Description
A traditional Mexican Picadillo recipe featuring a savory blend of ground beef, potatoes, carrots, and peas simmered in a rich tomato sauce seasoned with Mexican oregano and spices. This comforting and hearty dish is perfect served with rice, tortillas, and fresh cilantro.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Tomato Sauce:
- 4 Roma tomatoes, quartered
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and halved (optional)
- ½ white onion, halved
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 2 teaspoons beef bouillon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 cups water or beef broth
For the Picadillo:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ white onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 3 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ cup green peas
Instructions
- Prepare the Tomato Sauce: Add the tomatoes, jalapeño, garlic, onion, Mexican oregano, beef bouillon, salt, black pepper, and ground cumin to a large blender with two cups of water or beef broth. Blend until smooth, then set aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for about 5 minutes until translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Brown the Ground Beef: Add ground beef to the skillet, crumble it into smaller pieces, and cook until browned. Drain any excess grease from the pan and return to heat.
- Add Tomato Sauce and Simmer: Pour the blended tomato sauce into the skillet with the beef, stirring to combine. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 10 minutes over a medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
- Add Vegetables: Stir in the diced potatoes, carrots, bay leaf, and green peas. Cover and cook on medium heat for 25-30 minutes or until the potatoes and carrots are tender.
- Serve: Remove bay leaf and serve the picadillo hot, accompanied by red rice, warm tortillas, and fresh cilantro if desired.
Notes
- Mexican oregano differs from Italian oregano and should not be used interchangeably for authentic flavor.
- Ground beef is traditional, but ground pork, chicken, or turkey can be used for variation.
- Optional additions include Serrano pepper for extra heat, as well as squash, green beans, olives, or raisins for added texture and flavor.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 4 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 390
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 80mg
