Name: Easy Cuban Picadillo Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 Tbsp oil (I like Spanish olive oil for this recipe); 1 yellow onion (finely diced); 2 bell peppers (finely diced (any color)); 3 garlic cloves ((minced)); 28 oz. can of whole peeled tomatoes; 2 lb. lean ground beef; 2 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp ground cumin; ¼ cup Manzanilla Spanish olives; 1 Tbsp white vinegar; ½ cup red wine ((or beef broth)); 4 bay leaves; Salt and pepper to taste

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This easy Cuban picadillo is one of my favorite ground beef dinners because it’s hearty, versatile, and ready in about 35 minutes. Made in one skillet with everyday ingredients and a few practical shortcuts, it’s just as delicious served over rice as it is tucked into empanadas or stuffed inside bell peppers.

If you’ve ever gone out to eat with me, you know what’s coming next. Before I’m even finished with my meal, I’m usually trying to figure out how I can recreate it at home. 😂 Columbia Restaurant has inspired quite a few recipes in my kitchen over the years. The sparkling sangria, the famous 1905 Salad, the Cuban sandwich, and the empanadas are always on my order and their picadillo inspired this easy homemade version that’s earned a permanent spot in my kitchen, too.

Instead of peeling fresh tomatoes, I use canned tomatoes to save time without sacrificing flavor. The result is a comforting dinner that delivers the classic flavors I love while fitting into real life because not every great meal needs to take all afternoon.

A wooden spoon holding a homemade picadillo with beef and vegetables over a bed of white rice on a blue plate.

Serves: About 6
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp oil (I like Spanish olive oil for this recipe)
1 yellow onion, finely diced
2 bell peppers, finely diced (any color)
3 garlic cloves, minced
28 oz. can of whole peeled tomatoes
2 lb. lean ground beef
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
¼ cup Manzanilla Spanish olives
1 Tbsp white vinegar
½ cup red wine (or beef broth)
4 bay leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

Get the full printable instructions with measurements at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.

Step-by-Step Directions:

Step 1: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. (I like to use my giant caldero for this recipe.) Add the diced onion and bell peppers. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and the peppers have softened, about 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute, or until fragrant.

Colorful chopped vegetables including onions, bell peppers, and celery in a gray pan, ready for cooking or recipe preparation.

Step 2: Meanwhile, use a slotted spoon to remove the tomatoes from the can, reserving the juice for another use if you’d like. Roughly chop the tomatoes and add them to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, for another 3 to 5 minutes.

A canned whole tomato being lifted from a can with a slotted spoon

Colorful mixture of diced tomatoes, onions, and green peppers being cooked in a large skillet

Step 3: Increase the heat to medium-high. Push the vegetables to the sides of the skillet and add the ground beef to the center so it can brown. Cook, breaking the meat into crumbles as it cooks, until no longer pink. Stir the vegetables into the beef.

Ground beef cooked with diced peppers, tomatoes, and onions in a large skillet.

Step 4: Add the oregano, cumin, Spanish olives, white vinegar, bay leaves, and red wine (or broth). Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for about 3 minutes, until most of the liquid has reduced, then cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Person pouring red wine into a skillet with ground meat, tomateos, peppers, onions and spices for a flavorful dish.

Step 5: Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Remove the bay leaves before serving over rice, or use the picadillo as a filling for empanadas or stuffed bell peppers.

Close-up of cooked ground beef with tomatoes, peppers, onions, and spices in a large skillet.

More Ways to Serve Picadillo

🍚 Keep it classic: Serve picadillo over white rice for an easy dinner.
🥟 Make empanadas: Spoon it into frozen empanada dough, then air fry, bake or fry until golden.
🫑 Stuff some peppers: Use leftover picadillo as an easy filling for stuffed bell peppers.
🥔 Top a baked potato: Spoon warm picadillo over baked potatoes for a quick second-night dinner.

Simply Made Storage Tips

Store leftover Cuban picadillo in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheat in a skillet over medium-low heat until heated through, or microwave individual portions in 30-second intervals, stirring between each.
To freeze, let the picadillo cool completely, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

🍋 Simply Made Suggestion

About the raisins: Columbia Restaurant’s picadillo includes raisins for a sweet-and-savory flavor. I leave them out because raisins in my ground beef are just not my thing. 😂 If they’re yours, feel free to add some.

🍅 Before you Go . . .

If this easy Cuban picadillo earned a spot on your dinner rotation, here are a few more family-friendly meals to try next:

🥧 Beef Shepherd’s Pie – hearty comfort food for nights when you’re craving something cozy.

🍅 Easy Lasagna – plenty of shortcuts to help get dinner on the table without spending all evening in the kitchen.

Or browse our full Easy Weeknight Dinner Recipes collection for even more homemade meals that fit real life.

Easy Cuban Picadillo Recipe

A plate of homemade beef picadillo served over rice, with a fork on the side, on a light wooden table.

This easy Cuban picadillo is a hearty one-skillet ground beef dinner made with tomatoes, Spanish olives, and warm spices. Ready in about 35 minutes, it's delicious served over rice, tucked into empanadas, or stuffed into bell peppers.

Beth

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 30

Total Time 35

Servings

Ingredients

1 Tbsp oil I like Spanish olive oil for this recipe
1 yellow onion finely diced
2 bell peppers finely diced (any color)
3 garlic cloves (minced)
28 oz. can of whole peeled tomatoes
2 lb. lean ground beef
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
¼ cup Manzanilla Spanish olives
1 Tbsp white vinegar
½ cup red wine (or beef broth)
4 bay leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. (I like to use my giant caldero for this recipe.) Add the diced onion and bell peppers. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and the peppers have softened, about 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute, or until fragrant.
Meanwhile, use a slotted spoon to remove the tomatoes from the can, reserving the juice for another use if you’d like. Roughly chop the tomatoes and add them to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, for another 3 to 5 minutes.
Increase the heat to medium-high. Push the vegetables to the sides of the skillet and add the ground beef to the center so it can brown. Cook, breaking the meat into crumbles as it cooks, until no longer pink. Stir the vegetables into the beef.
Add the oregano, cumin, Spanish olives, white vinegar, bay leaves, and red wine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for about 3 minutes, until most of the liquid has reduced, then cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Remove the bay leaves before serving over rice, or use the picadillo as a filling for empanadas or stuffed bell peppers.