This hearty and healthy Keto Picadillo recipe is loaded with savory, seasoned ground beef, juicy tomatoes, and classic Cuban flavors. It’s a easy and delicious, dish the entire family will love.

❤️ Why You’ll Love This Cuban Picadillo Recipe

• Savory ground beef, juicy tomatoes and red bell pepper
• Classic Cuban Picadillo flavors
• Easy weeknight dinner
• Great for meal prep
• Hearty and delicious

If you’re looking for an easy low carb ground beef recipe, you will love this!  This Cuban Picadillo recipe gets a healthy Keto makeover, and instead of using rice, it’s served over seasoned cauliflower rice.

Before Keto, I used to make Picadillo for my family all the time, but of course I always served it over rice. But with a few keto-friendly substitutions, this recipe maintain all the same savory Cuban flavors but with a lot fewer carbs!

This is such a simple dish to make and if you don’t want to meal prep, you can cut the recipe in half for 4 servings. And though this is a low-carb Picadillo beef version, and varies a bit from the official version of Cuban Picadillo, with the amount of carbs you will be saving, I am certain you will love making it this way!

If you like Cuban food, you might also like my Instant Pot Ropa Vieja.

🛒 Ingredients for Picadillo

• Ground beef (I use 85%)
• Onion
• Green olives stuffed with pimento (brine reserved)
• Red pepper
• Ground cumin
• Dried oregano
• Garlic cloves
• Olive oil
• Grass-fed butter
• White wine (I use Pinot Grigio)
• Bay leaf
• Ground cinnamon
• Tomatoes
• Tomato paste
• Salt
• Ground black pepper

*Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.

🥣 Recommended Tools

• Skillet

🔪 How to Make Keto Picadillo

Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat and season with half the salt and pepper.

Cook until you get some good color and most of the fat has cooked off. Once the meat is browned, remove it and set aside.

Add in the olive oil, butter, onion, red pepper, and the remaining salt and pepper.

Sauté for about 2 minutes, then add in the garlic and cook for another 20 seconds.

Add in the ground cumin, cinnamon, oregano, and tomato paste. Allow them to toast for about 30 seconds, while stirring.

Deglaze the pan with the wine, scraping up the brown bits of flavor.

Add in the olives, chopped tomatoes, bay leaf, olive brine and water.

Add the meat back in and simmer on low for 15 minutes, with the lid offset.

Serve over riced cauliflower or the side of your choice.

☑️ Storage Instructions

This is one of my favorite recipes to meal prep. It makes a lot of servings, freezes and reheats beautifully. You can store leftovers in the fridge or freezer in these glass storage containers.

💡 Tips for Buying Ground Beef

Ground beef takes front and center row in this Keto Cuban Picadillo recipe so you’ll want the very best ground beef you can find. Here are some great tips to keep in mind:

• Ground chuck is the juiciest and most flavorful of all the different types of ground beef. It contains 15% to 20% fat and is the perfect choice for burgers and casseroles.

• When purchasing ground beef, refer to the “packaged on” date and try to either cook or freeze it within 2 days of packaging.

• Ground beef should be bright red in color, with fat marbled evenly throughout. 

• For freezing, I prefer to use a food saver to get all the air out first. If you don’t have a food saver, you can wrap your ground beef in heavy duty plastic wrap or freezer paper and place in a freezer bag. For best quality, use within 4 months.

• Thaw ground beef in the refrigerator, not on the counter.

🍴 What to Serve with Cuban Picadillo

• Zucchini noodles: Zoodles cooked lightly in olive oil or butter make a delicious and nutritious side dish.

• Creamed spinach: Quick and easy to prepare, Creamed Spinach adds more vitamins and minerals to your meal.

• Broccoli: Air Fryer Broccoli is low in carbs and high in fiber, making it a perfect keto-friendly side dish.

• Green beans almondine: Easy Green Beans Almondine makes a simple yet flavorful side.

• Asparagus: Always a favorite side, Roasted Asparagus pairs great with picadillo.

• Salad: A refreshing Strawberry Spinach Salad is always a refreshing option.

• Coleslaw: Make a crunchy and creamy Coleslaw for the perfect contrast of flavors and textures.

• Roasted Brussels sprouts: Slightly caramelized Brussels Sprouts are a great, low-carb side that tastes delicious with picadillo.

🔄 Substitutions and Additions

• Ground meat: Instead of ground beef, you can use ground turkey, chicken, or pork for a different flavor and texture.

• Vegetables: Feel free to experiment with different vegetables that you may have on hand. Some options include diced zucchini, diced carrots, or diced celery.

• Olives: If you don’t like green olives, you can use black olives or capers for a similar briny flavor.

• Bell peppers: You can use yellow or orange bell peppers instead of red bell peppers for a slightly different taste and color.

• Wine substitute: If you prefer not to use wine, you can replace it with beef or chicken broth for a similar depth of flavor.

• Tomatoes: You can use canned diced tomatoes instead of cherry tomatoes if they’re not in season or not available.

• Spices: Adjust the spices according to your taste preferences. You can add some chili powder for a spicier kick or smoked paprika for a smoky flavor.

• Herbs: Experiment with different herbs, such as fresh parsley or cilantro for added freshness.

Is Picadillo Keto? What are the Carbs in Ground Beef?

Making this Picadillo recipe using ground beef is an excellent source of protein and healthy fat. And the best news of all is that there are ZERO carbs in ground beef! So the only carbs you get are from the added seasonings and tomato products and the few carbs from the white wine.

Are There Variations of Picadillo?

Picadillo is not just a Cuban dish. It’s a traditional dish in many Latin American countries, including Spain and Mexico. It’s also super popular in the Philippines.

The name originates from the Spanish word “picar,” or “to mince.” That’s the reason most times you’ll find it made with ground beef, though some regions of the world use ground chorizo or ground turkey.

Can I Use Picadillo to Stuff Peppers?

Absolutely! The picadillo makes a delicious filling for stuffed peppers, zucchini, or even mushrooms. Simply hollow out the vegetables, stuff them with the picadillo mixture, top with cheese if desired, and bake until heated through and the vegetables are tender.

Can I Serve Picadillo as an Appetizer?

You sure can. One creative way to serve picadillo as an appetizer is to spoon it onto small lettuce cups or endive leaves for a handheld, low-carb option.

Can I Make This Recipe in a Slow Cooker?

Yes, you can make this dish in a slow cooker or Instant Pot. For the slow cooker, brown the ground beef and sauté the onions and peppers as instructed, then transfer everything to the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. For the Instant Pot, use the sauté function to brown the meat and sauté the vegetables, then add the remaining ingredients and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes, followed by a quick release.

🍽️ More Keto Ground Beef Recipes

• Italian Meatballs
• Instant Pot Chili
• Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole
• Beef Stroganoff Casserole
• Swedish Meatballs
• Cheeseburger Salad

*Originally published on July 15, 2018, updated on April 25, 2024 with improvements to the recipe, new photos, new recipe information and helpful tips.