Mexican Picadillo (Picadillo Estilo Durango)

This Mexican Picadillo recipe combines ground beef, tender potatoes, and a flavorful tomato sauce with chile pasado. Serve it with Mexican rice and warm tortillas.

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A plate of Mexican Picadillo with potatoes and a side of Mexican rice topped with cilantro.

Mexican Picadillo is a comforting ground beef dish cooked with potatoes, a homemade tomato sauce, and chile pasado. This picadillo estilo Durango is my family’s version, made with the traditional flavors of northern Mexico. Serve it with Arroz Mexicano and warm corn tortillas for a delicious weeknight meal.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe ❤️

A family recipe from Durango: This is how my family makes picadillo, with flavors inspired by northern Mexico.
Full of flavor: Ground beef, potatoes, homemade tomato sauce, and chile pasado make every bite delicious.
Easy enough for weeknights: Simple ingredients come together in one skillet for a satisfying meal.
Easy to customize: Adjust the heat, add your favorite vegetables, or make the picadillo juicier with a little beef broth.

-Maggie

🥩 Ingredients

Lean Ground Beef – Swap out for ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground pork.
Chile Pasado – Can’t find it? Use roasted poblano peppers.
Potato – Dice the potato into small pieces so it can cook faster.
Olive Oil – Use another neutral cooking oil if preferred.
Tomatoes and jalapeño are blended into a simple sauce that brings the picadillo together.
Water – Please see recipe card below for exact measurements.
Onion and garlic add great flavor to this (and just about any) dish.
Salt can be substituted with chicken bouillon or beef bouillon.
Black Pepper adds a subtle sharpness.
Cumin and Mexican oregano are both earthy and deep spices.

Here, I’m calling this recipe “Picadillo estilo Durango.”

However, some people in the Northern states might refer to it as “Picadillo Ranchero” or “Picadillo Norteño.”

A great way to make this a more complete meal is to add veggies like green beans or carrots. Or add frozen peas at the end of the cooking. Adjust this basic recipe to make it your own.

A four-part instructional photo showing a dried chile pasado being held, soaked in a bowl of water, opened to remove seeds on a cutting board, and then chopped.

Instructions

🌶️ How to Rehydrate Chile Pasado

Pour hot water over the chile pasado and let sit for 20 minutes. OR, boil in hot water and let stand for 5 minutes with the lid on.
Remove the stems and seeds. Chop into small pieces.

Chile pasado is not a type of chile. It’s a type of drying method commonly used in Durango and Chihuahua.

Typically, we use poblano peppers and chilacas to make chile pasado. If you can’t find chile pasado, use 2 roasted poblano peppers, diced.

Three photos show chopped tomatoes in a blender cup, water being poured in, and the resulting tomato sauce after blending.

🥫 How to Make the Tomato Sauce

Boil two fresh tomatoes and a jalapeño over medium heat.
Blend until smooth.

Remove the skins and the stem on the jalapeno before blending.

This recipe is not too spicy. But if you like it spicier, use more jalapeño peppers or serrano pepper in the tomato sauce or rehydrate more chile pasado. Or if you can’t handle spice at all, substitute the chiles with green bell pepper.

Ground beef is cooking in a black skillet on a stovetop, with chopped onions and seasonings freshly added on top but not yet mixed in—classic beginnings for Mexican Picadillo. Steam rises from the hot food.

👩🏼‍🍳 Cooking Beef

Heat the oil in a large skillet.
Cook ground meat until brown on medium-high heat.
Add the onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.

Let the ground beef brown before proceeding to the next step.

Fun fact: Some countries in Latin America make empanadas with this dish.

A four-panel collage showing a hand adding cubed potatoes to a skillet of browned ground meat, followed by the addition of chopped greens and liquid, and the final mixture simmering.

Cut the potato into small, evenly sized pieces.
Add diced potatoes to the beef mixture. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add the rehydrated chile pasado and tomato sauce.
Stir with a wooden spoon to combine.
Simmer for 10 minutes on medium-low heat, or until potatoes have a fork tender texture.

These are only about 1-inch squared potatoes and don’t take a long time to cook. The smaller the potatoes, the faster they cook.

It might look juicy here, but it cooks down after 10 minutes.

For a juicier beef picadillo, add 1 cup of beef broth with the tomato sauce. For an even thicker consistency, add a tablespoon of tomato paste.

A white plate with Mexican rice and a flavorful Mexican Picadillo Recipe featuring ground beef stew with potatoes and nopales, garnished with cilantro. The plate rests on a wooden surface beside a wicker basket lid.

🙋🏻‍♀️ Frequently Asked Questions

What is Mexican picadillo made of?

Mexican picadillo is commonly made with ground beef, potatoes, tomatoes, onion, garlic, and seasonings. This Durango-style version also uses chile pasado, which adds a distinctive flavor.

Why is it called picadillo?

The name picadillo is related to the Spanish verb picar, meaning to chop or mince. Picadillo has many regional variations throughout Spain and Latin America, with ingredients and preparation methods that differ from place to place.

How do I store leftover picadillo?

Let the picadillo cool slightly, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months, although the potatoes may soften or change texture after thawing.

How do I reheat Mexican picadillo?

Reheat individual portions in the microwave until hot, stirring as needed. You can also warm it in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add a splash of water or beef broth if the mixture seems dry. Thaw frozen leftovers in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

A plate of Mexican picadillo with ground beef and potatoes, served alongside a side of Mexican rice.

🍴 Sides

This Mexican Picadillo, made the way my family enjoys it in Durango, is a comforting meal full of ground beef, tender potatoes, and chile pasado. Serve it with Mexican rice, beans, and warm corn tortillas, or use it as a filling for tacos. ¡Buen provecho!