Ground Beef Picadillo With Potatoes and Olives

Name: Ground Beef Picadillo With Potatoes and Olives
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Latin American
Ingredients: 1 1/2 lb ground beef; 1 tbsp olive oil or tallow; 2 tsp kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 1 medium onion, diced; 1 green bell pepper, diced; 6 garlic cloves, minced; 1 jalapeño, minced (optional, for heat); 2 tbsp tomato paste; 2 tsp ground cumin; 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano; 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika; 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon; 2 bay leaves; 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in 1/2 in dice; 2 carrots, diced; 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce; 3/4 cup beef broth or water; 1/2 cup green olives with pimientos, halved, plus 1 tbsp of the brine; 1 tbsp capers; 1/4 cup raisins; 1 tbsp red wine vinegar; Chopped cilantro, rice or warm tortillas for serving

September 25, 2026

Rivas Ranch ground beef pack, grass-fed and grass-finished

Picadillo is the dinner I reach for when the freezer is full of ground beef and the week is busy. Every family makes it a little differently. This version is savory, a little sweet, and stretches 1 1/2 pounds of beef to feed six.

Prep: 15 min | Cook: 30 min | Makes: 6 servings

The Cut

Grass-fed, grass-finished ground beef. Every Rivas Ranch package is single origin: one animal, never co-mingled.

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb ground beef
1 tbsp olive oil or tallow
2 tsp kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 medium onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño, minced (optional, for heat)
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 bay leaves
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in 1/2 in dice
2 carrots, diced
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
3/4 cup beef broth or water
1/2 cup green olives with pimientos, halved, plus 1 tbsp of the brine
1 tbsp capers
1/4 cup raisins
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
Chopped cilantro, rice or warm tortillas for serving

Directions

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef in a flat layer, season with 1 tsp salt and the pepper, and leave it alone for 4 minutes so it gets a deep brown crust. Break it up and cook until well browned all over, about 4 more minutes.
Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic and jalapeño. Cook 4 minutes until softened.
Stir in the tomato paste, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika and cinnamon. Cook 1 minute, until the paste darkens and the spices smell toasty.
Add the potatoes, carrots, bay leaves, tomato sauce, broth and the remaining 1 tsp salt. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook 18 to 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until the potatoes are tender.
Stir in the olives, olive brine, capers and raisins. Simmer uncovered 5 minutes to thicken. Ground beef should reach 160°F.
Take it off the heat and stir in the vinegar. Taste and add salt until it pops. Pull the bay leaves and serve with cilantro over rice or in tortillas.

Food Safety Note From April

Thaw ground beef in the refrigerator overnight, or in its sealed package in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes. Safe internal temperatures in this recipe follow the USDA FSIS safe temperature chart.