to medium-low, cover partially, and simmer until potatoes and carrots are tender and the sauce has reduced and clings to the beef, 12–15 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and adjust heat so it bubbles gently.

8. 8

   Check doneness: cut a potato piece to confirm tenderness and use an instant-read thermometer in the thickest beef mixture; ground beef should reach an internal temperature of 71°C (160°F).

   400 g ground beef (80/20)250 g potato, peeled and 1 cm dice
9. 9

   Once done, stir in the lime juice and adjust seasoning with more salt or chipotle if desired. Remove from heat and let sit 2 minutes.

   15 ml (1 tbsp) fresh lime juice6 g (1 tsp), plus more to taste salt1 small (about 7 g), adjust to taste chipotle in adobo, minced (or 1 serrano chile, thinly sliced)
10. 10

    Serve the picadillo topped with chopped cilantro if using, alongside the cooked white rice and warmed corn tortillas. Use tortillas to make tacos or spoon the picadillo over rice.

    10 g fresh cilantro, chopped (optional garnish)300 g (cooked, about 150 g per person) cooked white rice6 pieces small corn tortillas, warmed

Origin & History

Picadillo is a widely made home-style dish across Mexico and Latin America; the Mexican version emphasizes savory meat with potatoes and sometimes tomatoes and chiles. This everyday skillet variant is practical and flexible, meant for quick weeknight meals rather than the fruit-and-nut versions from Puebla.