Chef John's Cuban-Style Picadillo
Chef John's Cuban-Style Picadillo balances richly seasoned ground beef with a bright tomato base, subtle warmth from cinnamon and cumin, and a touch of heat. Briny green olives and sweet raisins create a classic sweet-salty contrast that keeps each bite interesting. Serve it over rice, spooned into tacos, or alongside plantains for a comforting weeknight Dinner.
- Prep10 mins
- Cook45 mins
- Serves4
- DifficultyEasy
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Chef John's Cuban-Style Picadillo, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 44 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 16 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityGood
- 90 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
- 2 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 26
- Heart Health
- 76
- Metabolic
- 46
- Digestive
- 24
- Inflammatory
- 46
- Performance
- 47
- General Wellness
- 1
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- 2
Add ground beef; cook, breaking it into small pieces with a spoon or spatula until it loses all its pink color, 8 to 10 minutes.
- 3
Add onion and salt; cook until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
- 4
Add bay leaves, cumin, black pepper, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper; cook for 2 minutes.
- 5
Add garlic; cook for 1 minute.
- 6
Stir in crushed tomatoes, water, and red wine vinegar; cook and deglaze by scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, about 3 minutes.
- 7
Add currants; return to a simmer.
- 8
Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the beef is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
- 9
Gently stir in olives; cover and cook 10 to 15 minutes more.
- Calories 616.16 kcal High 31%
- Protein 33.27 g Good Source 67%
- Carbohydrate 27.55 g 10%
- Total Fat 42.37 g High 54%
- Saturated Fat 14.86 g High 74%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 120.82 mg High 40%
- Sodium 1004.61 mg High 44%
- Dietary Fiber 6.46 g Good Source 23%
- Total Sugars 14.35 g --
- Added Sugars 0.65 g Low Source 1%
- Calcium 139.98 mg Moderate 11%
- Iron 6.88 mg Good Source 38%
- Potassium 709.76 mg Moderate 15%
- Vitamin A 26.31 mcg Low Source 3%
- Vitamin C 19.15 mg Good Source 21%
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Tomatoes 🍅
- Garlic 🧄
- Onions 🧅
- Alcohol 🚫🍷
About This Recipe
Chef John's Cuban Style Picadillo is a Cuban dinner recipe made with 15 ingredients. It takes about 55 mins, serves 4, and is rated easy. Key ingredients include Black Pepper, Cayenne Pepper, Crushed Tomatoes, and Diced Yellow Onion. Each serving provides about 616.16 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Chef John's Cuban-Style Picadillo?
- It is a Cuban recipe made with 15 ingredients, usually served for dinner or lunch.
- What is Chef John's Cuban-Style Picadillo made of?
- The main ingredients are Black Pepper, Cayenne Pepper, Crushed Tomatoes, Diced Yellow Onion, Dried Bay Leaves. The full list of 15 is above.
- What goes well with Chef John's Cuban-Style Picadillo?
- Explore these Cuban side-dish recipes.
- How long does it take to make Chef John's Cuban-Style Picadillo?
- About 55 mins in total: 10 mins to prepare and 45 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 616.16 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Chef John's Cuban-Style Picadillo easy to make?
- This recipe is rated easy, with 15 ingredients and 9 steps.
- Is Chef John's Cuban-Style Picadillo healthy?
- Chef John's Cuban-Style Picadillo has an easyChef Pro health score of 45/100. Per serving, it provides 616.16 calories and 33.27 g of protein, or 67% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of dietary fiber, iron and vitamin C. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 1004.61 mg (44% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 14.86 g (74% of the Daily Value). It contains Tomatoes, Garlic, Onions and Alcohol, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
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The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.
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