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This Mexican picadillo recipe is the kind my family makes from scratch: ground beef and potatoes simmered in a blended fresh tomato sauce with carrots, peas, and jalapeño. It comes together in about 45 minutes, and it’s so good in tacos, gorditas, or just over rice and beans.
A Note from Isabel
Picadillo is one of those dinners I come back to again and again. It’s warm, comforting, and made with stuff I almost always have in the kitchen: ground beef, potatoes, a couple of tomatoes, and some everyday spices.
What makes this one different from a lot of recipes out there is the sauce. Instead of dumping in a can of tomato sauce, I blend fresh tomatoes, onion, garlic, and jalapeño with a little beef broth into a smooth puree, then let the beef and potatoes simmer right in it. The broth gives the sauce a savory, almost stew-like depth, and it’s worth the extra two minutes in the blender.
My family is from Zacatecas (in central-northern Mexico), and this is the picadillo I grew up eating. My mom would make it on busy nights when she wanted something filling without much fuss, and these days I make it the same way for my own kids (minus the jalapeño). It’s the kind of meal that just tastes like home to me.
What Is Picadillo?
Picadillo is a classic dish you’ll find all over Latin America, made with ground beef and a tomato-based sauce. The name comes from the Spanish word “picar,” which means to chop or mince, a nod to the ground or finely chopped meat at the heart of every version.
Every country and family makes it a little differently. Cuban picadillo is known for green olives and raisins, which give it a sweet-and-salty thing going on. Puerto Rican versions lean on sofrito and sazón. The Mexican picadillo I grew up with is simpler and heartier: ground beef and potatoes simmered in a fresh tomato sauce, usually with carrots and peas mixed in too.
Mine is the Zacatecas way my family makes it, which means that homemade blended sauce instead of anything from a can. If you’ve only ever had beef picadillo as a taco or gordita filling at a restaurant, making it at home is so easy you’ll wonder why you waited.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s what goes into a pot of picadillo, plus a few notes on swaps. Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
| Ingredient | Notes / Why It Works |
|---|---|
| Lean ground beef | The base of the dish. Ground turkey or chicken both work if you want something lighter. Extra lean ground beef also works. |
| Roma tomatoes | Blended fresh into the sauce instead of using canned. Romas are meaty and not too watery, so the sauce stays rich. |
| Beef broth | Goes into the blended sauce for savory, stew-like depth. If you don’t have any broth on hand, a little bouillon dissolved in water works just as well. |
| Russet potato | Soaks up all that sauce and makes the picadillo hearty. I leave the skin on, but you can peel it if you prefer. Yukon gold or red potatoes work here too. |
| Carrots and peas | The classic mix-ins for Mexican picadillo. They add color, a little sweetness, and bulk it up. I like using frozen peas, but canned peas work as well. |
| Jalapeños | Blended right into the sauce for flavor and a little heat. Remove the seeds for milder spice, or leave them out for none at all. |
| Dry seasonings | Cumin, coriander, and Mexican oregano are the warm, earthy backbone of the sauce. Mexican oregano is a little more citrusy than the Italian kind, so use it if you can find it. |
How to Make Picadillo
Here’s the quick version. Full measurements and times are in the recipe card below.
Blend the sauce. Add the tomatoes, half the onion, garlic, jalapeños, beef broth, and seasonings to a blender and blend until smooth.
Brown the beef and veggies. Cook the rest of the onion in a little oil, then add the ground beef and brown it. Stir in the potatoes and carrots and cook a few minutes more.
Add the sauce and simmer. Pour in the blended tomato sauce, cover, and let it simmer until the potatoes and carrots are tender.
Finish with peas. Stir in the peas and cook a few more minutes. Taste and add salt if it needs it, then serve. I love it with Mexican rice and homemade flour tortillas.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t skimp on the salt. It’s what pulls the tomato sauce, beef, and potatoes together, so taste as you go and add a little more if it tastes flat.
- Test your jalapeños before you commit. Their heat is all over the place, so take a tiny taste of one. If it’s a fiery batch, start with one pepper instead of two and add from there.
- Dice the potatoes and carrots about the same size. That way they cook evenly and get tender at the same time.
- If the picadillo looks dry while it simmers, splash in a little extra beef broth or water and keep cooking. You want it saucy, not stuck to the pan.
Variations
Picadillo is easy to make your own, so here are a few ways to switch it up.
- Lighten it up by swapping the ground beef for ground turkey or chicken.
- Sneak in more veggies like a cup of corn or some diced zucchini stirred in with the potatoes.
- Use sweet potatoes in place of the russet for a little natural sweetness.
- Make it soupy by adding extra beef broth if you’d rather have it thinner than a stew.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What’s the difference between Mexican and Cuban picadillo? They start from the same idea, ground beef in a tomato sauce, but they go different directions. Mexican picadillo leans on potatoes, carrots, and a fresh blended tomato sauce, while Cuban picadillo is known for green olives and raisins, which make it sweet and salty.
- Can I make picadillo ahead of time? Yes, and honestly it’s even better the next day. Like chili or stew, the flavors keep melding as it sits, so it’s great for meal prep and leftovers.
- Can I freeze it? Definitely. Let it cool, then store it in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight and warm it back up in a pan.
- What do you serve with picadillo? It’s great over Mexican rice or cilantro lime rice, or scooped into warm flour tortillas for tacos. It’s also a really good filling for gorditas, sopes, and beef empanadas.
Mexican Picadillo Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 small-medium Roma tomatoes, halved
- 1 medium white onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 jalapeño peppers, stemmed*
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon Mexican oregano
- ½ cup beef broth
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 medium russet potato, diced
- 1 large carrot, diced
- ½ cup frozen peas
Instructions
- In a blender, combine the tomatoes, ½ of the diced onion, broth, garlic, jalapeño peppers, 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt, Mexican oregano, cumin, and coriander. Blend until completely smooth and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the remaining ½ of the diced onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
- Add the ground beef and sprinkle with the remaining teaspoon of kosher salt. Cook for 6-8 minutes, breaking up the meat into small pieces as it cooks. Drain and discard any excess grease if necessary.
- Stir in the potatoes and carrots and cook for 5 more minutes. Pour in the pureed tomato mixture and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.
- Uncover and cook for 5 more minutes. Stir in the frozen peas and cook uncovered for 5 more minutes, or until the potatoes and carrots are tender. If the meat starts to get dry, add in ¼ cup of extra broth or water and continue cooking. Taste and season with more salt as needed.
- Garnish picadillo with chopped cilantro and queso fresco if desired. Serve immediately with warm corn or flour tortillas.
Video
Notes
- Jalapeños: For less heat, scrape out the seeds before blending. For no heat at all, leave the jalapeños out completely.
- Potatoes: I leave the skin on the russet, but peel it if you’d rather. Yukon gold or red potatoes work too.
- Storage and leftovers: Picadillo tastes even better the next day, so it’s great for meal prep. It keeps for 5 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe was originally published in May 2018 and has been updated with new photos, more helpful tips, and an overall better recipe.
Photography by Ashley McLaughlin.
I made as written and the potatoes and carrots were still too firm. Just cooked another 10 and it was done. Very good! I’m looking forward to eating the leftovers on tostadas with your refried beans from the freezer.
It was so good. I will definitely be making it again. My husband loved it.
I was looking for something different that used ground beef, besides the usual tacos or enchiladas. I saw this one and decided to give it a try. It was simple, easy and delicious! Served it with cilantro rice and refried beans, it made for a great week day dinner.
It was quick easy and very delicious, even my husband loved it.
Made dish as written. It was quick, easy and delicious. This will definitely be a regular in the menu rotation. Thank you!
Great recipe! Reminds me of the version my Dad would make.
My family loves it and has been added to the favorites rotation meals 🙂
Very tasty! Took a little longer to cook the liquid out, but well worth the wait. Didn’t have any peas to add, but still delicious.
love this recipe as it is, great flavor. For a variation, i leave out the diced Potatoes and I serve this delicious Picadillo over a bed of mash potatoes to make the Irish shepherds Pie :)) to impress my husband. Thank you Isabel Eats
I made this and also the lime cilantro rice. Enjoyed it!
I grew up eating this but I had no idea how to make it and this was almost perfect. The only thing missing was a bay leaf while it all simmers together at the end. Delicious!!