When you get home the smell in your house from this Slow Cooker Cuban Picadillo recipe will be amazing. The tender ground beef with tomatoes, spices, plus tangy olives and capers - it's a flavor explosion all with simple ingredients & a quick 15 minute prep.
Why this Crock-Pot Picadillo Recipe is the Best: My recipe is a bit more vegetable heavy to make it healthier and more budget friendly by cutting back on the ground meat which is even getting expensive these days.
This recipe will be part of your regular rotation thanks to its international flavors & simple steps. This filling comfort food dinner recipe is a foolproof way to make ground beef in the Crockpot.
Similar to my Slow Cooker No-Bean Chili, the hamburger meat recipe is low-carb & packed with protein. This pairs well with cauliflower rice or Rice made with Chicken Broth (or beef broth). Ok, now we cook!
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Ingredients
Here is everything you need for this recipe. Most items are pantry staples, spices, plus just a few fresh veggies and a pound of ground beef.
Here are important notes for some ingredients:
- Ground Beef - 80/20 is used but a leaner cut works as well, see tips section for other meats that can be used.
- Onion - yellow or white sweet variety
- Bell Pepper - to add color use a sweet orange or yellow one
- Tomato Sauce - for a thick broth/sauce
- Tomato - diced and optional canned can be used.
- Green Olives & the Brine - small whole without pits plus some of the juice.
- Capers - these brined pickled caper berries are also a traditional item
- Garlic - whole cloves minced
- Worcestershire Sauce - umami that gives the meat a rich deep flavor
- Spices - cumin, salt, & black pepper
- Bay Leaf - for earthy flavors that makes the sauce homey
- Cilantro - fresh minced to garnish
See the recipe card for full list, quantities, & any substitutions/variations.
How to Make Slow Cooker Cuban Picadillo
This is a good recipe for those new to using a slow cooker. Even though you need to brown the meat first, the steps are simple. Beginners will have success and don't forget to follow slow cooker food safety tips with all recipes.
Here are the easy steps for making ground beef Picadillo in the Crock-Pot
- Brown the Meat & Saute the Veggies
- Add Ingredients to the Slow Cooker
- Cook & Serve
See the step-by-step instructions with photos below plus the recipe card at the end of the post.
1 - Brown the Meat & Saute the Veggies
This recipe does include browning the ground beef in a saute pan on the stove. This helps render some of the fat off and so the natural juices cook off. I always precook ground meats before adding them to my slow cooker.
Begin by cutting the vegetables into a small dice as seen here. Mince the fresh garlic too.
Ingredient note; you can replace the fresh tomato with canned tomatoes. This is often easier in fall or winter when tomatoes are not in season/at their peak.
In a large skillet over medium heat, break up the ground beef and cook until a little bit of pink is left. Add the bay leaf and spices after about 3 minutes and stir to combine. This brings out the flavor of the spices by toasting/cooking them vs putting them in raw later.
Add the garlic, onions and peppers to the skillet. Cook for 3-5 minutes over medium heat just so they soften but do not brown. DO NOT DRAIN THE BEEF FAT.
2 - Add Ingredients to the Slow Cooker
Transfer the meat mixture to the slow cooker insert - all of it including any fat that has rendered.
To the Crock-Pot insert add the tomatoes, sauce, Worcestershire, capers and olives with 1 tablespoon of the olive brine/liquid.
For the final item, add 1 cup of water to the ingredients. Stir to combine.
2 - Cook and Serve
Now that everything is in, close the lid. Set the slow cooker to high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Whichever works best for you and your busy schedule - I love these forgiving recipes that are flexible!
It will look like this when it is ready. The broth will be deep red and the vegetables will be soft.
To serve, scoop out and place in individual bowls with or without rice.
Serving, Storing & Reheating
Enjoy this dish when it is ready and it holds well for hours on warm in the slow cooker. That is what makes this a great busy week night dinner to set and forget until you get home.
This is also a great meal planning, make-ahead, or freezer meal. It stores well for up to a 4 days in the ridge or up to a month in the freezer. It reheats easily on the stovetop or in the microwave.
What to Serve with Cuban Picadillo : This cozy meal is great in the fall and winter cold months when you want something comforting but tired of soups. Serve this in a bowl over steamed white or brown rice, along with sweet plantains or black beans - all are classic Cuban sides.
Or try something basic that will get the kids interesting in trying a bite, serve it with White Rice made with Broth, plain noodles, or Air Fryer Green Beans.
Recipe Tips & Behind the Scenes
Here's my recipe for success - including what I learned when testing, fun stories, recipe history, and more.
- #1 Tip - Precooking the meat ensures the natural juices render off and cook down.
- Do not skip adding the salty items; capers, olives, and the brine - this is not a low-sodium recipe so if you are ok with salt in your diet and/or love salty dishes (I DO!) this is for you.
- To cut the prep down to only 10 minutes, buy precut onions, peppers, and green olives.
- Use a slow cooker that is 6 quarts or larger for this recipe. One that is programmable and goes to a warm setting, like this one by CrockPot, after done cooking is great for those away from home for hours.
- This is traditionally made with minced beef but you can you use other ground meats such as chicken or turkey for a leaner low-fat substitute.
- My kids kept calling this chili and didn't understand that it looked similar but tasted different. The smoky earthy cumin plus the briny olive & capers is a punch of flavor that's fantastically unique.
- If you enjoyed this, try my recipe for CrockPot Italian Ground Beef Meatballs in Tomato Sauce.
FAQ
Yes, all ingredients are typically friendly for anyone on a low-carb, keto, whole30, or paleo diet. It has 7 net carbs per serving plus is dairy-free, gluten-free, and grain-free.
Some recipes do include small pieces of potato or raisins in it. This Cuban picadillo recipe does not include raisins. I do not prefer it that way & also enjoy this more savory version with less carbs and sweetness when those are added.
Slow Cooker Cuban Picadillo
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup onion chopped
- 1 cup bell pepper chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- ½ cup diced tomatoes fresh or canned
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon capers
- 1 tablespoon olive brine
- ½ cup green olives small whole pitted
- fresh cilantro minced for topping
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground meat; stirring occasionally. Use a wooden spoon to break the meat up into small pieces while cooking. Once almost done cooking, go to the next step.1 pound ground beef
- Do NOT drain the fat while cooking. Season the meat with the spices and add the bay leaf, stir to combine. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, and continue cooking for 5 minutes. This will begin to soften the vegetables but not brown the.1 cup onion, 1 cup bell pepper, 2 cloves garlic, 1 bay leaf, 1 teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Transfer the meat mixture to the slow cooker insert - all of it including any fat that has rendered.
- Add remaining ingredients, except for the fresh cilantro. Add 1 cup of water, stir, and place the lid on top. Set the slow cooker to high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.1 cup tomato sauce, ½ cup diced tomatoes, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon capers, ½ cup green olives, 1 tablespoon olive brine
- Stir and discard the bay leaf when the slow cooker timer is up. Taste test and add more salt if needed.
- Spoon into individual bowls over rice & top with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro. Enjoy!fresh cilantro
Notes
- Place leftovers in the refrigerator and store for up to 4 days. Or freeze for up to a month.
- Reheat leftovers in the microwave for 1 minute or on the stovetop.
- This is a great make ahead or meal planning dinner since it stores & reheats well.
- Use any ground or minced meat instead of beef; chicken, or turkey for a leaner lower fat option.
Nutrition
More Ground Beef Recipes
Here are some similar recipes for meal ideas using ground beef (mince). All are simple to make & great for a budget dinner:
Beverly says
Great menu idea. Congratulations, you are being featured on WWBH. https://eclecticredbarn.blogspot.com/2025/10/weekday-dinners-on-wwbh.html, Hope you stop by.
Hugs,
Bev
Angela says
Thank you!
robin says
Very easy to put together and very tasty, people has 2nd helpings
Angela says
So glad it was both simple to make and delicious to eat! Thank you.