We’ve been getting so much rain this past week in Texas that the weather has cooled down considerably. 66 degrees in Texas is fall weather, y’all. I can’t help thinking about pumpkins! Send help!
Any way, when the weather get’s cool and gloomy all I want is comfort food and one of my favorite things to make is Picadillo Con Papas. It is very simple to make, tastes delicious and cooks in only 20 minutes! almost instant gratification. Almost.
If you want to try to make this recipe but also are feeling a little extra…try this picadillo with my homemade flour tortillas. Best. Combo. Ever. My mom used to make this meal when the weather has cool like this. Oh, the smell of picadillo and fresh tortillas is like no other!
What you need to make this Picadillo:
-Ground beef. I like to use 80-20. Because it has plenty of fat and it is more flavorful than lean meat. I don’t add any additional oil to the meat when cooking and I always get rid of the excess once the meat is cooked.
–Potatoes. Any type will work, just make sure they are all diced the same size so your potatoes cook evenly.
-Tomatoes. Same as potatoes, any type will work. I prefer Roma because they work better for sauces and stews. Make sure they are very ripe. If they are not ripe enough you can always add 1 tablespoon of tomato paste to your sauce.
Onions and Garlic. Always use fresh.
–Cumin and Chili powder. Traditional Mexican Picadillo is not seasoned with chili powder but I like to add just a little bit to my picadillo because it adds warm and depth. This is something I learned here in Texas, my mom never cooked with chili powder, actually, nobody uses chili powder in Mexico and things are perfectly delicious so, It is optional.
What you need to know about this recipe.
This recipe is for a dry picadillo. Perfect for tacos, tostadas and chiles rellenos because you won’t have juices running all over your plate. It will keep your tacos or tostadas dry, crispy and won’t get soggy.
You can also serve it with a side of rice and beans as a complete meal. You can add broth or water to the sauce to change the consistency of the dish. Below is the link for my Arroz a la Mexicana (Mexican Rice), flour tortillas, and vegan picadillo. Check them out!
Related links:
Mexican Rice: Arroz a la Mexicana(Mexican Rice) – Marisol Cooks
Vegan Picadillo: Mushroom Picadillo Tostadas/Vegan Picadillo/Tostadas – Marisol Cooks
Homemade Flour Tortillas: Homemade Flour Tortillas – Marisol Cooks
Picadillo con Papas/ Picadillo and Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 large potato
- 2 ripe Roma tomatoes
- 1/2 onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a blender, blend the tomatoes, onion, garlic, spices, and salt. If the tomatoes are not very ripe you might need to add a little water to make them easier to blend. Set aside.
- In a large skillet cook the meat on medium high heat until cook through.
- Peel the potatoes diced them in about 1/4″ pieces.
- Add them to the meat and sautee for a couple more minutes.
- Add the tomato sauce to the meat and potatoes, stir everything until well combined and cover. Turn the heat to low and cook for about 20 minutes until the potatoes have absorbed most of the sauce and they’re tender.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Enjoy!
