Mexican Picadillo is a traditional dish with ground beef, potatoes and other veggies. This healthy Mexican version uses lean ground beef without sacrificing any flavors!
Mexican picadillo is a traditional ground meat dish that can be found in various regions of Mexico. It is a delicious combination of ground beef, vegetables, and spices, simmered together to create a mouthwatering filling for tacos, empanadas, or as a standalone dish served with rice and beans.
The name “picadillo” comes from the Spanish word “picar,” which means to chop or mince, referring to the ground beef and the finely diced ingredients used in the dish.
Today I’m going to show you how to make this picadillo recipe my mom made for us while growing up in Sonora Mexico. I “leaned” it up a little bit by using 96% ground beef instead of a more fatty type. This dish comes out so flavorful that you won’t even miss the fat!
Why this recipe works
- Versatile: You can serve it in tacos, on a plate with a side of refried beans and tortillas, on tostadas. You could even make it into Mexican bowl and serve it over red rice. Yum!
- So flavorful!
- Easy to make: Once you gather your ingredients, making it is a breeze!
Ingredients
- Ground Beef: This is the foundation of picadillo, providing a hearty and protein-rich base. Make it healthy by using 96% ground beef. I’m a big fan of Trader Joe’s 96% ground beef for its quality and price!
- The Veggies: A russet potato, white or yellow onion, chopped tomato, frozen peas and corn kernels.
- Chile: I like to add some fresh chile such a poblano, jalapeno or Anaheim (will add lots of flavor without making it spicy). Another mild option is some green bell pepper.
- Spices and Seasonings: A blend of spices such as oregano, garlic salt and pepper plus a little paprika for different layers of flavors.
- For the saucy texture you’ll need: tomato sauce and a little chicken or beef broth to make it extra juicy.
Variations
- Swap the ground beef for ground turkey, pork or ground chicken.
- Add more or different veggies like chopped carrots, green beans, celery, capers and/or green olives.
- For the spices you can add a dash of cumin and chili powder.
How to make Mexican Picadillo
Mexican Picadillo is an easy dish that is perfect for weeknight dinners since it all comes together in about 45 minutes or less. Have all of your ingredients ready when you begin cooking.
- We’ll start by mixing the cubed potatoes with a little bit of olive oil just enough to coat them through.
- Cook the potatoes in a small skillet on medium heat. Keep stirring to ensure that the potatoes are cooked even. Or cook them in the air fryer to avoid using lots of oil.
- While the potatoes are cooking, saute the ground beef in a large skillet on medium high heat. Add the garlic salt and break the beef into small pieces while you stir.
- When the meat is 3/4 cooked, add the onions and poblano pepper (or your preferred chile), cover with a lid and simmer for about 2 minutes.
- Add the chopped tomato, tomato sauce, broth salt & pepper. Cook until the onion becomes clear and meat is completely cooked.
- Add the frozen peas and corn kernels. Mix to integrate.
- Add the crispy potatoes and mix to integrate. Season with salt and pepper according to taste.
- Remove from heat and serve while is hot.
Serving Suggestions
Here are some serving suggestions and accompaniments that complement the flavors of picadillo. My favorite way to eat this dish? Option number 3!!:
- Tacos: Fill warm corn tortillas with the ground beef dish and top it with your favorite toppings such as shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, grated cheese, and a squeeze of lime. It makes great tacos!
- Empanadas: Use picadillo as a filling for homemade empanadas. Encase the flavorful meat mixture in pastry dough and bake until golden and crispy. These handheld treats are perfect for parties or as a grab-and-go snack.
- Rice and Beans: Serve picadillo alongside a generous portion of fluffy cilantro lime rice, refried beans and warm flour tortillas. The combination of flavors and textures is incredibly comforting and satisfying.
- Stuffed Peppers: Stuff bell peppers with picadillo and bake them until the peppers are tender and the filling is cooked through.
- Nachos: Layer tortilla chips with picadillo, melted cheese, black beans, jalapeños, and your favorite toppings. Pop the nachos in the oven until the cheese is gooey and bubbly. It’s a fantastic option for sharing with friends or enjoying as a snack.
- Make crispy taquitos.
How to Store
- Fridge: Allow the meat to cool down to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezer: If you want to store picadillo for a longer period, freezing is a great option. Place the cooled meat in a freezer-safe container or freezer bags, removing as much air as possible. Seal it tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Don’t forget to label the container with the date and contents!
Reheating
- Stovetop: Heat it over medium heat, stirring occasionally to ensure even reheating. Once the meat is heated through, it’s ready to be enjoyed.
- Microwave: If you prefer a quicker method, the microwave is a convenient option. Place the meat in a microwave-safe dish, cover it loosely to prevent splatters, and heat it in short intervals, stirring in between. Be cautious not to overheat to avoid drying out the dish.
Like this healthy version of Picadillo? Wait until you try my Healthier Italian Meatballs!
FAQs
Mexican Beef Picadillo is not spicy since it uses mild peppers like poblano or Anaheim. If you want to make it spicy you can add a serrano pepper for a little bit of heat.
There is no record of where Picadillo originated from but it’s a very popular dish in Latin America, including the Philippines.
You can make picadillo tacos using either corn or flour tortillas. In parts of the United States, it’s made with a fried corn tortilla and this style is more Tex-Mex than a traditional Mexican taco.
More Mexican Recipes
I hope you like this recipe! Share it, or leave a rating and comment below. For questions that need an answer right away, please contact me and I’ll get back to you asap. Gracias!!!! xx, Ana
Print Recipe:
Healthy Mexican Picadillo Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 large russet potato chopped in small cubes
- 2 to 3 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
- 1 lb 96% ground beef
- ¼ teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 cup chopped onion (½ medium onion)
- 1 medium poblano pepper, jalapeño or 1 Anaheim chile chopped
- 1 large tomato or 2 medium roma tomatoes chopped
- 4 oz tomato sauce
- ½ cup broth chicken, beef or vegetable. Anything works. Add more for a more juicy dish
- ½ cup frozen peas
- ½ cup roasted or regular corn kernels
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the cubed potatoes in 2 to 3 tablespoons of oil in a medium skillet on medium heat. Keep stirring to ensure that the potatoes are cooked even.
- Cook the potatoes first or do this while the potatoes are cooking; Cook the ground beef in a medium sauce pan on medium high heat. Add the garlic salt.
- Break the beef with the spoon into small pieces while you stir.
- When the meat is ¾ cooked, add the onions and poblano pepper (or Anaheim chile) and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the chopped tomato, tomato sauce, broth salt & pepper. Cook until the onion becomes clear and meat is completely cooked.
- Add the frozen peas, corn kernels and potatoes. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes on low heat to incorporate all the flavors. Taste for seasoning and add salt and/or pepper according to taste if necessary.
- Remove from heat and serve while is hot.
Muy Delish Notes:
- Fridge: Allow the meat to cool down to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezer: If you want to store picadillo for a longer period, freezing is a great option. Place the cooled meat in a freezer-safe container or freezer bags, removing as much air as possible. Seal it tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Don’t
- forget to label the container with the date and contents!
- Stovetop: Heat it over medium heat, stirring occasionally to ensure even reheating. Once the meat is heated through, it’s ready to be enjoyed.
- Microwave: If you prefer a quicker method, the microwave is a convenient option. Place the meat in a microwave-safe dish, cover it loosely to prevent splatters, and heat it in short intervals, stirring in between. Be cautious not to overheat to avoid drying out the dish.
Add Your Own Private Notes
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Nutrition
The nutritional information and US conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this data. If this is important to you, please verify with your favourite nutrition calculator and/or unit conversion tool.
Comida muy buena!!!
This was delicious. Total comfort food too. 10/10.
Hey there! I wanted to drop by and give you a big thumbs up for your post on the healthy Mexican picadillo. I must say, it was an absolute delight to read through your recipe and see how you’ve managed to infuse traditional flavors with a healthy twist. The combination of spices and fresh ingredients truly made my taste buds dance with joy. Your clear instructions and tips made it easy for me to recreate this delicious dish in my own kitchen. I appreciate your efforts in sharing such a flavorful and nutritious recipe. Keep up the great work, and I look forward to exploring more of your culinary creations in the future!
Love how flavorful this recipe was while still being healthy and guilt free! We loved this dish!
Growing Anaheim chiles in garden, and gonna make this soon!
Super Yummy. I cooked it for my sister after she went through surgery, and she texted saying she ate it all. Nothing brings more comfort than the food we used to eat as children. Thank you for the recipe.
Tried this for the first time. I happened to have ground turkey on hand. I didn’t have peas or corn so I added carrots. Added serrano in addition to the poblano pepper for some heat. Followed everything else as indicated and it was outstanding!! This is definitely going to be one of my healthy go to flavorful dishes. Thank you for sharing this yummy recipe.
Deliciosa y saludable receta !! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This picadillo was so easy to make and it turned out son flavorful! Can’t wait to make it again ?
This recipe was very easy and made my Mexican husband say, “Wow!” He did not have high hopes for this dish but when he tried it he loved it! And I love how easy it is, didn’t even have to dice carrots! Another thing I love about this recipe is that the proportions are easy to memorize so I can make it again without coming back here. And it came together SO fast!
Oh, and I love this method of cooking potatoes! I took a few out for my toddler and sprinkled them with a little salt and he loved them! So it’s like 2 recipes in one for me.
I will definitely make this delicious sounding dish! All the terrific food we’re experiencing here in Thailand, prepared by great cooks ( not chefs, are done in simple fashion! This is such an adaptable recipe in any culture .
Another winner, Ana!
When do you put chopped tomatoes in?
Hi Linda, sorry I missed that on the steps! I added it to the post and the recipe card. You add the chopped tomatoes when you add the tomato sauce. Thanks so much for the question!
Enjoy, xo Ana
Picadillo? What the heck is that. Love that I can find new things on Muy Delish. So good.
Thank you Pablo! I’m so glad you like this dish!
So delicious! I think I’ll add some olives too.
I like olives too but my hubby does not like them so I didn’t add them. Thanks for stopping by!
Yummy! I love Mexican food and this sounds so delicious!
Thank you Audra! It is definitely very good and so easy to make!