Mexican · main

Beef Picadillo with Rice

Beef Picadillo with Rice reads sweetness 5.3, umami 5.0 and allium 4.7 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Mexican main, about 51 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 5.4 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 6.3 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 2.4 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.7 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 4.8 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 5.2 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Sweetness 5.3 · Umami 5.0 · Allium 4.7 · Richness 4.5 · Salinity 3.9 · Fruity 3.4 · Herbaceous 2.9 · Warm Spice 2.5 · Earthy 2.5 · Sourness 2.1 · Floral 1.4 · Bitterness 1.2 · Nutty 1.1 · Citrus 1.0 · Heat 0.8

What's in it (16)

• long-grain white rice — 266 g
• olive oil — 14 g
• extra-lean ground beef — 680 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• red bell pepper — 100 g
• garlic — 12 g
• russet potato — 170 g
• tomatoes — 411 g
• pimento — 79 g
• golden raisins — 59 g
• cinnamon — 5 g
• cumin — 5 g
• salt — 7 g
• black pepper — 3 g
• cilantro — 7 g
• water — 532 g

Time & effort: about 51 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 110.1 kcal, 7.3 g protein, 3.1 g fat, 13 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (8 steps)

1. Start the rice: in a small saucepan, combine the rinsed rice, 2 1/4 cups water, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. Off heat, let stand covered 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and set aside.
2. While the rice cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, breaking it into small pieces, and let it sit undisturbed for 2 minutes to start browning, then continue breaking up and stirring until deeply browned, no pink remains, and the beef reaches 160F, 6-8 minutes total. Transfer the beef to a bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the skillet.
3. Add the onion and bell pepper to the fat remaining in the skillet; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden at the edges, 5-6 minutes.
4. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
5. Add the diced potato and the diced tomatoes with their juices; bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until the potato is just tender when pierced with a knife, 8-10 minutes.
6. Return the browned beef to the skillet along with the olives and their brine, raisins, cinnamon, cumin, remaining salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine and simmer uncovered until the sauce thickens enough to coat the meat and no longer looks watery, 6-8 minutes.
7. Taste the picadillo and adjust salt if needed, then spoon it over the rice.
8. Scatter the cilantro over the top and serve hot.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Githeri (Maize and Bean Stew) — Kenyan
• Lamb Kofta Meatballs in Tomato Sauce — Middle Eastern
• Fasolada — Greek
• Poulet DG — Cameroonian
• Galinhada Mineira — Brazilian

Keep reading: what sweetness, umami, allium mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

See how this dish fits your palate — take the short taste test →

Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.