Delicious Mexican Picadillo Recipe

5 from 3 votes

Delicious Mexican Picadillo Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

This quick and easy meal requires only a few ingredients. Cubed potatoes and ground meat are cooked slowly in a tomato sauce. Perfect to serve with rice and flour tortillas.

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Servings

Ingredients

4 cloves garlic minced
½ c. onion diced
1 pound ground beef
1 green bell pepper diced
2 c. potato peeled and diced
1½ c. beef broth
8 oz. tomato sauce
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

Put the ground beef in a large pan and cook it over medium heat. Using a wooden spoon, break up the meat while it cooks over medium heat. Brown most of the meat, then remove excess fat and return it to the stovetop.
Mix in the potatoes, onions, and green pepper. To soften the onion and peppers, keep cooking them over medium heat. Add garlic and continue cooking for 30 seconds.
Add the tomato paste and beef broth. Season with salt, pepper, cumin, and coriander. Stir everything together. Then, toss in the bay leaf.
Bring everything to a simmer, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.
When potatoes have softened, and most of the liquid has been absorbed, take off the cover, stir, and simmer with the lid off for an additional 10 minutes.
Take the pan off the heat and spoon the picadillo onto serving plates. Serve warm with rice and flour tortillas. Enjoy!

Notes

You can add additional vegetables, such as peas and carrots. Add the veggies to the pan along with the tomato sauce and beef broth. Allow simmering until the veggies are tender.

You can substitute tomato sauce with fresh Roma tomatoes. Finely dice, then saute with the potatoes, onion, and pepper. Or blend and add along with the beef broth.

You can use either russet or gold potatoes in this recipe.

Gluten-Free Variations:

Tortillas:
- Use gluten-free corn tortillas or certified gluten-free flour tortillas.
Beef Broth:
- Make sure the beef broth is labeled gluten-free. Some broths contain hidden gluten from flavoring or thickening agents.
Tomato Sauce:
- Double-check that the tomato sauce is gluten-free. Most are naturally gluten-free, but some brands may add gluten as a stabilizer.
Spices:
- Cumin, coriander, and bay leaves are naturally gluten-free, but always check spice labels to ensure no cross-contamination.
Thickener (Optional):
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch (gluten-free) with cold water and stir it in during the last 5 minutes of simmering.

Substitution Ideas:

Flour Alternatives: If you need to thicken the sauce, skip traditional flour and use gluten-free flour blends, tapioca starch, or arrowroot powder.
Soy Sauce (Optional): If you add soy sauce for extra umami, replace it with tamari (gluten-free soy sauce).

This version keeps all the comforting, homey vibes of traditional Picadillo while making sure it’s safe for anyone avoiding gluten.

Nutrition

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