Easy Vegan Picadillo Cuban Inspired

It’s perfectly balanced, quick and easy (1 pot and 30 minutes), and naturally gluten-free. Plus, it gets better over time and reheats beautifully, making it ideal for meal prep! We can’t wait for you to try it! Let us show you how it’s done!

What is Picadillo?

The word “picadillo” originates from the Spanish word picar, which means to chop or mince. It’s a dish popular in many Latin American countries as well as in the Philippines. Each region varies in what ingredients are included in its picadillo, but the dish usually consists of ground beef, tomatoes, and herbs and spices. Some versions include olives and raisins, some include potatoes, and a wide range of different ingredients make their way into other picadillos (source). The following is our plant-based take on picadillo, swapping the ground beef for lentils and using ingredients most similar to the Cuban version of the dish.

How to Make Vegan Picadillo

This vegan picadillo begins with sautéing onion and red bell pepper for a sweet, caramelized base. While green Cubanelle peppers are a more traditional ingredient in Cuban picadillo, we went with red bell peppers for accessibility and because we like the sweetness they add. Next comes shiitake mushrooms, which are also not traditional, but they add a nice “meaty” texture and flavor to this plant-based version of the dish. We season them with fresh garlic and coconut aminos at this stage so they soak up lots of flavor. Then comes green or brown lentils for a protein and fiber-packed replacement for the ground beef in traditional picadillo. We went with canned to keep this recipe super quick and easy, but homemade lentils would also work! For the seasonings, we included the classics: oregano for its herbiness, cumin for smokiness, cayenne for heat, and salt and pepper for overall flavor. Tomato sauce, pimento-stuffed green olives, and optional raisins add classic picadillo flavors, while water makes it all saucy! After a quick 10-15 minutes, the lentils soak up all that sauciness and a complex explosion of flavors awaits! We hope you LOVE this vegan picadillo! It’s:SavorySweetSaltyFiber-packedQuick & easy& Perfect for meal prep! Serve it up with roasted plantains, rice, and cilantro for a filling meal that transports you to the tropics (okay, maybe a little imagination needed)!