Recipes Cuisine Latin American Caribbean Abuela's Picadillo 4.8 (32) 25 Reviews 6 Photos This is my grandmother's Cuban picadillo recipe for ground beef hash/chili, usually served with white rice, beans, and plantains. Picadillo also goes great with mashed potatoes and can be made without squash. This dish is a favorite at home, so I usually make 2 pounds to have leftovers for making empanadas (meat pies) the next day. Picadillo also freezes well. Of course, my kids say this is the best picadillo they've ever had, and I agree! Submitted by MarieSoler Updated on February 22, 2023 Tested by Allrecipes Test Kitchen Tested by Allrecipes Test Kitchen The Allrecipes Test Kitchen staff are a team of culinary pros who make and vet recipes using only equipment you'd find in a home kitchen. Staff credentials vary but include training at the Culinary Institute of America; kitchen stints in fine dining restaurants; and countless hours in the test kitchen itself. Meet the Allrecipes Test Kitchen Save Rate Print Share Close Add Photo 6 6 6 6 Prep Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 10 mins Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins Servings: 8 Jump to Nutrition Facts Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1x 2x 4x Oops! Something went wrong. Our team is working on it. Original recipe (1X) yields 8 servings 2 pounds lean ground beef ¼ cup olive oil ½ onion, chopped ½ green bell pepper, chopped 2 tablespoons minced garlic 2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce 2 cups water ½ cup red cooking wine 3 tablespoons hot sauce (such as Louisiana®) 1 (1.41 ounce) package sazon seasoning (such as Badia® Tropical®) 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley ½ teaspoon garlic powder ½ teaspoon onion powder ½ teaspoon ground cumin ½ teaspoon ground black pepper ¼ teaspoon ground bay leaf 3 ounces Spanish-style olives 1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into cubes 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste Directions Cook and stir ground beef in a large stockpot over medium-high heat until crumbly and browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain grease. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic to hot oil; cook and stir until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add to beef in the stockpot. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Pour tomato sauce, water, wine, and hot sauce into the stockpot. Stir in sazón seasoning, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, pepper, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer picadillo, uncovered, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Split olives in half with your fingers and stir into picadillo. Add squash. Simmer until squash is tender and liquid reduces but picadillo is not dry, 45 to 60 minutes. Season with salt. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Tips You can use another type of squash if butternut is not available. You can substitute a pinch of saffron or a dash of yellow food coloring for the sazon packet. I Made It Print 62 home cooks made it! Nutrition Facts (per serving) 378 Calories 22g Fat 22g Carbs 24g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 8 Calories 378 % Daily Value * Total Fat 22g 28% Saturated Fat 7g 33% Cholesterol 74mg 25% Sodium 1856mg 81% Total Carbohydrate 22g 8% Dietary Fiber 4g 14% Total Sugars 6g Protein 24g 48% Vitamin C 44mg 48% Calcium 94mg 7% Iron 4mg 22% Potassium 965mg 21% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. ** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data. (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.