Mexican picadillo con papas is a staple, and for a good reason. The tasty one-pot meal takes just 30 minutes to make and doubles as a filling for tacos, tamales, or picadillo soup. Try more easy ground beef recipes!
What is Mexican Picadillo?
Picadillo con papas is a popular Mexican comfort meal. The quick and easy dish features ground beef, diced potatoes, and a handful of warm spices. You can find recipes for picadillo in the Philippines, the Caribbean, and Latin America.
While spices and ingredients vary, picadillo recipes share one thing in common—ground or minced meat. Picadillo, pronounced [pi-kuh-di-yo], comes from the Spanish word ‘picar,’ which means ‘to mince or chop’ in English.
Key Ingredients
- Oil: Start by sautéing onions, garlic, and peppers in a bit of oil to build flavor.
- Onion: Use whatever you have on hand—diced white onions, yellow onions, or red onions.
- Garlic: Fresh is best! Four fresh garlic cloves add a tasty, aromatic flavor.
- Peppers: Serrano peppers deliver the heat, but you can swap them for jalapeños or green bell peppers if you prefer a milder flavor.
- Ground Beef: Go with 80/20 ground beef for the best flavor and moisture, or try a variation with ground turkey, ground chicken, or a blend of ground beef and chorizo.
- Spices: Season the easy picadillo con papas recipe using ground cumin, kosher salt, coarse black pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika, Mexican oregano, and bay leaves.
- Tomatoes: Fresh Roma tomatoes are great, but a can of petite diced tomatoes is a perfect shortcut when you need to save time.
Potato: Peel and dice a russet potato to cook with the ground beef, allowing the potatoes to soak up all the flavor. - Chicken Broth: Add a splash of chicken broth for extra richness.
Additions and Substitutions
- Load up on veggies. Mix in peas, diced carrots, or Calabacitas squash to make picadillo con papas even more filling.
How to Make Picadillo Con Papas
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Warm oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions, serranos, and minced. Sauté for 5-8 minutes until the onions soften.
Step 2: Add the ground beef and break it up with a meat chopper. Then add the diced potatoes and cook until the meat is brown and heated through, for 10-15 minutes.
Step 3: Stir in the cumin, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika, and Mexican oregano. Continue cooking for another minute.
Step 4: Deglaze the pan with the diced tomatoes and chicken broth, careful to scrape the bottom of the pan. Add cilantro and bay leaves and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Expert Tips
- Uniformly dice the potatoes. Cut the potatoes into 1-inch pieces to ensure they cook evenly.
If you enjoy picadillo con papas, try one of these Mexican recipes!
What to Serve with Mexican Picadillo?
Complete the meal by pairing picadillo con papas a warm bowl of fideo (Mexican noodle soup) or one of these tasty sides:
- Rice: Mexican Rice, White Rice
- Beans: Pinto Beans, Black Beans, Refried Beans
- Tortillas: Corn Tortillas, Tostadas, Flour Tortilla
- Toppings: Chunky Salsa, Pico De Gallo, Salsa Verde, Guacamole, Avocado Lime Crema
- Sides: Air Fried Plantains
What To Do With Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store the leftovers in an airtight container for 3-5 days, perfect for meal prep.
- Freeze: Let the dish cool and transfer the mixture to a freezer-safe container or bag. Picadillo con papas freezes for 2-3 months.
- Reheat: Warm the leftovers on the stovetop for the best results.
- Repurpose: Use the leftover ground beef mixture as a filling for tacos, picadillo soup, or quesadillas. You can remove the potatoes and use the filling to make chile rellenos.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Mexican and Cuban picadillo?
Picadillo is a beloved dish in Mexican and Cuban cuisines, but some key differences set them apart. Mexican picadillo or picadillo con papas features ground beef simmered with a vibrant blend of cumin, paprika, and oregano, resulting in rich flavor.
On the other hand, Cuban beef picadillo showcases a savory combination of sofrito, sazon seasoning, and ground beef or pork that slow cooks to perfection.
What to make with leftover picadillo con papas?
Picadillo is one of my favorite meat fillings, and there are plenty of ways to repurpose it into another delicious meal. Use the ground beef and potatoes to fill empanadas, tacos, or tamales.
You can even stuff bell peppers with the flavorful beef mixture and bake them until they turn golden brown. Another alternative is to transform it into a hearty soup by adding broth, vegetables, and tomato sauce. And let’s not forget how tasty picadill con papas would be as a topping for nachos.
More Ground Beef Recipes:
Picadillo Con Papas
- 2 tablespoons oil
- ½ medium onion, finely diced
- 1-2 serrano peppers, finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 large russet potato, cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 3 medium roma tomatoes, finely diced
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- Warm oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions, serranos, and minced. Sauté for 5-8 minutes until the onions soften.
- Add the ground beef and break it up with a meat chopper. Then add the diced potatoes and cook until the meat is brown and heated through, for 10-15 minutes.
- Stir in the cumin, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika, and Mexican oregano. Continue cooking for another minute.
- Deglaze the pan with the diced tomatoes and chicken broth, careful to scrape the bottom of the pan. Add cilantro and bay leaves and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- Uniformly dice the potatoes. Cut the potatoes into 1-inch pieces to ensure they cook evenly.
Masi Lewis
Thursday 24th of August 2023
This dish is great as is but I added a little cayenne pepper to give it a little spice!
Tressa Jamil
Thursday 24th of August 2023
I am so happy you enjoyed the meal, and thank you for sharing your variation.
Olga
Thursday 18th of May 2023
This is the way my mother made this meal with Mexican rice and homemade flour tortillas.
Tressa Jamil
Thursday 18th of May 2023
I love how food can bring back memories and connections, and I am so happy you enjoyed the recipe!