Picadillo is a classic Mexican dish with ground beef and potatoes cooked in tomato sauce. It is the type of recipe that gets passed from generation to generation.
Every family has its version; this vegan picadillo recipe is my home’s version and is made with lentils.
What is picadillo?
The name of the picadillo comes from the verb picar (to chop) in Spanish. Picadillo is when everything is chopped small. The original recipe for the classic Mexican dish is made with minced meat or with ground meat. Some families use ground beef or a combination of ground pork and beef.
Mexican picadillo normally has potatoes and can be cooked in red or white sauce, depending on the Mexican state you are in. It was always made with potatoes, carrots, and peas cooked in a flavorful tomato sauce at my house.
Different versions
You can find different versions of picadillo in all of Latin America. For example, Cuba makes their picadillo with bell peppers, green olives, and raisins. Some families use cumin to flavor it, others add diced potatoes, and others, like in mine, vegetables are a must.
This is my version of picadillo, lentil vegan picadillo, and is the recipe I want to pass over to my kids and future generations.
How to make vegan picadillo?
To make vegan picadillo is super easy. You just have to replace the meat with lentils. You can continue using your family’s lentil recipe or try my recipe with potatoes, carrots, and peas. But one thing is for sure; you have to believe me that making picadillo is super easy.
- First step. Brown the chopped onion and garlic in a little oil over medium heat in a large skillet.
- Second step. Add the dried lentils, the chopped veggies, the vegetable stock, the tomato purée, and the sweet herbs. Cover and let it simmer until the lentils are cooked. Stir repeatedly so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Third step. Enjoy the lentil picadillo in the way that you like the most.
✎TIP One of the easiest ways to substitute meat and make vegan dishes is to exchange the meat for lentils or other legumes. • Look at this example of Italian meatball sandwiches with tomato sauce. The meatballs are made with lentils and are delicious. 😉
How to serve Mexican picadillo?
You can serve the picadillo with or on top of rice (in my house, we eat it with brown rice, or white rice, or you can make tacos with corn or flour tortillas. If you have vegan picadillo leftovers, use them to make empanadas or gorditas.
Either way, you serve them, finish with a few slices of avocado and a couple of tablespoons of any Mexican salsa. You can use storebought salsa or homemade Mexican salsa verde, or salsa roja molcajeteada.
Other recipes that you may like:
So here is the recipe for these, and I hope you like them as much as we do. This recipe is an authentic Mexican filled with delicious and comforting flavors.
Serve it with brown or white rice, in flour or corn tortillas; make this recipe yours. But if you make it, take a picture of it and post it on Instagram with @piloncilloyvainilla. I love to see all your creations!
Lentil picadillo tacos
Equipment
- Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup green lentils
- 1 15 oz can tomato sauce or puree
- 8 oz vegetable broth
- 2 carrots peeled and chopped fine
- 1-2 potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2 in pieces
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
- 1 dried bay leave
- 1 teaspoon salt
- *optional 1 cup water
To serve:
- 12 corn tortillas
- 1 avocado sliced and peeled
- chunky salsa
Instructions
- Sauté the garlic and onion in the vegetable oil for three minutes or until fragrant.
- Add the lentils, the tomato sauce, the vegetable broth, the vegetables, the thyme, marjoram, bay leaf, and salt.
- *add an extra cup of water if it is to dry
- Cover and let it cook for 20 min or until the lentils are cooked.
- Heat the corn tortillas and add two or three tablespoons of the picadillo on the tortilla.
- To finish each taco, add a slice of avocado and some salsa.
Video
Nutrition
information
Nutritional information of this recipe is only an estimate, the accuracy for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Sarten con tapa / Dutch oven braiser
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mixing bowl/ tazón para mezclar
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I have a Profesional Certification in vegan cooking; in the world of cooking based on vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes… in clean, organic and vegan food.
My cookbook is called Yo Cocino Latino..
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I’m a lentil person, so this goes to my bucket list!
taste is just meh. Won’t make again.
Sorry to hear that.