StewsEasyFree

Beef Picadillo with Olives (Picadillo con Aceitunas)

Name: Beef Picadillo with Olives (Picadillo con Aceitunas)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 3 cloves Garlic; 1 Onion; 2 tbsp Fresh coriander or parsley; 100 g Pitted green olives; 2 Serrano chilli; 50 g Raisins; 500 g Minced beef; 1 tsp Ground cumin; 1 pinch Ground cinnamon; 3 Tomatoes

45 min (15 prep + 30 cook) Easy 6 servings Centro

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 24 Mar 2026 · Updated: 29 Mar 2026

Minced beef with tomatoes, olives, raisins and spices, a classic Mexican filling.

About this recipe

Minced beef cooked with tomatoes, onion, garlic, raisins, green olives and spices. Versatile filling for tacos, stuffed chillies, turnovers or served with rice.

History & Origin

Picadillo is one of the most popular and versatile stews in everyday Mexican cooking. Its name comes from "picar" - to chop - and the original was made with finely knife-cut meat, a technique that preserved the texture better than mincing. The version with olives and raisins shows a clear influence of the Arab-Spanish cuisine that arrived in Mexico during the conquest. The Spanish brought these sweet-savoury-salty combinations that were enthusiastically adopted by colonial Mexican cooking. The mixture of meat with dried fruits, olives and spices like cumin and cinnamon is characteristic of Moorish cuisine. In Mexico, picadillo varies enormously by region. In the north it is made with potatoes and carrot, without olives or raisins. In central and southern Mexico, the version with olives, raisins and capers is more common. In Yucatán, habanero chilli and annatto are added. The great virtue of picadillo is its versatility: it fills chiles en nogada in August and September, stuffs tacos dorados and flautas, fills turnovers, stuffs poblano peppers, or is simply served over white rice with beans.

Estimated cost

£8.00

Total cost

£1.33

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

310

Calories

24g

Protein

15g

Carbohydrates

18g

Fat

Fibre

540mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Finely chop 1 medium onion, 3 garlic cloves and 2 serrano chillies. Blend or blend 3 tomatoes with a little water.
💡 The tomato gives the base; make sure they are ripe and flavourful.
2
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook 3 minutes. Add garlic and chilli, cook 1 minute more.
3
Add 500g minced beef. Break up with a wooden spoon and cook for 8-10 minutes until no longer pink. Add salt, pepper, 1 teaspoon ground cumin and a pinch of ground cinnamon.
💡 Make sure to break up the meat well so it stays loose, not in lumps.
4
Pour the blended tomato over the meat. Add 100g pitted green olives halved and 50g raisins. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes until the tomato is cooked and the stew thickens.
💡 Olives add saltiness; taste before adding more salt.
5
Taste and adjust seasoning. Add 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander or parsley. Serve with white rice, beans and tortillas, or use as a filling.
💡 If using for chiles en nogada, also add diced peach and apple.