Sarah's Kitchen/Latin American/Weeknight

Picadillo

Ground Beef Hash — Every Abuela's Secret Weapon

"Sweet, savory, and infinitely versatile. The ultimate comfort filling."

30Minutes
6Servings
1/5Difficulty

The Ingredients

The Base

  • 1.5 lbsGround beef
  • 2 tbspOil
  • 1Onion, diced
  • 4 clovesGarlic, minced
  • 1Green bell pepper, diced

The Flavor

  • 1 canTomato sauce (8 oz)
  • ½ cupGreen olives, chopped
  • ¼ cupRaisins
  • 2Potatoes, diced small (Mexican style)
  • 1 tspCumin
  • ½ tspOregano
  • 1Bay leaf
  • Salt & pepperTo taste

The Method

1

Heat oil over medium-high. Cook onion, pepper, and garlic until softened (5 min).

2

Add ground beef, break it up. Brown well, 8-10 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.

3

Add cumin, oregano, bay leaf. Stir 1 minute.

4

Add tomato sauce, potatoes, olives, raisins, and ½ cup water. Stir well.

5

Cover and simmer 15-20 minutes until potatoes are tender. Season to taste.

The Sweet & Savory

The raisins and olives are essential — they create the signature flavor contrast. Don't skip them.

6

Remove bay leaf. Serve over rice, in tacos, empanadas, or stuffed peppers.

Use It For

Tacos

Classic street taco filling with onion and cilantro.

Empanadas

Cool the filling first. Perfect for Argentine or Cuban empanadas.

Stuffed Peppers

Mix with rice. Stuff poblanos or bell peppers.

Over Rice

Simple weeknight dinner. Add a fried egg on top.