There have been a lot of good recipes that I have made that are on this blog. But this INSTANT POT PICADILLO might (it is) be my favorite recipe to date! It’s jam packed full of flavor. Like SO MUCH FLAVOR. I can’t get over it and I’m so so excited for you to try this out as well!
Picadillo is a traditional dish in many Latin American countries and even in the Philippines. Each place makes it a little differently, Cuba sometimes uses raisins, Puerto Rico uses it more in things like empanadas and fritters. The Philippines and the Dominican Rebpublic like to add eggs to it. (sidenote: a fried egg over the top of this is AH-MAZING)
Now that I gave you a little history lesson on Picadillo, lets talk about how this is going on heavy rotation in our house now! My kids ate it up as if it was their last meal. Since I had never made it before I didn’t make enough to freeze, but you better believe that next time I make this I will be freezing a million bags worth!
Say you don’t have an instant pot/pressure cooker. That’s okay, this can be easily made right there on your stove top in a plain ol’ skillet. Make sure the pan is large enough. I will give the stove top instructions in the recipe as well. You can serve this with pretty much anything. Rice, Cauli Rice, broccoli, tortillas, eggs….the list can go on and on. I enjoy it over cauli rice or with broccoli the best. But you do you! My mother in law would put this in an empanada for sure!
Ingredients
- 3 lbs ground beef
- 2 tbl oil or ghee
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large red bell pepper, diced
- 1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup of capers
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 3 bay leaves
- 1/2 cup water or broth
- OPTIONAL: fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 bags riced cauliflower
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tbl oil or ghee
Instructions
- Put your Instant Pot on saute mode.
- Add in the oil or ghee, the diced yellow onion, garlic, and bell peppers.
- Mix to combine and saute for 5 minutes.
- Add in the seasonings and stir again.
- Next add the ground beef, capers, diced tomatoes, and bay leaves and water. Stir to combine everything together.
- Turn off saute mode, close lid and make sure vent is turned so it can pressurize.
- Turn Instant Pot to manual (high pressure) for 9 minutes. Once timer goes off quick release and remove lid once all the pressure has gone.
- Place over cauli rice and garnish with fresh cilantro
- Heat a pan up with some oil or ghee. Add in the cauli rice and all the seasoning and stir to combine. Let cook for 5 minutes or until to your liking.
Notes
Stovetop Method: 1. Heat a large skillet with oil or ghee. 2. Add in your onion, bell pepper, garlic. Mix and cook until onions are fragrant and start to turn translucent. 3. Next add your ground beef cook until brown. 4. Add in the seasonings, capers, bay leaves, and diced tomatoes. 5. Stir to combine and close with a lid. 6. Lower stove to low and let simmer for 15 minutes.
I can’t wait for you to try this out. Leave a message in the comments and let me know what you think and what you paired it with!
Whole30: yes
Paleo: yes
Just finished making this for dinner. My kids and I enjoyed it a lot. I will be making this again.
Yay! I’m so happy to hear you all enjoyed it. My kids really enjoy it as well!
Do you drain the capers and the tomatoes if making this on the stove?
Thank you !!
No. You don’t need to drain.
My husband and I absolutely loved this! He kept mmm-hmming throughout dinner!
Because there are only two of us, I only used 1 lb. of beef, and then half of everything else. Oh! I also prepared it on the stove top…my Instant Pot days came to an end when we moved into our solar powered tiny home. Jenn – my kitchen is smaller than yours and we also have no dishwasher! I definitely appreciate a recipe that can be made in one pot like this!
I served over jasmine rice, still using all of your recommended spices. So delicious!
I’m so glad both you and your husband loved it. Husbands can be tough critics. Yes, with an even smaller kitchen than mine, one pot meals are a lifesaver. I’ll have to try it with jasmine rice next time! It’s also great with a fried egg over the top the next day!
Are you not supposed to brown the meat before pressure cooking?
You are more than welcome to brown the meat beg=fore hand. I don’t really notice a difference, so I usually just skip that step.
Just made this for my husband and my parents who are in town visiting. This meal was SO easy and a HUGE hit! This recipe is definitely going on our favorites list!
Hooray!! I love that you all enjoyed it so much. It’s on heavy rotation at our house for sure!
I’ve been wanting a recipe for picadillo ! Have you ever tried using ground turkey or 1/2 with this recipe ?
I haven’t used ground turkey, but I’m sure it would be fine!! If you try it, let me know how it goes!
It looks amazing!! Do you happen to have nutritional facts? If not I’m sure I can approximate what it would be. Will be trying this for sure!!
It is really really good! I don’t have nutritional facts. Hope you give it a try!
Wow! This is really good and really quick and easy! Making it for our golf buddies this weekend, so the recipe will be shared with full credit to you. LOve finding a new website with good healthy recipes. I will be trying more of yours.
Thank You!! Hope your gold buddies enjoy just as much!
I made this the day you came out with the recipe. It was a huge success. My husband has requested it for dinner tonight, so I am making it again. Very delicious, flavorful and healthy!
Yay! I always love it when husbands approve! 🙂
I made this last week and it worked beautifully! My husband who doesn’t like to eat the same thing two nights in a row for dinner ate it three days straight! He requested that I make it again this week.
Yay!!! Always nice when they love a meal so much!!