Skillet American Picadillo
A sweet-savory Cuban-inspired ground beef skillet with tomato, olives, and warm spices — served over rice for a full 30-minute dinner.
By Hanan · Salt & Hearth
Published August 1, 2026
🍳 Tested in my kitchen
Prep
10 min
Cook
20 min
Total
30 min
Serves
6
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Picadillo is one of those magical one-skillet dinners that hits every craving at once — sweet, savory, briny, and warmly spiced. Ground beef simmers with tomato, cumin, olives, and golden raisins into a stew you'll want to spoon over anything.
This American take is fast (30 minutes, start to finish) and endlessly flexible: pile it over rice, tuck it into tacos, stuff it into empanadas, or top it with a fried egg. It's a weeknight hero with real personality.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Sweet-savory-briny flavor explosion
- One skillet, on the table in 30 minutes
- Endlessly flexible — over rice, in tacos, in empanadas
- Uses simple pantry staples
- Even better as leftovers
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup beef broth
- 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup pimiento-stuffed green olives, roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup golden raisins
- Cooked white rice, to serve
- Chopped fresh cilantro, to serve
Ingredient notes & substitutions
- Ground beef:
- Lean 85/15 keeps things flavorful without turning greasy. Drain the fat before adding the tomato so the sauce stays glossy.
- Golden raisins:
- They plump up in the sauce and add pops of sweetness that balance the savory beef and briny olives. Don't skip them — they're picadillo's signature.
- Pimiento-stuffed olives:
- The briny, salty counterpoint that makes picadillo taste like picadillo. Roughly chop so their flavor spreads through every bite.
- Cumin:
- The warm, earthy backbone. Use freshly ground if you can — it's twice as fragrant.
- Vinegar:
- A splash of white vinegar right at the end brightens the whole skillet and cuts the richness of the beef.
Method
- 1
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook until softened, about 4 minutes.
- 2
Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- 3
Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up, until no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Drain excess fat.
- 4
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
- 5
Add the diced tomatoes, beef broth, vinegar, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer.
- 6
Stir in the olives and raisins, then simmer uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
- 7
Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve hot over rice, topped with fresh cilantro.
Tips
- Don't skip the raisins and olives — the sweet-savory-briny combo is what makes picadillo unmistakable.
- A splash of vinegar right at the end brightens all the flavors and cuts the richness.
- Serve with black beans and fried plantains for the full Cuban plate.
Variations to try
- Add 1 cubed potato or 1/2 cup frozen peas to stretch it into a full meal.
- Fold in a chopped hard-boiled egg for extra richness — traditional in some Cuban families.
- Spoon it into taco shells or tortillas instead of over rice.
- Add a chopped chipotle in adobo for a smoky kick.
Storage & make-ahead
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days; the flavor deepens overnight. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of broth. Picadillo freezes beautifully for up to 3 months — great to batch-cook and stash for a busy week. Thaw in the fridge and reheat covered on low.
Frequently asked questions
- What is picadillo?
- Picadillo is a Latin American dish of ground meat simmered with tomatoes, spices, and often olives and raisins. The Cuban version is one of the most famous, served over rice.
- Do I have to add raisins?
- They're traditional and give picadillo its signature sweet-savory balance, but you can leave them out if raisins aren't your thing.
- What do I serve with picadillo?
- Classic pairings are white rice and black beans, often with fried sweet plantains on the side. It's also amazing in tacos, empanadas, or spooned over baked sweet potatoes.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes — it actually gets better overnight. Make it a day ahead and reheat gently before serving.
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