Cuban Picadillo

A quick and easy traditional Cuban Picadillo recipe with ground beef, onion, tomatoes, green olives, and raisins in a tomato sauce seasoned with cumin and oregano.

Course main meal beef

Cuisine Cuban

Keyword how to make picadillo, picadillo, picadillo cubano, what is picadillo

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 400kcal

Author Beth Pierce

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef
1 medium yellow onion chopped
1 red bell pepper chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried marjoram
1 15 ounce can fire roasted tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
½ cup chopped spanish green olives
½ cup olive brine from the green olives
1 bay leaf
½ cup raisins chopped
salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

Brown the ground beef over medium heat; cook 2-3 minutes. Add the onion; cook 2-3 minutes. Add the diced red bell pepper. Cook until the onions are soft and beef is browned. Drain any excess grease.
Add the garlic, cumin, oregano, and marjoram; cook for 1 minute stirring constantly.
Add the canned tomatoes (do not drain), tomato paste, olives, olive brine, bay leaf, and raisins. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes stirring several times. Remove the bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If desired serve over fresh cooked white rice.

Notes

The hash should be saucy but not soupy. This recipe is fairly thick. If it is too thick simply add a little water, tomato sauce, dry white wine, or a little more olive brine.
You can use green olives that are stuffed with pimentos or just pitted green olives. I like to coarsely chop them but slicing them works as well.
Chop the raisins so there are little bits scattered throughout the dish. It also makes the recipe more aesthetically appealing.
This dish is traditionally served with corn or flour tortillas or over white rice.
You can substitute all oregano in place of the marjoram. However if you have never tried marjoram I really encourage you to give it a go. Marjoram is more mild and sweet with mint and woody undertones. I really prefer marjoram in almost every recipe that calls for oregano.

Nutrition