Name: Easy & Authentic Cuban Picadillo
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Cuban
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1/2 cup diced onion; 1/2 cup diced green pepper; 3 cloves garlic (minced); 1 lb ground beef; 1/3 cup vino seco (dry cooking wine); 6 ounces tomato sauce; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; Salt to taste (start with 1/2 teaspoon then adjust from there); 1/4 cup Spanish olives (cut in half); 2 tablespoons raisins ((or more to taste) optional)

Easy & Authentic Cuban Picadillo

A simple and flavorful Cuban picadillo recipe made with ground beef, tomato sauce, spices, olives, and raisins. Perfect weeknight meal made in one skillet! You and your family will not get enough of these delicious Cuban flavors.

Ready 30 minutes

Serves 6 servings

Prep 10 minutes

Cook 20 minutes

Jump to the recipe

If you asked me what weeknight dinner I ate most as a kid, it’d hands-down be this classic Cuban picadillo.

My mom wasn’t a microwave kind of mom. She was serving full-on Cuban dinners every night, even after work. Icon behavior.

This recipe is fast, cozy, and full of flavor… my kinda meal!

I keep ground beef stocked just for 30-minute meals like this. I also make Cuban turkey picadillo when I want to switch things up… but we’ll save that for another day.

“Oh my! Yet another favorite done right! Made this tonight and it was amazing. Simple but the right ingredients put together to make this Cuban staple. I thoroughly enjoyed it on a Monday evening! Thanks for all you do Jamie, I really appreciate you! :)” —Chris

How To Make Cuban Picadillo

Making picadillo isn’t complicated. This is the part where I channel my mom, walking me through each step while something’s already sizzling on the stove. Thankfully, I didn’t have to chase her down for exact measurements. That’s how easy it is to make this recipe!

Heat oil over medium heat. Make Cuban sofrito then add ground beef and cook about 5 minutes.

🙋🏻‍♀️ Not a fan of raisins in picadillo? SAME. They’re a classic part of Cuban picadillo, so I include them in the recipe, but personally, I leave them out. Maybe I’m biased but this dish is just as good without them!

This one-pan meal is usually served over Cuban white rice. You can also serve picadillo with fried sweet plantains. This is one of my favorite Cuban dinners and, the leftovers the next day are even better!

Recommended For This Recipe

Large Skillet

A 10-inch skillet perfect for cooking all kinds of dishes! It’s non-stick, with a wide flat bottom for frying, sautéing, or browning.

Leftover Ideas

Is this picadillo incredible on its own? Absolutely. But, leftover picadillo is basically a free pass to get creative. I’ll use it to make aji rellenos, or stuff it into tostones rellenos, those little plantain cups are always a hit.

If I’m feeling fancy, I’ll roll out some empanada dough and bake them off, or go all in with pastelitos de carne for that sweet-savory combo I can’t resist.

🍽️ Ok hear me out… you need to try picadillo with a fried egg on top or alongside a sliced banana. I know it sounds weird but TRUST ME. Either combo tastes so good!

cuban picadillo served with white rice on a white plate

That’s all folks! I mean… how good does that look!

This is very versatile and one that I know will become part of your weekly rotation.

Easy + Authentic Cuban Picadillo

This 30-minute Cuban picadillo is cozy, saucy, and loaded with flavor. Ground beef gets simmered with tomato sauce, spices, olives, and a handful of raisins (totally optional!). Serve it over rice for an easy weeknight dinner, then use the leftovers for aji rellenos, Cuban beef empanadas, or even pastelitos de carne. It’s the meal that keeps on giving!

Serves 6 servings

Prep 10 minutes

Cook 20 minutes

Total 30 minutes