Plantiful Picadillo: A Plant-Based Take
This Plantiful Picadillo is a plant-based take on a traditional Mexican favorite. Delicious Veggie Ground is simmered in a Mexican spiced sauce with diced potatoes and green beans.
Meat, diced potatoes and a nice warm broth. This dish reminds me of a recipe my sister gave me called Hobo Stew. It used those very ingredients and a can of something called hominy (which is like a nutty, fluffy version of corn with a slight nutritional edge). It was one of the easiest weeknight dinners to throw together when my kids were little and they never complained.
I remember long ago eating a similar dish in my small border town I grew up in. Mexican Picadillo is all of these ingredients simmered in a beef broth. It is traditionally served over warm flour tortillas or rice. I was in the mood for some of that so I gave it a try with my leftover veggie ground I had in the fridge. Turns out it was so satisfying that I didn’t even need to put it on a tortilla, I just ate it right out of a bowl.
Some Plantiful Variations
Plantiful Picadillo can be tweaked in so many delicious ways! Add peas, carrots, or corn to bulk up the veggies. You could also add a cup of black or pinto beans for added protein. If you would like it to be more of a stew, you could double the amount of broth used.
One other variation I thought of is to swap out the white potatoes for sweet potatoes. Most versions of this recipe use peeled and diced russet potatoes. In my version, I used baby red potatoes and left the skin on for quick prep and an extra dose of vitamins. The bonus is, you can essentially use whatever you have on hand and it will still taste fantastic.
Plantiful Picadillo
Ingredients
- 4 cups veggie-ground-beef
- 1 Tbsp avocado or olive oil
- ½ cup diced green pepper
- 2 cups diced potatoes
- 4 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 4oz can diced green chilis
- 1 8oz can tomato sauce
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1½ cup vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 14.5oz can green beans
- ¼ cup cilantro
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large skillet. Add in diced onions, green bell pepper, and potatoes. Continue to stir and cook over medium heat until onion and peppers are softened. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
- Pour in broth slowly and scrape up any bits on the pan. Add seasonings, tomato sauce and tomato paste, and green beans. Stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and allow to cook for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.
- Remove lid and allow to simmer up to 10 more minutes or until the liquid is mostly gone.
- Serve with warm flour tortillas or rice.
