One of my favorite Dallas grab-and-go lunch or dinners is the Picadillo Taco(s) at Rusty Taco! I have been dying to make Picadillo myself, but it was something I had NO CLUE how to make. I did a lot of web surfing and found that there are tons of different ways to make Picadillo and the ingredients vary based on region. I stuck to what we Texans know best, Mexican-inspired flavors, plus, that was what I am used to eating at Rusty Taco! I also used a crockpot to really let the flavors mend well and it was delicious! Top this Crockpot Mexican Picadillo over some rice, stuff it in a poblano pepper and roast it, or simply serve it in a tortilla!
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. Extra Lean Ground Beef
- 1 cup diced red onion
- 1 cup diced carrot
- 4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 russet potato, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch sized cubes
- 1 jalapeño, seeds removed and diced
- 1/2 green bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup of Whole 30 Friendly Salsa (I used Joe T Garcia’s Medium Salsa Picante)
- 1 cup of water
- 1 tsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 1/4 tsp. dried oregano
For Garnish: Freshly chopped cilantro, chopped onion, extra salsa.
Method:
1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown and break up meat using a wooden spoon until it is no longer pink. Make sure you break it up well so that there are no large chunks of meat. Add the browned meat and the juices from the pan to the crockpot.
2. Add all of the remaining ingredients in with the ground beef, stir to combine. Cover and cook on high for 4 to 6 hours, or on low for 8 to 10.
3. Serve and enjoy!
Serve it over rice, or in a tortilla taco style. For Whole 30 Friendly, make a stuffed Poblano Pepper: turn the oven on broil. Next, slice poblano peppers down the middle and remove seeds. Place poblano peppers on a large baking sheet and put into the oven, watching carefully. Allow them to roast for about 6-8 minutes, lightly blackening the outsides and flipping them over halfway through. Remove them from the oven. Stuff them with Picadillo as full as you can get them. Bake in the oven for about 3-4 more minutes Remove from oven and serve! Garnish with chopped cilantro, onions, or avocado!
Recipe adapted from YAYA Recommended.
13 Comments
Sarah
November 15, 2022 at 11:49 pmDoubled it!—only did 1.5 cups of water—I’d say success 🙂 only thing is it cooked faster (maybe due to the oil?) 4 hrs on high really did it—3.5 could have been okay I think.
Micaela
September 12, 2022 at 6:47 pmExcited to try this! Do I have to cook the meat first? I have made taco meat with salsa in the slow cooker a few times, so I’m wondering if it would work here too.
Alex
September 15, 2022 at 7:28 pmI am sure it would work fine also!! I just always brown my meat first for added flavor
C jensen
August 21, 2022 at 5:34 pmCan you cook it on the stove top?
Kyla
May 3, 2021 at 4:29 pmHi Alex,
Would the addition of salsa make it too spicy for our 2 yr old? If so, do you have any recommendations? Thanks!
We are loving your recipes!
Alex
May 3, 2021 at 6:31 pmIt just depends on the salsa you use– I use a mild one and my kids don’t complain (and they are sensative to spice).
Allyson
January 3, 2021 at 6:35 pmHi Alex! How could I convert this to Instant Pot? Thank you!
Alex
January 4, 2021 at 1:48 pmI would brown the meat on the saute function, then cook for just 20-25 mins on manual high-pressure.
Jen
May 2, 2017 at 1:01 amMine is in the crock-pot as I type this. Smells great in here!
Alex
May 2, 2017 at 1:26 am🙂
Jess Jimenez
March 31, 2017 at 2:23 amI made this last week, It was good and inexpensive to make. And doing it in a slow cooker made it easy.
Alex
March 31, 2017 at 12:59 pmOh good, I love this one, too! Glad you enjoyed it. Its a great staple!!
Mexican Picadilllo | theskinnycavegirl
April 27, 2016 at 1:56 am[…] I ate my Mexican picadillo and cauliflower rice with avocado. You can find the recipe here. […]