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Picadillo is a Mexican dish that’s warm, comforting, and ultra-nourishing. This Crockpot Mexican Picadillo is the perfect meal when you’re craving some comfort food!
The ingredients in this classic dish vary from region to region, so I based my recipe on the picadillo I’d had at one of my favorite grab-and-go spots, Rusty Taco! I also used a crockpot to really let the flavors blend well!
Serve this Crockpot Mexican Picadillo over some rice, stuff it in a poblano pepper and roast it, or go with the old faithful method and serve it in tortillas to make tacos!
Ingredients:
- Extra Lean Ground Beef
- Red Onion
- Carrot
- Garlic
- Russet Potato
- Jalapeño
- Green Bell Pepper
- Salsa
- Chili Powder
- Salt
- Ground Cumin
- Black Pepper
- Dried Oregano
- Cilantro
- White Onion
- Prepared Rice for Serving
Step by step:
step one: brown the meat
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.
step two: add ingredients to slow cooker
Add the browned meat and the juices from the pan to the crockpot. Add all of the remaining ingredients in with the ground beef, stir to combine.
step three: cover and cook
Cover and cook on high for 4 to 6 hours, or on low for 8 to 10.
step four: garnish and serve!
Serve over prepared rice (sub cauliflower rice). Top with cilantro, white onions, or extra salsa, and dive in!
Recipe FAQs:
We love to eat the picadillo in tacos or bowls, but it also is great for stuffed peppers! This often makes plenty of leftovers, so you can try serving it in a couple of ways throughout the week.
Add whatever sounds good to you! I love to sometimes add sliced avocado for some freshness, but you also can’t go wrong with chopped onions, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
You sure can! You can serve this over cauliflower rice or even stuff into a pepper and bake. Simply take a poblano pepper, remove the seeds, and roast it in the oven for about 6-8 minutes. Then, stuff with your picadillo mixture. It’s delicious!
I hope this meal is as comforting for your family as it is for mine! Comment below after you try it!
Want to add more slow cooker meals to your rotation? Check these out!
Shredded Beef Chipotle Burrito Bowls
Crockpot Mexican Picadillo
Ingredients
- 1 pound 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 Whole30-Approved salsa
- 1 cup of water
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
For Serving:
- Prepared rice, cauliflower rice, or tortillas
- Cilantro, freshly chopped
- White onion, chopped
- Extra salsa
Instructions
- 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.
- 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.
- Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe adapted from YAYA Recommended.
We have made this several times exactly as written and usually double it in order to last for a few days. It always turns out so hearty and tasty! Last night we decided to sub half of it for ground turkey and it was great!
Hi Alex! Have you ever made this with turkey? Trying to eat less red meat but it looks delicious! Thank you!
I think it would be great with Turkey!
We love this recipe and make it a lot. I would like to make it while we’re away and won’t have a crockpot. What adaptations do you suggest if I make it on the stove? Thank you!
Doubled 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.
Excited 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.
I am sure it would work fine also!! I just always brown my meat first for added flavor
Can you cook it on the stove top?
Hi 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!
It just depends on the salsa you use– I use a mild one and my kids don’t complain (and they are sensative to spice).
Hi Alex! How could I convert this to Instant Pot? Thank you!
I would brown the meat on the saute function, then cook for just 20-25 mins on manual high-pressure.
Mine is in the crock-pot as I type this. Smells great in here!
🙂
I made this last week, It was good and inexpensive to make. And doing it in a slow cooker made it easy.
Oh good, I love this one, too! Glad you enjoyed it. Its a great staple!!