Vegan Picadillo Recipe | Easy + Flavorful!

Hearty and Flavorful, this Cuban-Style Vegan Picadillo tastes just like the original! Made with “Beef” Crumbles, Olives, and lots of spices.

Picadillo is a classic Cuban dish comprised of sauteéd Onions and Peppers (also known as Sofrito), Ground Beef, fragrant spices, and chunks of Green Olives. It’s cozy, filling, and satisfying; a classic Latin “comfort food,” if you will. This completely plant-based version ticks all of those boxes as well, plus it comes together in just over 30 minutes! 

Believe it or not, Picadillo is actually a very easy recipe to “veganize.” All you really have to do is replace the Ground Beef with a Vegan alternative! Nowadays there are loads of options on the market to choose from, and they’re pretty dang realistic, too.

People often say that they can’t go Vegan because meat “tastes good,” but when you think about it, most of that flavor comes from plants to begin with! Yes, Traditional Picadillo is made from Beef, but it also wouldn’t be Picadillo without the Onions, Peppers, Spices, and Green Olives. And all of those items are already plant-based…..get where I’m going here? 😉 

Picadillo #FromYourBowl: Meet Coco

This recipe comes from my dear friend (and talented photographer), Coco. Born and raised in Miami, Coco grew up eating a delicious fusion of Cuban, Puerto Rican, and Dominican foods. Her grandmother taught her how to make this recipe while growing up, and she was determined to make a plant-based version that her meat-eating family would still love and enjoy. I’d say she was pretty successful!

Coco also taught me how to make her famous “Arroz con Guandules,” which is also on the blog. Be sure to check it out after you finish reading this post!

Picadillo can be used as a filling for empanadas or other fritters, but is normally served as-is with Rice and Beans. We decided to serve ours with a simple Cabbage Salad to lighten things up a bit and add some color. If you’d like to do the same, simply mix some Shredded Cabbage with Cilantro, Salt, and Extra Virgin Olive Oil!

However you serve it, don’t forget to top it with extra Cilantro! Coco also told me that the biting into a salty chunk of Green Olive is are also one of the best parts of this dish…so if I were you, I would add extra 😉

A Few Final Thoughts:

• Try to use all 3 colors of Bell Pepper for this recipe, as they each have slightly different flavors! An easy “hack” is to use a frozen Bell Pepper Mix from the store and thaw before cooking.
• Coco likes to use either Beyond Meat or Gardein Vegan “Beef” Crumbles with this recipe. If you don’t have access to either of those, she recommends using cooked Brown Lentils instead!
• Want something to serve alongside this Picadillo? I’d highly recommend some Arroz con Guandules. And if you’re looking for more culturally inspired dishes from the #FromYourBowl series, you’ll also love these Spicy Sesame Noodles that I made with my friend Liz!

Finally, if you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I love seeing your delicious recreations 🙂

Vegan Picadillo

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 6 reviews

Hearty and Flavorful, this Cuban-Style Vegan Picadillo tastes just like the original! Made with “Beef” Crumbles, Olives, and lots of spices. 

• Author: Caitlin Shoemaker
• Prep Time: 15 Minutes
• Cook Time: 20 Minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 4-6 Servings 1x
• Category: Main
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Cuban

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 tbsp Neutral Cooking Oil (can sub Water or Veggie Broth)
• ½ Yellow Onion, diced
• ¼ of a Red, Yellow, and Green Bell Pepper, diced*
• ½ bunch chopped Cilantro, stems and leaves divided
• 3 cloves Garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp Tomato Paste
• 1 cube of Vegan Beef-Flavored Bouillon
• ½ tbsp Badia’s Sazon Tropical
• 1 tsp Cumin
• 1 tsp Salt-Free Seasoning Blend*
• ½ tsp Oregano
• ¼ cup Filtered Water
• 11 oz Vegan Beef Crumbles, frozen*
• 6–10 Pitted Green Olives, cut in half if desired

Instructions

1. First, add the Oil to a large pan and bring to medium heat. Add in the Onion, diced Bell Peppers, and all of the chopped Cilantro Stems. Sauté until translucent, then add the minced Garlic and sauté for an additional 1-2 minutes.
2. Add the Tomato Paste and Beef-flavored Bouillon Cube to the pan and use a spoon to “mash” them into the mixture. Add all of the spices, then sauté for an additional minute. Add ¼ cup of Water to the pan and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat.
3. Let this mixture cook down for 3-5 minutes, then add in the Vegan Beef Crumbles, Mix well and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes, until everything is thawed and all of the flavors are well-incorporated. Finally, stir in the Green Olives and remaining Cilantro. Serve as desired; leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 7 days.

Notes

• Try to use all 3 colors of Bell Pepper, as they each have slightly different flavors!
• Coco uses and recommends the 21 Seasoning Salute from Trader Joe’s
• We used 1 package of Beyond Meat Beef Crumbles for this recipe, but feel free to use any meat substitute of your choice! You can also substitute the “beef” with 3 cups of cooked green lentils if you do not have access to alternatives.

Keywords: vegan picadillo, vegan cuban food, cuban picadillo, healthy, easy cuban food

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