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    Home » Recipes » Main Dishes

    Filipino Picadillo

    Published: May 26, 2021 · Modified: Jun 25, 2022 by Neriz

    Jump to Recipe

    Here’s a delicious and popular dish from the Philippines that’s perfect for your busy weeknights. Filipino Picadillo has ground beef, vegetables, and raisins that give that hint of sweetness in every spoonful.  Make sure you have enough for seconds!

    Beef picadillo served on top of steamed white rice, with some dried raisins on the counter.

    Filipino picadillo is one of those dishes that’s always a regular in our house when I was growing up — because the ingredients are pretty much kitchen staples in my mother’s kitchen.

    If you think it’s hard to resist when it’s just been transferred from the pan, beef picadillo tastes even better the following day.  Seriously.  

    Don’t take my word for it.  See (or taste) for yourself!

    IF YOU WANT MORE AUTHENTIC FILIPINO RECIPES, THEN YOU WOULD LIKE THESE POSTS!

    • Sinangag (Filipino Garlic Fried Rice)
    • Filipino Bread Rolls (Pandesal)

    Ingredients

    An image showing all the ingredients you need to prepare Filipino picadillo at home.
    • Oil – vegetable oil; we never use olive oil in traditional Filipino dishes.
    • Garlic – minced or finely sliced.
    • Onion – yellow onion or red onion is great for Filipino picadillo, as long as you chop it finely.
    • Ground beef – sometimes called minced beef (depending on which part of the world you come from 🙂 ).
    • Tomato sauce – just use your favorite brand.
    • Stock – beef stock is excellent for this Filipino picadillo recipe.
    • Potatoes – the waxy kind, not the starchy one.
    • Carrot – peeled and then diced.
    • Raisins – use the brand you have on hand.
    • Soy sauce – provides more salt to this beef picadillo (plus a bit of umami). 
    • Peas – frozen green peas are great for this recipe.
    • Salt and ground black pepper – use what you have available.
    An overhead shot of a serving of Filipino Picadillo, with a bowl of white rice next to it.

    Preparation

    Start preparing your Filipino picadillo by heating the vegetable oil on a large skillet over medium-high heat.

    Once the oil is ready, add garlic and onion and cook until they softened.

    Add ground beef (photo 1).

    Mix and cook until the meat is no longer pink.

    Add tomato sauce, stock, salt, and pepper (photo 2).

    First part of a collage of images showing the step by step process on how to make beef picadillo at home.

    Mix, cover with a lid, and bring to a boil.

    Adjust the heat to medium-low and simmer for twelve to fifteen minutes.

    Add the potatoes, carrots, and raisins (photo 3).

    Mix, place the lid back on, and adjust heat to medium.

    Cook your beef picadillo for about ten minutes, then add the soy sauce.

    Second part of a collage of images showing the step by step process on how to make Filipino picadillo.

    Cover with the lid, adjust the heat back to medium-low and continue simmering until the vegetables are cooked.

    Uncover, taste, and adjust seasoning and add the peas (photo 4).

    Mix, turn the heat back to medium, cover, and cook for two more minutes.

    Take the pan off the heat and transfer your Filipino picadillo into serving plates.

    Serve.

    A skillet with Filipino beef picadillo, ready for transferring to plates.

    Helpful tips

    • Chop the onion finely — the aim is for them to disappear (once cooked) in your Filipino picadillo completely.
    • Dice the carrot and potatoes in the same size, and just slightly bigger than the green peas, if possible.
    • While chicken or vegetable stock are good alternatives; beef stock is the best kind that you can use to give more depth to the flavor of beef picadillo.
    A bowl of rice with beef picadillo on top, a pan with the remaining picadillo in the background.

    Recipe variation

    • Green olives.  It provides that ‘salty‘ burst against the sweetness of the raisins and peas; giving an excellent contrast of flavor for your beef picadillo.
    • Tomato paste. Some use less tomato sauce, more stock, and then a tablespoon (or two) of tomato paste.
    • Bell pepper. Red bell pepper can also be added to beef picadillo, chopped the same way as the potatoes and carrot.
    • Worcestershire sauce. Admittedly, this is anything but traditional for making Filipino picadillo.  But if you have it around, add the same quantity as the soy sauce (and at the same time), and I promise you, you will love it. 🙂

    FAQs

    What goes well with Filipino picadillo?

    Steamed white rice is excellent with it.

    It is already packed with flavor, so you need a neutral dish to complement it.

    Can I freeze it?

    Absolutely.

    Transfer it in a tight, freezer-proof container as soon as it gets cold, then place it in the freezer for longer storage. 

    See how easy it is to make beef picadillo?  So, try it tonight and let me know in the comment section below! 🙂

    An overhead shot of a serving of Filipino Picadillo, with a bowl of white rice next to it.

    Filipino Picadillo Recipe

    Here's a delicious and popular Filipino dish that's perfect for your busy weeknights. Filipino Beef Picadillo has ground meat, vegetables, and raisins that give that hint of sweetness in every spoonful. Make sure you have enough for the whole family!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Filipino
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 390kcal
    Author: Neriz

    Equipment

    • Mixing Bowls
    • Pyrex Measuring Cups
    • Measuring Spoons
    • Large Pan/Skillet with Lid (3.5 qt)
    • Rubber Spatula

    Ingredients

    • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 small onion, sliced finely
    • 1 lb ground beef
    • 1 & 1/4 cups tomato sauce
    • 1 & 1/2 cups stock
    • 2 medium potatoes, diced
    • 1 medium carrot, diced
    • 1/2 cup raisins, heaping
    • 2 tsp soy sauce
    • 1 cup green peas
    • salt and ground black pepper, for seasoning

    Instructions

    • Using a large skillet over medium-high heat, pour and heat vegetable oil.
    • Once the oil is ready, add garlic and onion and cook until it softened.
    • Add ground beef.
    • Mix and cook until the ground meat is no longer pink.
    • Add tomato sauce, stock, salt, and pepper.
    • Mix, cover with a lid, and bring to a boil.
    • Adjust the heat to medium-low and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes.
    • Add the diced potatoes, carrots, and raisins.
    • Mix, place the lid back on, and adjust heat to medium.
    • Cook for about 10 minutes, then add the soy sauce.
    • Cover with the lid, adjust the heat back to medium-low and continue simmering your beef picadillo until the vegetables are cooked.
    • Uncover, taste, and adjust seasoning and add the peas.
    • Mix, turn the heat back to medium, cover, and cook for 2 more minutes.
    • Take the pan off the heat and transfer it into serving plates.
    • Serve and enjoy your Filipino picadillo!

    Notes

    • Cook’s Tip #1:  Chop the onion finely — the aim is for them to disappear (once cooked) in your Filipino picadillo completely.
    • Cook’s Tip #2:  Dice the carrot and potatoes in the same size and just slightly bigger than the green peas, if possible.
    • Cook’s Tip #3:  While chicken or vegetable stock are good alternatives, beef stock is the best kind that you can use to give more depth to the flavor of beef picadillo.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 390kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 681mg | Potassium: 890mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2231IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 3mg
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    Neriz

    Hej there!

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