Summer was made for chili peppers
Now that the warm weather is in full force in Portland and my summer garden is finally set up, I’m getting anxious to be able to stuff chili peppers into everything I make. Namely, this Cuban Picadillo, which takes roots in Latin American cuisine and comes together with a savory blend of ground meat, tomatoes, olives, green onions, spices, and plenty of chili peppers.
For hot summer nights when you want to spend limited time in the kitchen, you can have this dish on your table in 30 minutes or less.
Spicy Misconceptions: Why Cuban Picadillo is a mild dish
This recipe includes 3 types of peppers: jalapeño, poblano, and bell – so you might be worried about the heat level. However, I find this dish to be quite mild and here’s why:
Not all chili peppers are actually spicy.
Though bell peppers are technically a chili pepper, their capsaicin (the natural compound responsible for a chili pepper’s heat) is virtually non-existent. Instead, they fall into the category of sweet peppers, alongside other mild peppers such as banana peppers and pimentos.
At this point, you’re probably saying “duh, Jenni, everyone knows that bell peppers aren’t spicy! I’m worried about the jalapeno and poblano peppers!”
Yes, jalapeno and poblano peppers contain capsaicin, and yes, they can be “spicy.” However, they don’t rank very high on the Scoville scale (which measures the heat of chili peppers in relation to the amount of capsaicin generally found in them). Here are a few examples on the Scoville scale, rated in Scoville heat units (SHU):
- Carolina Reaper 800,000-3,200,000 SHU
- Habanero 100,000-350,000 SHU
- Serrano 10,000-23,000 SHU
- Jalapeno 3,500-8,000 SHU
- Poblano 1000-1,500 SHU
- Bell 0-100 SHU
As you can see, the poblano and jalapeno both fall very low on the Scoville scale owing to low average SHU, with the poblanos ranging toward the bottom of the chart for heat level.
Still worried about those jalapenos? Here’s how to adjust the heat level
There are a few simple things you can do to help bring the spice level down in this dish, without sacrificing the flavor that the chili peppers bring.
- Scrape the pith and ribs out – You may have heard that a pepper’s capsaicin is found in the seeds – This is only sort of true. The capsaicin is actually found in the highest concentrations in the pith and ribs of the pepper (the white part). The seeds are surrounded by the pith and ribs which is why they get blamed as the primary culprit. So, if you want to lessen the heat of a pepper a bit, scrape as much of the white pith and ribs out as you can.
- Pay attention to stress lines – Just like humans, jalapeno peppers can get stressed out and also get stretch marks. When a pepper goes through exceptionally hot days and infrequent waterings, it stresses the plant and creates white lines or “stretch marks” indicative of extra spicy “stressed” peppers. As the plant ages, the pepper accumulates more stress lines and are often found to be spicier than their smoother, younger counterparts. An older pepper will also begin to turn red, which can lend a bit more sweetness to the pepper, but you’ll still want to pay attention to the stretch marks because even a sweet pepper can pack a lot of heat.
- Use one instead of two – If you’re still really worried about the heat of your jalapenos, this recipe is still delicious if you only use one jalapeno instead of two.
Can I swap the ground turkey for a different meat?
Traditional Cuban Picadillo is usually made with ground beef, though I generally opt to swap in ground turkey instead just to keep things a bit lighter. I’ve also been known to do a 50/50 split of beef and turkey from time to time, and even occasionally swap in ground chicken. I find that this dish is pretty flexible, so long as you choose good-quality meat.
The name Picadillo comes from the Spanish word “picar,” which means “to mince,” so minced/ground meat is a given. However, if you’re up for bending the rules, I really think this dish would also be brilliant with shredded meat like beef roast and pulled chicken.
My rule of thumb is this: If I would use that type of meat for tacos, it’s likely going to work well for Cuban Picadillo.
What should I serve this with?
Cuban Picadillo is often served over rice or in tortillas, but I prefer to serve it over top of this Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice to keep things low-carb. If you aren’t averse to a few carbs, potatoes are lovely diced and cooked right in with the meat, but we generally opt to leave those out as well.
A note for special diets
This Cuban Picadillo recipe is gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, and friendly for Paleo, Keto, Whole30, and low-carb diets. It remains friendly for the aforementioned diets when served over Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice, as suggested. If you choose to serve this dish on its own (or over potatoes or rice) rather than with cauliflower rice, it is also friendly for Low-FODMAP diets.
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Cuban Picadillo
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Mains
- Cuisine: Latin American, Cuban
Description
Cuban Picadillo takes roots in Latin American cuisine and comes together with a savory blend of ground meat, tomatoes, olives, green onions, spices, and plenty of chili peppers.
For hot summer nights when you want to spend limited time in the kitchen, you can have this dish on your table in 30 minutes or less.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground turkey (or beef or chicken)
- 2 medium jalapeno peppers (about 1/4 cup), deseeded and chopped
- 1 large poblano pepper (about 3/4 cup), deseeded and chopped
- 1 medium bell pepper (any color, about 1 1/2 cups), deseeded and chopped
- 1 cup green onions, chopped
- 2 tbsp garlic oil (may sub 2 tbsp olive oil + 2 tsp minced garlic)
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 (14.5 oz) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
- 1 cup green olives, sliced in half
- 2 tbsp olive brine from jar/olive bar
I like to serve this Cuban Picadillo with this Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice for Paleo, Keto, Whole30 or over roasted potatoes for Low-FODMAP diets.
Instructions
- In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, brown ground turkey until nearly cooked through. Drain excess fat, if necessary.
- Add jalapenos, poblanos, bell peppers, green onions, and garlic oil. Sautee for 2-3 minutes so the peppers get some direct heat, stirring occasionally until peppers begin to soften slightly and turkey is fully cooked through.
- Lower heat to just above medium. Add tomato paste and stir to combine. Sautee for an additional 2 minutes.
- Add the fire roasted diced tomatoes, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, salt, and pepper.
- Allow to simmer for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally until heated through and fragrant.
- Add the olives and brine in last, stirring well to combine.
- Taste for salt and pepper.
- Serve warm over the top of Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice for Paleo, Keto, Whole30 or on top of roasted potatoes or rice for Low-FODMAP.
Notes
Nutritional information on Whip & Wander is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6th of recipe
- Calories: 341
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 546 mg
- Fat: 19 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 107 mg
I love everything about this recipe! The peppers aren’t too spicy at all, and I love the briny quality the olives bring to this dish. What a delicious meal.
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I love picadillo so much! Thank you for reminding me that I need to make it again soon. Your version sounds amazing!
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This sounds awesome! Bring on ALL the peppers this time of year (mild or spicy). I love them all. I’ve never made this before, and totally going to try this recipe asap!
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I’m not sure I’ve ever had picadillo but I’m so ready. So many great ingredients!
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All those different chili peppers have me drooling! I can just imagine all that flavor added, yum!
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Love this dish and it has so much flavor! Love the use of the cumin, cinnamon and oregano!
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Yum! Love picadillo and this is such a great version! Adding that bit of olive brine at the end is so brilliant.
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All these flavors are right up my alley, I could easily eat this every single day!
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Oh my goodness! It looks so delicious and I know that my family would love this recipe!
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I had this fantastic dish in Puerto Rico, and I’m excited to make this at home! Thanks đŸ™‚
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Wow, all the spices and peppers sound so delicious! I have never had picadillo.. but I am convinced to try this. That cilantro lime cauliflower rice is a perfect pairing!
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I love picadillo, I make something very similar and it’s always a hit. I’m going to give your recipe a try the next time I make picadillo
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I have never made picadillo but I definitely want to try it. Spicy is good and I recently found fresh jalapenos for the first time ever! (They’re not so common here in Italy). I still have some in the fridge so going to make this asap!
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What a delicious looking meal – I can’t believe it’s so quick to make! I love jalapenos, can’t wait to try this!
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You’re making me hungry… I think I just heard my tummy growl. lol
★★★★★
This cuban picadillo is the perfect weeknight meal for when I’m looking for classic comfort food that’s easy to make.
★★★★★
Anything that can be made and ready at the table in 30 minutes is a winner in my book! I love all kinds of peppers, and will happily eat them all year around but jalapenos are my absolute favourite!
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Thank you for all the info on the different chili peppers. It’s good to know their spiciness level. As for me, I’m glad this cuban picadillo is mildly spicy, I just cannot do too spicy. It looks great and so tasty!
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This dish looks so delicious, and I found the discussion of the spiciness of the peppers so interesting, I’ve never heard of stress lines before but I’m definitely going to look for those now when I shop for peppers. Thank you!
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We love picadillo but never heard of Cuban picadillo, looks delicious. Thanks for the detailed info about chillies.
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Loving your version of picadillo (addition of olives sounds yum!), your vibrant clicks and this cilantro lime cauliflower rice! Need to check that rice recipe next.
I never knew about stress lines on peppers – that is such a helpful tip! And this Picadillo looks absolutely incredible – so flavorful and easy to make!
★★★★★
Loving all the ingredients in this flavourful recipe. It is fun tasting the world of food right from your own kitchen. Stress lines on peppers? Who knew??
I had no idea that the heat from the peppers is concentrated in the pith! I’ve planted nothing but hot peppers this year, so that’s good to know! Picadillo is one of my favorites and your version is spot on!
★★★★★
Good luck on your pepper crop this year. I hope it yields lots of tasty results for you!
Love this post! I didn’t know that about the spiciness level of the peppers and water stress. That is very good to know when picking out peppers. Your dish looks amazing and I never heard of it before. Saving this, thanks!
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I love a delicious, spicy meal that comes together in 30 min, and this picadillo checks all those boxes. I’m from Costa Rica, and we have our own version of picadillo that we make with shredded beef and potatoes. Ours is not spicy and I love spicy food, so I can’t wait to give this Cuban picadillo a try.
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Wow how cool! Thanks for the breakdown of the Scoville scale, I had no idea! I’m in Portland too and I was soooo late with my garden, but my jalapenosa are super happy! Can’t wait to try this!
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What a fantastic, easy meal! Love the idea of the 50/50 turkey beef swap. I always use serranos when recipes call for jalapenos because I like just a bit more heat. Thanks for the great recipe!
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Ah, I love picadillo. And I absolutely understand your desire to stuff chili peppers into everything. I think everything just came together – you’ve got a wonderful recipe that I am really keen to try!
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That savory blend is something I would really enjoy. I mean, combining meat, tomatoes, onions, olives… what else would you expect in picadillo, right? Everything looks really delicious!
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Thanks for the “spicy” chart….I’ve been thinking that the jalapenos don’t have much of a kick to them…now I know what to get if I’m looking for a bit more heat. Great flavor combo with the olives….just my thing. I may even try a vegan version with lentils. Sounds delish.
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I can understand why people think this is a spicy dish. I love using mild peppers, they bring out so many delicious flavors. This dish looks fantastic!
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I have never had this dish and I don’t know why not, it looks amazing. I cook with lots of pepper so I need to give this dish a try.
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You had me at limited time in the kitchen because I love a meal that I can have on the table in 30 minutes or less.
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I laughed when you said jalapenos get stressed out and get stretch marks. Maybe that’s why I like them so much, for the similarities. I wish you had pictures to show the stressed look. Especially, since they are extra spicy.
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This is something new to me. Love the flavors and the recipe. I will have to try this soon.
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This recipe is totally new to me. But I love all the flavors you added and it looks so good. I am sure my family will love this.
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