Picadillo Con Papas

This Picadillo Con Papas isn’t Cuban Picadillo or Mexican Picadillo because it bursts with flavor with a spicy Tex-Mex kick that makes it perfect for tacos, empanadas, or your favorite Mexican dish.

What Is Picadillo?

I’ve heard Picadillo described as a Cuban or Mexican Ground Beef Hash. It is true that it is ground beef cooked in a skillet with potatoes. However, I think Picadillo is more like ground beef taco meat, except this taco meat has potatoes, and is a little saucier. It is a popular ground beef filling for Picadillo Tacos or Empanadas, and many other Mexican Food recipes. In San Antonio, Texas, it is often used in our popular Puffy Tacos recipes, or in beef enchiladas recipes similar to my Tex-Mex Enchiladas Recipe.

What Is The Difference Between Cuban Picadillo and Mexican Picadillo?

Each country seems to have its own meat and potatoes dish. The most popular Picadillo recipes are Cuban Picadillo and Mexican Picadillo. What is the difference? Both commonly include ground beef, tomatoes or tomato sauce, and onions, garlic, and peppers.  Typically, Cuban Picadillo includes ingredients such as raisins, capers, or olives. However, Mexican Picadillo varies by region. Some regions add lime to the ground beef. Some may add sugar or honey.

What Makes This Picadillo Con Papas Recipe Work?

This Picadillo Con Papas recipe works because it is a one pot meal, made on top of the stove in a skillet. It is quick and easy to make and tastes absolutely fabulous with the spicy tomato sauce, meat and potatoes.

This version of Picadillo is a variation of the Mexican Picadillo recipe in that it adds a Tex-Mex flair by kicking up the spice a little, and leaving out the olives, raisins, and capers. Those are typically not ingredients I see in our Tex Mex recipes in Texas, such as tacos, nachos, or empanadas. So I left them out. However, if you love those ingredients, feel free to add them in.

I also cut the potatoes into small bite-sized pieces for 2 reasons. First, it is much easier to eat bite-sized potatoes instead of big hunk of potatoes. If I add this Picadillo in hand-held foods, such as tacos or empanadas, I don’t want big chunks of potatoes. I want to keep everything bite-sized. Secondly, the other reason I like to cut the potatoes into small pieces is that they cook faster and I can cook everything in the same skillet for a shorter period of time. Less time cooking means more time enjoying the food and time with my family.

How To Make Picadillo Con Papas

Make The Taco Seasoning. If you don’t have taco seasoning on hand, I recommend making a batch of my Homemade Taco Seasoning before you start this Picadillo Con Papas recipe. It is very easy to make. You most likely have the ingredients in your pantry. However, you could also use store-bought taco seasoning as well. Either one would work in this recipe.

1. Gather the remaining ingredients. This includes ground beef, diced potatoes, chopped onion, chopped garlic, chopped green peppers, canned diced tomatoes and chilies, tomato sauce, chopped cilantro or green onions, and the prepared taco seasoning, and salt, pepper, and cumin.
2. Brown the ground beef. In a skillet over medium heat, add oil and add the ground beef. Stir the ground beef to break it up and to cook it until it is no longer pink. 
3. Add chopped onions to the ground beef. In the same skillet as the ground beef, add the chopped onions.
4. Stir the onions and browned ground beef until the onions are softened.
5. Add diced potatoes to the ground beef and onions. Stir in the diced potatoes. It is very important that the potatoes are cut into very small pieces so they will cook with the ground beef. If you use thicker potato chunks you may have to start cooking the potatoes before you brown the ground beef. Personally, I like to dice the potatoes so the pieces are about the same as the chopped onions.
6. Add the Flavor. Add the diced tomatoes and chiles (with liquid), tomato sauce, and add the taco seasoning, cumin, salt and pepper. Stir, cover, and let simmer for about 20 minutes. Garnish with chopped cilantro or chopped green onions before serving.

See the collage photo below for step by step photos that correspond with each step of the instructions above.

When the Picadillo Con Papas has finished cooking then it will be like saucy taco meat with potatoes, tomatoes and I like to garnish with chopped cilantro just before serving.

Tips For Perfect Picadillo

1. Use a quality Taco Seasoning. You want to use a quality taco seasoning made with high quality ingredients. If using store bought, try one without too many additives and preservatives, or that is mostly salt. My recommendation is to make my Homemade Taco Seasoning, so you can avoid the chemicals and preservatives, and so you can customize the seasoning to your taste preference.
2. Cut the Potatoes Into Small Pieces. This is where size matters, at least when it comes to potatoes. The larger the pieces of potatoes, the longer they will take to cook. In order to have the potatoes fully cooked in this recipe, you can going to need to cut the potatoes into very small pieces. How Small? About the same size as the chopped onions, or about the same size as if you were chopping the potatoes to make a breakfast hash, like I did in my Breakfast Potatoes recipe.

What To Serve With Picadillo Con Papas?

1. Rice. A popular way to serve Picadillo Con Papas is to serve it with rice. An easy option is to serve it with white rice, but to make a Tex-Mex meal, I like to serve it with my Homemade Mexican Rice. This makes a hearty Tex Mex meal that can be served with Mexican Cabbage Slaw and Charro Beans.
2. Tortillas. Serve the Picadillo Con Papas in either flour or corn tortillas to make outstanding tacos. The meat is so flavorful that few toppings are needed, but you can easily top with your favorite taco toppings.
3. Pico De Gallo. A chunky salsa made with fresh tomatoes, onions, garlic, jalapeños, and lime juice makes a perfect taco topping or side dish for the Picadillo Con Papas.
4. Guacamole. I love fresh guacamole served either on top of the tacos or on the side with tortilla chips to round out your Mexican or Tex Mex meal.
5. Queso. This Cheesy Chorizo Jalapeno Dip makes a great appetizer to serve with the Picadillo Con Papas to round out your Mexican meal.
6. Use As A Filling. This Picadillo can be used as a filling for many Mexican and Tex Mex dishes, such as empanadas, tacos, quesadillas, Chile Rellenos, and more. In my hometown of San Antonio, Picadillo is often used as a filling for Puffy Tacos, a recipe that I plan to publish in the near future. So be sure to sign up to receive my emails and then you will be notified when new recipes are published.