In this article we wanted to break down Cuban Picadillo leftover ideas so you can do with it that will keep it fresh and easy during the week.
What is Picadillo
We love a good Cuban Picadillo. It is a staple in both of our homes. It’s a dish that embodies so much of our culture. It is a humble dish made with simple ingredients, but it comes together to make a big impact.
Picadillo is ground beef mixed in a classic Cuban sofrito cooked and simmered along with olives, potatoes and raisins (controversially). Picadillo is planted deep at the center of Cuban tradition. There is not a Cuban restaurant in town, or a Cuban family that doesn’t have some version of Picadillo on the menu or in the weekly rotation.
When we make picadillo we love to make extra. Leftovers are absolutely essential in our houses. We know the topic of leftovers is a little controversial. For some people, leftovers can be triggering. They don’t like the idea of leftovers, and we don’t know if it’s because they had a bad experience when they were younger or what else it could be. However we feel strongly that if done write, leftover night can be something fun and extra delicious! Besides, a huge added leftover bonus is that it is easy meal prep! The work is done for you. The only thing you have to do is doctor it up to make it something new and fresh.
We are here to show you all the ways you can take your Picadillo and turn it into something new that everyone will love.
All Our Favorite Cuban Picadillo Leftover Ideas
This is a list of just a few things you can do with your Picadillo leftovers. We always want to emphasize and encourage you to adjust these ideas and recipes to fit your lifestyle. These recipes are more a guideline, but cooking is all about what you have available to you and your preferences.
A “Healthier Picadillo”
First things first, we wanted to present to you all the options. While we love our classic Picadillo recipe, we have also both moved towards making Picadillo with ground turkey. Ani has even gone out of her way to incorporate a few more vegetables into her weekly Turkey Picadillo, and her boys absolutely gobble it up.
We thought it would be a good idea to show you that recipe here as well, because this is something youc an also use in place of Picadillo in our leftover recipes below. There is even an Instant Pot Turkey Picadillo Recipe that will really simplify your weekly routine.
Picadillo Cuban Lasagna
This Cuban Lasagna takes all the traditional flavors of the Cuban table and marries them, delicately. It is layers of picadillo, sweet plantains and cheese baked to perfection.
In Puerto Rico they make a similar dish called Pastelon, but it’s usually bonded together by eggs to get a more dense texture. Here we are keeping it lighter. There are no eggs required. You just layer and bake.
Picadillo Tambor (Shepard’s Pie)
Tambor Cubano is a starchy carb-y dream come true. Tambor Cubano is made with a layer of picadillo topped with a mash or puree. If this sounds familiar, it’s because it is basically a classic Shepard’s Pie, which is traditionally made with minced ground meat topped with mashed potatoes.
The Tambor Cubano is essentially the same thing. However, in the name of adding a little Cuban into the mix we made our “Shepard’s Pie” with our delicious Abuela’s Picadillo and topped it with a sweet plantain puree.
Picadillo Stuffed Peppers
This is one of our absolute favorite ways to use leftover Picadillo. Stuffed Peppers are something that you can literally stuff with anything, and the presentation and taste will always hit. These roasted peppers are stuffed with Picadillo and then baked in the oven with a little sprinkle of cheese.
This is a dish that everyone will love. It also really transforms your Picadillo leftovers into a whole new meal. While stuffing them with Picadillo is our favorite move, they can also be stuffed with Instant Pot Shredded Chicken or Our Quick Weeknight Congri and will leave you with something quick easy and so yummy.
Picadillo Empanadas
Empanadas are the leftover superhero. Almost anything can be thrown into an empanada. We strongly encourage everyone to always keep a pack of Empanada dough in their freezer. It comes in very handy to keep things from going bad. You can throw any leftovers you have into Empanada dough and bake them up. Then you can store your cooked empanadas in the freezer and grab them as you need them.
Picadillo is one of our favorite things to make empanadas with. Our kids go crazy for them, and we don’t blame them. They are essentially just beef empanadas only with a little more flavor. Like Stuffed Peppers and Tambor, Empanadas also transform your leftover Picadillo into something new and different, so it doesn’t feel like “leftovers.” Plus it’s something easy to do and doesn’t take too much work.
You can also make Empanadas with Instant Pot Shredded Chicken, Ropa Vieja, or even our Cuban Meatballs.
Try Our Other Delicious Empanadas Ideas:
