If you're looking for a quick and flavorful dinner, Mexican Picadillo is a must-try! This comforting dish features ground beef and potatoes simmered in a rich, spiced tomato sauce.
It’s simple, budget-friendly, and perfect for serving with warm tortillas or rice.
Why I Love Mexican Picadillo
♥️ Quick & easy – Ready in just 30 minutes, making it a great weeknight meal.
♥️ Budget-friendly – Uses affordable ingredients like ground beef, potatoes, and simple pantry staples.
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Ingredients
- Ground beef – Use lean for less grease, or regular for extra flavor.
- Cooking oil – Avocado or olive oil works best.
- Onion – White or yellow, diced for a sweet and savory base. Jalapeño – Diced, with seeds removed for mild heat (leave them in for extra spice).
- Potatoes – Russet or Yukon gold, peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes.
- Garlic – Freshly minced or pressed for bold flavor.
- Tomato sauce – Canned or homemade for a rich base.
- Beef broth – Adds depth and keeps everything juicy.
- Frozen green peas – Toss in at the end to keep them bright (optional).
- Salt & black pepper – Essential for seasoning.
- Ground cumin – Warm and earthy, a must-have spice in Mexican recipes.
- Paprika – Adds a subtle smokiness.
- Mexican oregano – More robust than regular oregano.
- Ground coriander – A hint of citrusy warmth.
- Bay leaf – Infuses the dish with a rich aroma.
📋 You can find the full ingredient list in the Recipe Card below the article.
How To Make Easy Mexican Picadillo
- Cook the beef: Heat a large skillet over medium heat with 1 tablespoon of oil. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up as it browns. Once mostly cooked, drain the grease, leaving about 1 tablespoon of fat in the pan. Set aside.
- Sauté vegetables: Add diced onion, jalapeño, and potatoes to the skillet. Cook for about 3 minutes, until the onion and peppers soften.
- Add garlic and spices: Stir in the garlic and seasonings, cooking for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add liquids: Pour in the tomato sauce and beef broth, then return the potatoes and beef to the skillet.
Is Mexican Picadillo spicy? It has a mild heat from jalapeño, but you can make it spicier by adding serrano peppers or crushed red pepper flakes.
- Simmer: Mix everything well, cover with a lid, and cook for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Finish cooking: Remove the lid, stir in green peas, and continue cooking uncovered for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender and most of the liquid has evaporated.
- Serve: Enjoy warm with flour tortillas and rice, garnished with cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice.
Tips
- Additional vegetables – Add carrots, bell peppers, or corn along with the tomato sauce and beef broth for extra flavor and texture.
- Fresh tomatoes – Swap out tomato sauce for blended fresh Roma tomatoes or finely diced tomatoes for a fresh touch.
- Adjusting heat – Leave in some jalapeño seeds for more spice or swap for serrano peppers.
- Make it ahead – Picadillo tastes even better the next day, so it's great for meal prep!
- What kind of potatoes are best? Russet and Yukon gold potatoes hold their shape well, but you can also use red potatoes.
What to Serve With Mexican Picadillo
Tostadas – Top crispy tostadas with picadillo, lettuce, cheese, and sour cream
- Rice – A side of Mexican rice or plain white rice soaks up the flavorful sauce.
- Tortillas – Warm flour or corn tortillas make it easy to scoop up every bite.
- Beans – Serve with refried beans or black beans for a heartier meal.
Storing Leftovers
- To Store. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freeze. Cool completely and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in a skillet.
- To Reheat. Warm in a skillet over medium heat, adding a splash of broth if needed.
More Mexican Recipes
Can I make this with ground turkey? Yes! Ground turkey works well, but you may need to add a little extra oil for moisture.
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Recipe Card
Easy Mexican Picadillo
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INGREDIENTS
- 1 pounds ground beef, lean
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil, avocado or olive oil
- ½ cup onion diced
- jalapeno, seeds and membrane removed, diced
- 2 cups potato, peeled and diced into ½ inches cubes, Russet or Golden
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- ½ cup green peas, frozen
- ¾ cup beef broth
- 1 teaspoons salt
- ⅛ teaspoons ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoon mexican oregano
- ½ teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 bay leaf
Fo Serving
- rice
- tortillas
- lime wedges
- fresh cilantro
INSTRUCTIONS
- Cook the beef: Heat a large skillet over medium heat with 1 tablespoon of oil. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up as it browns. Once mostly cooked, drain the grease, leaving about 1 tablespoon of fat in the pan. Set aside.1 tablespoon cooking oil, 1 pounds ground beef
- Sauté vegetables: Add diced onion, jalapeño, and potatoes to the skillet. Cook for about 3 minutes until the onion and pepper soften.jalapeno, 2 cups potato, ½ cup onion diced
- Add garlic and spices: Stir in garlic and seasonings, cooking for 30 seconds until fragrant.3 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoons salt, ⅛ teaspoons ground black pepper, 1 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 teaspoon paprika, 2 teaspoon mexican oregano, ½ teaspoons ground coriander
- Add liquids: Pour in tomato sauce and beef broth, bay leaf, then return the potatoes and beef to the skillet.8 ounces tomato sauce, ¾ cup beef broth, 1 bay leaf
- Simmer: Mix everything well, cover with a lid, and cook for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Finish cooking: Remove the lid, stir in green peas, and continue cooking uncovered for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender and most of the liquid has evaporated.½ cup green peas
- Serve: Enjoy warm with flour tortillas and rice, garnished with cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice.
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NUTRITION
Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on the products used.
Full Nutrition Disclaimer can be found here.
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