Mexican ground beef and potatoes, or picadillo as it's sometimes called. If you're into Mexican recipes, then this delicious meal is sure to become a family favorite. This easy meal is full of amazing flavors and might even be better than your favorite tacos. Serve with a side of rice and your favorite toppings for a memorable weeknight dinner.
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This Mexican ground beef and potatoes is a traditional dish with many variations. I kept this version savory and chile forward. Other recipes, such as Cuban picadillo usually has raisins and olives in it.
But there are also Mexican versions that include raisins or other dried fruit, as well as nuts like almonds. There's even a restaurant in my area that serves chiles rellenos topped with raisins and pecans. The restaurant is called Matt's Rancho Martinez, if you're ever in the area and want to try it.
The next time you're craving some Mexican food, give this one pan dinner a try. Serve it with my Mexican beans, and if you want to check out some other easy dishes like this one, try my Homemade Wet Burritos recipe.
Ingredients
Scroll to the bottom of the post for exact amounts and printable recipe card.
Olive oil - butter, canola oil, vegetable oil. You can also use cooking spray if you're have a good non-stick pan.
Ground beef - I used a higher fat content ground beef for this recipe. Feel free to use a lean ground beef or even ground turkey if that is preferred.
Onion - I prefer yellow onions for a touch of sweetness.
Garlic - fresh cloves work best. Sub with garlic powder if desired.
Jalapeño peppers- I don't find jalapeños very hot but they have great flavor. If you want more heat try serrano peppers or green chiles such as poblano peppers. For mild palates, try some green bell peppers or red bell peppers.
Taco seasoning - I like to use my homemade taco seasoning, but a store bought version works too. You can also use some salt, chili powder, cumin, and dried oregano if that's what you have on hand.
Red chile sauce - I used El Pinto red chile sauce. This is an authentic sauce made with sun dried Hatch chiles from Albuquerque, New Mexico. You can buy it online, and I highly suggest getting some. I shop from their site directly; here's the link. If you are trying to find it at the store, look for "red chile sauce" made with Hatch peppers. Use my red enchilada sauce or a tomato paste if that's what's available at your grocery store.
Chicken broth - use homemade chicken stock or store bought.
Russet potatoes - I used two medium potatoes to get two cups chopped into a half inch dice. Russets are the best choice here, but gold potatoes can be used, they just need to be peeled.
Hot cooked rice - I used Vigo yellow saffron rice, but you can use white rice, Spanish rice, Mexican rice, or a low carb option like cauliflower rice.
Optional: flour tortillas or corn tortillas for serving. Favorite toppings like fresh cilantro, sliced jalapeños, sliced green onion, guacamole, sour cream, or sliced avocado.
Directions
1) Heat a large skillet to medium heat. Add some oil or cooking spray. Add ground beef, diced onion, chopped jalapeños, and the chopped garlic, Cook until the meat is no longer pink. Drain excess grease.
2) Add the taco seasoning and sitr to combine with the meat mixture. Add the red chile sauce, chicken broth, and diced potatoes. You might want to add a little bit of salt depending on how salty your taco seasoning is. Bring to a low boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until the potatoes are tender and the potato mixture has thickened up, about 20 minutes.
3) Serve with hot cooked rice, warm tortillas and your favorite toppings.
Tips
- Store leftover Mexican ground beef and potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- If you're not into rice, try some tortilla chips instead.
More Tex Mex recipe ideas
- Creamy Hatch Green Chile Dip
- Cheesy Mexican Instant Pot Ground Beef and Rice
- Authentic Fajita Seasoning
- Ground Beef Queso Dip
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Mexican Ground Beef and Potatoes (Picadillo)
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoon oil or cooking spray
- 1 lb ground beef 85/15
- 1 cup yellow onion chopped
- ¼ cup chopped jalapeño or other green pepper of choice
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 2-3 tablespoon taco seasoning homemade or store bought
- 4 ouces red chile sauce I used El Pinto brand, sub with enchilada sauce or tomato paste
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups russet potatoes ½ inch dice
- ½ teaspoon kosher or sea salt depending on saltiness of seasoning
For serving
- hot cooked rice
- Mexican beans
- warmed tortillas
- favorite toppings
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet to medium heat. Add some oil or cooking spray. Add ground beef, diced onion, chopped jalapeños, and the chopped garlic, Cook until the meat is no longer pink. Drain excess grease.
- Add the taco seasoning and sitr to combine with the meat mixture. Add the red chile sauce, chicken broth, and diced potatoes. You might want to add a little bit of salt depending on how salty your taco seasoning is. Bring to a low boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until the potatoes are tender and the potato mixture has thickened up, about 20 minutes.
- Serve with hot cooked rice, warm tortillas and your favorite toppings.
Emily
This was amazing!!! I couldn’t find the red chile sauce so I used red enchilada sauce. It came out perfectly and was a huge hit in our house!
Nikole Berg
So glad you loved it Emily! Red enchilada sauce is great alternative to use!