Description
Hearty Mexican picadillo delights palates with its robust blend of ground beef, aromatic spices, and colorful vegetables. Home cooks savor this classic dish that brings comfort and authentic flavor to family dinner tables.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (450g) ground beef (80/20 or leaner preferred)
- 1 small onion (diced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ cup tomato sauce (for a richer sauce)
- ½ cup beef or chicken broth (adjust for desired consistency)
- 1 can (14.5 oz/411 g) diced tomatoes (or 2 fresh tomatoes, chopped)
- 1 medium potato (diced into small cubes)
- 1 carrot (diced, optional)
- 1 tbsp olive oil (if needed)
- 1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp smoked paprika (optional, for depth of flavor)
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp chili powder or cayenne (optional, for heat)
- ½ cup frozen peas (optional, for extra texture and color)
- ¼ cup green olives (sliced, optional for a tangy touch)
- Cooked white rice or Mexican rice
- Warm corn or flour tortillas (for tacos or burritos)
- Fresh cilantro (chopped, for garnish)
Instructions
- Meat Preparation: Heat a large skillet over medium flame. Crumble ground beef into the pan, browning thoroughly and draining excess fat to maintain a clean flavor profile.
- Vegetable Integration: Add onions, garlic, potatoes, and carrots to the browned meat. Sauté vegetables until they soften and release aromatic qualities, creating a foundational flavor base.
- Liquid and Seasoning Fusion: Introduce diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and broth. Sprinkle cumin, paprika, oregano, salt, pepper, and chili powder across the mixture, stirring to distribute seasonings uniformly and create a robust flavor landscape.
- Slow Simmer and Flavor Development: Reduce heat to low, covering the skillet. Allow picadillo to gently simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring periodically to prevent sticking and ensure even potato cooking while melding complex flavor profiles.
- Final Flavor Enhancement: Incorporate green peas and sliced olives during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Conduct a final taste evaluation, adjusting seasonings to achieve a perfectly balanced dish. Serve elegantly over rice or within warm tortillas, garnishing with fresh cilantro for a vibrant culinary presentation.
Notes
- Choose Lean Ground Beef: Select 90/10 or 93/7 ground beef to minimize excess fat and maintain a cleaner, lighter dish without compromising flavor.
- Control Vegetable Texture: Dice potatoes and carrots uniformly to ensure even cooking, preventing some pieces from becoming mushy while others remain undercooked.
- Manage Liquid Consistency: Monitor sauce thickness during simmering – add extra broth if mixture appears too dry, or increase heat briefly to reduce if too watery.
- Optimize Seasoning Balance: Taste and adjust spices gradually, starting with smaller quantities of chili powder and cumin, then incrementally increasing to prevent overwhelming heat or flavor intensity.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 500 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg