Healthy Picadillo Beef Lean (Printer-Friendly)

Lean ground beef cooked with olives, capers, and cilantro for a fresh, Latin-inspired dish perfect with rice or tacos.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meat

01 - 2 lbs extra lean ground beef

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium onion, chopped
03 - 1 green bell pepper, chopped
04 - ¼ cup pitted green olives, chopped
05 - 2 tablespoons capers, drained

→ Seasonings and Sauces

06 - 2 teaspoons minced garlic
07 - 5.5 oz can tomato paste
08 - 1 cup water
09 - 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
10 - 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
11 - 1 tablespoon brown sugar
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped

→ Garnish

13 - Fresh lime wedges
14 - Cilantro sprigs
15 - Whole green olives

# Steps to Follow:

01 - In a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, combine ground beef, chopped onion, and chopped green bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until beef is browned and vegetables are softened. Drain excess liquid and return skillet to heat.
02 - Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in tomato paste, water, minced garlic, chopped olives, capers, brown sugar, red wine vinegar, fresh cilantro, and Worcestershire sauce until evenly combined.
03 - Allow the mixture to simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender and flavors have melded.
04 - Plate the picadillo over brown rice, white rice, or cauliflower rice, or use as taco filling. Garnish with fresh lime wedges, cilantro sprigs, and whole green olives. Squeeze lime over the dish before serving to enhance brightness.

# Extra Suggestions:

01 - For deeper authenticity, add a teaspoon of olive brine from the jar to the skillet along with olives.
02 - Ensure skillet is hot before adding beef to achieve proper browning and avoid steaming.
03 - Adjust acidity by adding extra squeeze of lime or splash of red wine vinegar to brighten flavors if needed.
04 - Dice onions and peppers to roughly the size of ground beef crumbles for uniform texture.
05 - Allow dish to rest off heat for 5-10 minutes to let flavors integrate and beef absorb sauce.
06 - If tomato paste is unavailable, substitute with ½ cup tomato sauce and reduce water by half to maintain consistency.
07 - Add extra water or beef broth during simmer if mixture thickens too much, as extra lean beef is low in fat.
08 - Store leftovers in airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

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