Mexican Picadillo with Ground Beef, Potatoes, and Jalapeños
By Isabella Quinn
Choose ground beef with enough richness to brown well alongside diced yellow potatoes; it forms the hearty base of this Mexican picadillo. Tomatoes, jalapeño, optional serrano, and warm spices turn the skillet mixture into a savory, medium-heat meal with tender potatoes.
Yellow potatoes are the key vegetable here, softening in beef stock while chopped onion, jalapeño, and optional serrano build the base. Fresh chopped tomatoes provide the tomato element, while paprika, Mexican oregano, and cumin season the beef. The recipe is intentionally simple, with cooked rice or warmed tortillas offered for serving and lime juice, chili flakes, peppers, and hot sauce as finishing options.
Start by softening the potatoes, onion, and peppers before adding garlic and beef. Break the beef into small pieces as it browns, but do not wait for it to cook completely at that stage; it finishes during the simmer. After the tomatoes, stock, and seasonings go in, the mixture should gently simmer until the potatoes are tender, checking them at 15 minutes.
Serve the picadillo over cooked rice or spoon it into warmed tortillas. Leftovers can be kept in airtight containers in the refrigerator, warmed in a hot pan, or frozen in sealed bags or containers according to the source.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Yellow potatoes make the beef mixture more substantial, and their mild flavor absorbs the seasoned tomato and beef-stock base as they soften.
- Fresh tomatoes, jalapeño, garlic, paprika, oregano, and cumin give a short ingredient list layered savory flavor without relying on a prepared sauce.
- The optional serrano lets cooks choose more heat while keeping jalapeño as the main pepper, so the base recipe remains adaptable.
- Ground beef browns in the same pan as the vegetables, allowing its savory drippings to become part of the potato and tomato mixture.
- Beef stock adds depth while the picadillo simmers, helping the potatoes cook through and bringing the chopped tomatoes and spices together.
- Rice or warmed tortillas stretch the seasoned beef and potatoes into a full meal, with lime juice and hot sauce available at the table.
Ingredients
- •1 tablespoon olive oil
- •8 ounces yellow potatoes (about 3-4 small, diced)
- •1 medium yellow onion (chopped)
- •1 jalapeno pepper (chopped)
- •1 serrano pepper (chopped, optional, for spicier)
- •2 cloves garlic (chopped)
- •1 pound ground beef (other ground meats such as chicken, turkey, or pork may be used)
- •2 large tomatoes (chopped)
- •0.75 cup beef stock (or chicken or vegetable stock)
- •1 tablespoon paprika
- •1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
- •1 teaspoon cumin
- •salt (to taste)
- •black pepper (to taste)
- •cooked rice or warmed tortillas (for serving)
- •sliced peppers (for serving)
- •chili flakes (for serving)
- •fresh lime juice (for serving)
- •hot sauce (for serving)
Instructions
- 1
Heat the oil in a large pan to medium heat. Add the potatoes, onion, and peppers and cook for 5 minutes to soften.
- 2
Stir in the garlic and ground beef. Break up the ground beef with a wooden spoon and brown it for 5 minutes; the meat does not need to cook all the way through.
- 3
Stir in the tomatoes, stock, and seasonings, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
- 4
Simmer for 20 minutes to cook through and let the potatoes soften.
- 5
Serve over cooked rice or with tortillas, with extra peppers, chili flakes, lime juice, and hot sauce.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
361
Protein
22g
Fat
27g
Carbs
8g
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