It’s easy enough to make an authentic Cuban picadillo recipe, it just takes time and patience to let the ingredients combine and develop. Once you’ve completed the initial few steps of browning the meat and softening the vegetables, then it’s a dish you can leave simmering on the stove while you tackle other chores before dinnertime. You can also batch cook a Cuban picadillo to have enough for dinner the next day.
Olive brine is a classic feature in the list of Cuban picadillo ingredients and we’d highly suggest keeping this in your dish, as the brine brightens all of the flavors and introduces a salty taste to balance out the rest of the ingredients in the recipe. It can also help to make the dish more cohesive and create a balanced picadillo overall. Some chefs will add other ingredients, such as dry white wine, to bring out the flavors, and you can vary the spices and seasonings, incorporating other varieties including oregano, to alter the final flavor of your dish.
Serving Suggestions
A Cuban picadillo is best served alongside a serving of white rice with a sprinkling of torn cilantro on top, as outlined in the recipe above. Guacamole and sour cream are also tasty toppings to add to your Cuban picadillo dish. Or try plating alongside Cuban black beans or fried plantain to enjoy it alongside other traditional Cuban dishes.
For any leftover picadillo, there are lots of creative ways to use this dish. You can make picadillo stuffed peppers or use it in a recipe for quesadillas or empanadas. Simply use the leftover mix to stuff the peppers, or sandwich in between tortillas, for a mouth-watering way to continue enjoying your picadillo.
Variations by Region
In its simplest form, a picadillo is a Latin American dish made with ground meat and tomatoes. What makes it a Cuban-style picadillo is the inclusion of green olives. Traditional Cuban picadillo recipes will also often feature raisins and you can even make a Cuban picadillo with potatoes if you want to add a heartier element to the dish. For contrast, Mexican picadillos will generally include peas and in the Dominican Republic it’s commonly served alongside hard-boiled eggs.
If you’re keen to discover other Cuban dishes once you’ve enjoyed a picadillo dinner, take a look at our Cuban recipes and learn how to make traditional tasty dishes including a Cuban sandwich.
