Authentic Mexican Picadillo Recipe

Inside: Learn how to make this delicious and authentic Mexican picadillo recipe, which is very versatile and easy to make. 

Para Espanol, Haz Click Aqui. 

There are few things that fill my stomach and heart as much as homemade food. There is something about making the food at home that makes is so enjoyable. It may be all the hard work or love that you have to put into it. 

I remember making this picadillo recipe at least 4 times per month with my abuelita. Every one of us that lived there loved it so much and we would often eat it in the form of a taco with freshly made tortillas and salsa. We also would just eat it on top of rice and we always left the table satisfied. 

What is Picadillo?

Picadillo is an inexpensive, yet filling food that is ideal for large families or to serve at a party. It consists of many ingredients such as ground beef, carrots, potatoes, and peas. Aside from that, it is also healthy. The combination of potatoes and carrots with ground beef and other flavors gives it a very familiar Mexican taste. 

Picadillo is easy to make and it doesn’t take much time at all! It is perfect for those days when you don’t have much time to make someting more elaborate.

How do you serve Picadillo?

This recipe is so versatile. You can use it in so many different ways. For example, my husband loves to mix it in with eggs to make a delicious breakfast burrito. I, on the other hand, prefer it with tacos, tostadas, and empanadas. 

You can make it spicy or mild, and it is delicious either way. In some ways, this reminds me a little bit of the filling for chicken pot pie in the US, because it has similar ingredients (other than the ground beef). In fact, that may be even another way to serve it by replacing the chicken filling with Picadillo!

Another good thing about this tasty meal is that you can freeze it easily for later use. All you have to do is wait for it to cool down, add it to a freezer safe container or bag and store it in the freezer for up to 6 months. It is great to have for difficult times when it can be hard to get to the store or to make something new every day. 

In some countries, picadillo is made differently – some places you raisins and olives in the mixture. In Mexico, we use chipotle peppers and other peppers to give it extra flavor. Although, I have to say that it was my abuelitas special touch and ability to season food that makes this version so special and delicious. Her secret was adding a cinnamon stick to the mix which really gives it a unique flavor.

Let me know in the comments below how it turns out.

Other Authentic Mexican Recipes

• Authentic Mexican Rice Recipe
• Authentic Mexican Pozole Verde Recipe
• Authentic Mexican Birria Recipe (3 Methods)
• Authentic Tacos de Canasta Recipe (Mexican Basket Tacos)
• Authentic Sopa de Fideo Recipe
• Authentic Mexican Entomatadas Recipe with Chicken

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Authentic Mexican Picadillo Recipe

Learn how to make this delicious and authentic Mexican picadillo recipe, which is very versatil and easy to make. 

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: picadillo

Servings: 10 people

Calories: 185kcal

Author: Charbel Barker

Ingredients

• 2 Large Potatoes Diced
• 2 Large Carrots Diced
• 1 can Green Peas
• 1/2 Onion Diced
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 chile ancho, deveined and deseeded
• 1 cup Beef Stock
• 1/4 white onion
• 2 Red tomatoes
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 1/4 tbsp cumin
• 3 sweet peppercorns
• 1/4 tbsp thyme
• 1/4 bunch cilantro finely chopped
• 1 tbsp oregano
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp oil

Instructions

• Start by sauteeing the tomato, the 1/4 white onion, chile ancho, garlic, thyme, peppercorn, cinnamon and oregano in a medium to large frying pan with 1 tablespoon of oil. Remove from the pan and blend in a blender with the beef stock and chipotle pepper until smooth. Set aside.
• In the same pan that you used for the previous step, cook the ground beef with the diced onions and cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Once the ground beef is browned, add the carrots and potatoes and cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat.
• Add the mixture from the first step and bring to a boil for 10 minutes.
• Add the green peas and let simmer for another 10 minutes. Add additional salt if necessary.

Nutrition

Serving: 1People | Calories: 185kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 112mg | Potassium: 424mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 3515IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 2mg

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