Picadillo
Ground meat sautéed with vegetables, often served with rice or as a filling
Picadillo is a dish of ground meat, usually beef, cooked with tomatoes and a mix of vegetables, raisins, and olives, with many regional variations across Latin America and the Philippines. It is served with rice or used as a filling for pastries, tacos, and other savory foods, and is a staple in home cooking and celebrations.
- Picadillo is made with ground meat, usually beef, and tomatoes.
- It is popular in Mexico, Cuba, the Philippines, and other Latin American countries.
- Often served with rice, or used as a filling for pastries and stuffed dishes.
- Regional versions may include olives, raisins, capers, or hard-boiled eggs.
- Philippine picadillo is also called giniling and can be a stew or dry sauté.
What is Picadillo?
Picadillo is a savory dish made with ground meat, most often beef, cooked with tomatoes or tomato sauce, onions, and a variety of vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, or bell peppers. Many versions include olives and raisins, which add a mix of salty and sweet flavors. The dish can be saucy or dry, depending on the region, and is usually served hot. Its texture is soft, with the meat and vegetables finely chopped or minced, and the taste can range from mildly seasoned to richly spiced.
Where does Picadillo come from?
Picadillo has roots in Hispanic cultures and was known before the 19th century. The name comes from the Spanish verb 'picar', meaning 'to mince'. Early recipes included not just beef but also minced fowl or veal, and sometimes layered with other meats and vegetables in savory pies. Over time, picadillo became a staple in many Latin American countries and the Philippines, each developing its own version with local ingredients and preferences.
How is Picadillo made?
To make picadillo, ground meat is sautéed with onions, garlic, and spices. Tomatoes or tomato sauce are added, along with vegetables like potatoes, carrots, or bell peppers. Some regional recipes include olives, capers, raisins, or hard-boiled eggs. The mixture is simmered until the flavors blend and the vegetables are tender. In some places, wine or stock is used for extra depth. The finished dish can be served as is, or used as a filling for pastries, stuffed vegetables, or other foods.
How and when is Picadillo eaten?
Picadillo is commonly eaten as a main dish with rice, or used as a filling for tacos, empanadas, and other savory pastries. In the Philippines, it may be served as a stew with rice, or as a drier filling called giniling. In Cuba and Puerto Rico, it is also used in stuffed foods like papa rellena and pastelón. It is an everyday meal, often cooked at home for lunch or dinner, and is popular for its versatility and ability to feed a crowd.
Kinds of Picadillo
Each country has its own take on picadillo. Cuban versions use olives, capers, raisins, and sometimes white wine. Mexican picadillo often includes potatoes, carrots, and sometimes peas or squash. In Costa Rica, the main ingredient may be a vegetable rather than meat, such as green plantain or squash. The Dominican version may add hard-boiled eggs and cilantro. In the Philippines, the dish can be a soupy stew or a dry sauté, and is called giniling when dry.
What Picadillo means
Picadillo is a staple in many households, valued for its adaptability and comforting flavors. It is part of everyday cooking and is also found at gatherings and celebrations. In Cuba, it adapted to times of scarcity with creative substitutes. In the Philippines, it is tied to home-style meals and is sometimes part of festive dishes like arroz a la cubana. Its use as a filling connects it to many other popular foods across these cultures.
Questions people ask about Picadillo
What is picadillo made of?
Picadillo is usually made with ground beef, tomatoes or tomato sauce, onions, and vegetables like potatoes or bell peppers. Some versions add olives, raisins, capers, or hard-boiled eggs, depending on the region.
Where does picadillo come from?
Picadillo is a traditional dish found in many Latin American countries, such as Mexico, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic, as well as the Philippines. Its name comes from the Spanish word for 'to mince.'
How is picadillo served?
Picadillo is often served hot with rice, but it can also be used as a filling for tacos, empanadas, stuffed peppers, or pastries. In some places, it is part of layered or stuffed dishes.
Are there vegetarian versions of picadillo?
In Costa Rica, picadillo can be made with vegetables as the main ingredient, such as potatoes or green plantains, and may not include meat. Other regions may also have meatless variations.
What is the difference between Latin American and Philippine picadillo?
Latin American picadillo is usually a dry sauté with olives and raisins, while Philippine picadillo can be a soupy stew or a dry dish called giniling, and often uses fish sauce or soy sauce for seasoning.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Picadillo", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Thali rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes, and it is not dietary or allergy advice: recipes differ from cook to cook. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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