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Apr 17, 2018 By Jessica Beacom

Slow Cooker Picadillo

Dairy-Free
Egg-Free
Gluten-free
Grain-Free
Nut-free
Paleo
Whole30
Jump to Recipe

Who doesn’t love a set it & forget it kind of meal like this Whole30-friendly Slow Cooker Picadillo for busy weeknights?!

Slow Cooker Picadillo on a white plate

I know this probably isn’t new news but…

Life is crazy busy right now. For everyone. I can’t recall a single person in the last month who’s said otherwise. Is it the change of seasons? The arrival of warm weather? The pursuit of too much all the time? Gah! I’m feeling it, too. Which is just one reason why I’m absolutely in love with this Slow Cooker Picadillo right now.

It easy to prep the night before (or even in the morning as your coffee brews) because you just have to brown up a little ground beef and onion and toss it into the slow cooker with a diced pepper, a can of tomato sauce and three spices (how’s that for keeping things simple? Just three spices you likely already have on hand).

 

 

Slow Cooker Picadillo on a white plate

The only thing easier than this Slow Cooker Picadillo is our Slow Cooker Chicken Chile Verde which is ridiculously easy. But I digress, we were talking about this saucy, sweet and savory loveliness that pairs perfectly with a bowl of cauliflower rice and a side of fresh greens and/or fried plantains. It’s so good! If you’ve never heard of picadillo then let’s get you up to speed before you run to the kitchen.

Cuban Picadillo, on which this recipe is loosely based, is a meat and potato hash of sorts that’s traditionally made with ground pork or beef or sometimes both. It has layers of sweet and savory flavors thanks to the addition of green olives, raisins, wine and capers. You’ll often find in served over a big pile of white rice and black beans or used as a filling for empanadas.

To keep things simple and Whole30-friendly I left out the wine and substituted tomato sauce for fresh tomatoes and wine. I also left out the potato and instead opted to serve this with fried plantains (because, let’s be honest… they’re the perfect vehicle for getting this saucy goodness to your mouth). You could add some diced potato but I didn’t think it really needed it after testing the recipe with and without it. Besides that, I found that the potato was a bit mushy for my taste and freezing and thawing. So, it’s entirely up to you. If you’re adding it, add it at the beginning with the meat and vegetables and spices.

Layers of flavor in this easy Slow Cooker Picadillo won't disappoint! #whole30 Click To Tweet

Wondering if you should purchase grass-fed beef? Learn how to choose quality red meat in this post!

Slow Cooker Picadillo on a fork and on a white plate

The olives, raisins and capers that make picadillo so magical (think sweet, salty, savory all at once) are added to the slow cooker an hour before the end of the cooking time but don’t sweat it if you don’t get them in there with exactly an hour to go. It’ll be fine. Roll with it. Trust me, this has happened to me more than once and it was still delicious. Just get them in there because it’s what make this dish picadillo and not just a pot of  Latin American-inspired sloppy joes.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot the other reason why I love this Slow Cooker Picadillo so much!

It’s very freezer-friendly so don’t be shy about doubling the recipe and freezing half for another time. I like to cool mine in a glass container (like this one) in the fridge before transferring individual portions to a zip-top freezer bags. Laying the bags flat on a baking sheet to freeze makes them easier to store in the freezer (yeah, I may or may not have a plastic shoe box-sized tote with quart-size bags of frozen soups, stews, chilis and picadilo in my freezer…) #mealprepnerd

And leftovers. Even my hungry family leaves enough in the pot for leftovers because this recipe makes enough for six generous servings which makes my overly-busy heart oh, so happy.

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Let's Get Cookin'

Slow Cooker Picadillo

  • Author: Jessica Beacom
  • Prep Time: 15 min.
  • Cook Time: 6-7 hours
  • Total Time: 6-7 hours
  • Yield: Serves 6 1x
  • Category: Whole 30, Paleo, Dairy-free
Print Recipe
★★★★ 4 from 1 reviews

Ingredients

  • 2 lb. ground beef
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium green bell pepper, diced
  • 1 14-ounce can tomato sauce
  • ¾ tsp. cumin
  • ½ tsp. dried oregano
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ½ cup green olives, pitted and drained (use olives packed in water for less sodium)
  • 2 Tbsp. capers, drained
  • ½ cup raisins
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Fresh cilantro and limes wedges for serving
  • Optional: Cauliflower rice, fried plantains and fresh greens like spinach or power greens.

Instructions

  1. In a large skillet, add ground beef and onions. Cook until onions start to soften and beef is partially browned. Add garlic and cook an additional 1 minute.
  2. Transfer meat mixture to slow cooker. Add green pepper, tomato sauce, cumin, oregano and bay leaf. Stir to combine. Place lid on slow cooker and turn heat to low.
  3. Cook on low for 6-7 hours, adding olives, capers and raisins during the last hour of cooking time.
  4. Taste and season with salt and pepper before serving over cauliflower rice (or rice, greens, etc.)

Notes

All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish this recipe, please rewrite the recipe in your own unique words and link back to the source recipe here on The Real Food Dietitians. Thank you!

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/6th recipe
  • Calories: 370
  • Sugar: 12g
  • Sodium: 528mg
  • Fat: 18g
  • Carbohydrates: 19g
  • Fiber: 3g
  • Protein: 33g

What’s your favorite slow cooker meal when you want leftovers? How about when you’re serving a crowd? Tell us in the comments below!

Pin now, make later.

Pinterest image for Slow Cooker Picadillo


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About Jessica Beacom

Jessica is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist living in Boulder, CO with her hubby and two daughters. She's been described as a 'real food evangelist' and loves sharing her knowledge with others to help them break free of the diet mentality and find their own food freedom. In her spare time she enjoys CrossFit, telemark skiing, mountain biking, teaching herself how to play the banjo and camping out under the stars.

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    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

  1. Aleona says

    April 19, 2018 at 5:38 am

    How many tomatoes should we add per step one in the instructions? This recipe looks amazing! I can’t wait to try it. Thank you for sharing it with us!

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      April 19, 2018 at 5:59 am

      Hi Aleona,

      I’m sorry, I mistyped ‘tomatoes’ for ‘onions’. That should read “Add ground beef and onions to the pan”. I’ve updated that so it’s correct now. Thanks for the catch and enjoy!

      Reply
  2. Caroline says

    April 19, 2018 at 7:17 am

    I’m not a fan of raisins in food (it’s a texture thing…I don’t mind them on their own). Any suggestions for a substitute that will still lend sweetness? Thanks! Excited to try the recipe out!

    Reply
    • Stacie Hassing says

      April 20, 2018 at 6:08 am

      Hi Caroline, you could add some unsweetened dates or dried prunes. You would have to chop them into little pieces but they would also add a nice sweet touch. Enjoy!

      Reply
  3. Anna says

    April 19, 2018 at 4:42 pm

    Hi !!! Thank you for this delicious and tasty recipe // I substitute the beef for lean turkey 👍🏻

    ★★★★

    Reply
    • Stacie Hassing says

      April 20, 2018 at 6:04 am

      Awesome Anna! Great to hear you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  4. Patricia says

    April 23, 2018 at 11:08 am

    Could I make this the day before and then just reheat the next day, possibly adding the capers, raisins and olives at that time?

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      April 24, 2018 at 12:16 pm

      Hi Patricia,

      You can definitely make this the day before. I’d suggest adding the capers, olives and raisins the day before though so all of the flavors have a chance to mingle. I personally think this dish is best the next day for that very reason. Enjoy!

      Reply

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The Real Food Dietitians is the passion-driven product of Registered Dietitian Nutritionists Stacie Hassing and Jessica Beacom. They’ve combined their love of nutrition, health and real food with the concepts of ease and convenience to bring you recipes that are big on flavor but short on ingredients.

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