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Vegan Picadillo

small white bowl filled with vegan picadillo alongside two silver forks on tan cloth

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. 

Ingredients

Scale
  • 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*
  • 610 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