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Picadillo with Olives and Raisins

Category: Meals (Cuban-FL, citrus, pork, chicken, rice) Yield: 4 servings (scale 2/4/6/8 in the app) Prep 15 min Cook 30 min Total 45 min Method: STOVETOP Main: ground beef

Picadillo is a Cuban-style ground beef hash simmered in tomato sauce with green olives, raisins, and cumin. The salty olives and sweet raisins balance each other, and it is great over white rice. Scale the people count in the app to 2, 4, 6, or 8 — ingredients adjust from this base of 4 servings.

Open interactive cooker (change people count)

Food safety

Ground beef must reach 160°F; browned color alone is not a reliable sign. Wash hands, boards, and utensils after handling raw ground beef. Chill leftovers within 2 hours (1 hour if above 90°F).

Allergens: None listed

Equipment

  • large skillet
  • wooden spoon
  • knife
  • cutting board
  • instant-read thermometer

Ingredients (for 4 servings)

  • 1.5 pounds lean ground beef
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 1/2 cup pimiento-stuffed green olives, halved
  • 1/3 cup raisins
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 4 cups cooked white rice, for serving

Directions

  1. 1. Wash the bell pepper under running water before dicing. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

  2. 2. Add the ground beef and break it up with a spoon. Cook 6 to 8 minutes, until no pink remains, then spoon off excess fat.

  3. 3. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook 5 minutes, until softened.

  4. 4. Stir in the garlic, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper and cook 1 minute.

  5. 5. Add the tomato sauce, olives, and raisins. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, and simmer partly covered 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until thick.

  6. 6. Check the beef with an instant-read thermometer — ground beef must reach 160°F.

  7. 7. Serve hot over white rice.

  8. 8. Chill leftovers within 2 hours (1 hour if the room is above 90°F).

Skill taught

Browning ground beef and confirming it reaches 160°F with a thermometer.

Affordable substitution

Use 80/20 ground beef and drain the fat well, or replace half the beef with 1 can of drained black beans.

Optional variation

Add 1 small potato, diced 1/4 inch, with the tomato sauce and simmer until tender for a heartier picadillo.

Leftovers & storage

Cool and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours (within 1 hour if above 90°F). Store at 40°F or below. Reheat to 165°F until steaming hot.

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