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Mexican Picadillo

Mexican picadillo skillet simmers ground beef with diced potatoes and carrots in a lightly spiced tomato broth until fork-tender. The sauce thickens after a short simmer with peas and olives for a comforting, spoonable finish.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ground beef
  • 1 lb ground beef (80/20) Use 80/20 for best browning and flavor.
Vegetables and aromatics
  • 0.5 cup diced white onion
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced small
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced small
  • 0.5 cup frozen peas
  • 0.25 cup pimento-stuffed green olives, sliced
Canned and broth ingredients
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 0.5 cup beef broth
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
Spices and seasoning
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.25 tsp ground cloves
  • 0.01 salt To taste.
  • 0.01 pepper To taste.
To finish
  • 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped For garnish.
  • 1 lime wedges For serving.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Heat a large deep skillet over medium-high heat and add the ground beef, breaking it apart, and cook 5–6 minutes until browned. Drain excess fat so the skillet stays saucy but not greasy.
Sauté the aromatics
  1. Add the diced onion to the skillet and cook 3 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add vegetables and spices
  1. Stir in the potatoes, carrots, diced tomatoes, beef broth, tomato paste, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, and ground cloves. Season with salt and pepper, then stir to combine so everything is evenly coated.
Simmer until fork-tender
  1. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook until the potatoes and carrots are fork-tender.
Add peas and olives
  1. Stir in the frozen peas and sliced olives, then cook uncovered 3–4 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and the peas are heated through. Keep the heat at a steady low simmer so the sauce reduces without drying out.
Finish and serve
  1. Remove the skillet from the heat and taste, adjusting seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot with lime wedges, warm tortillas, or over rice.

Notes

Pro tip: dice potatoes and carrots small and similar in size so they cook to the same fork-tender texture during the 20–25 minute covered simmer. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stove. Freezing is yes—freeze in portions up to 2 months and thaw overnight before reheating. For a lower-fat option, use 90/10 ground beef and drain a bit more rendered fat before adding the vegetables.