Picadillo tacos bring together tender ground beef, peppers, onions, and tomatoes in a rich, flavorful sauce. Pile them high with your favorite toppings and enjoy this simple and comforting Mexican dish any day of the week.
If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I can’t get enough of picadillo.
This simple ground beef mixture is a lifesaver for quick, budget-friendly Mexican meals like quesadillas, gorditas, sopes, and of course, these crispy ground beef tacos!
These picadillo tacos are crispy on the outside, tender inside, and perfect for feeding a crowd or a hungry family.
Top them with cheese, lettuce, and your favorite salsa for a warm, homey meal that’s easy on the wallet and loved by kids and adults alike.
Ingredients
- Tortillas: I use corn tortillas for crispy shells, but flour ones work too.
- Ground beef: You can swap in pork, chicken, or turkey if you like.
- Vegetables: Tomatoes, onions, and peppers.
- Seasonings: Paprika, cumin, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Oil: Corn, canola, or sunflower oil are all good choices.
- Toppings: To garnish my picadillo tacos I like lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, cream, and salsa. Add whatever you love!
Now let’s see how to make those crunchy picadillo beef tacos…
How To Make Picadillo Tacos Recipe
Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a pan or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced bell peppers first and sauté for a minute.
Add the onions and cook together for about 3 minutes, until the onions turn translucent and the peppers soften a little.
Add the meat and all spices, mix well, and cook until the meat is no longer pink.
Stir in tomatoes, cook for one more minute then cover the pan and set heat to low, allowing to cook for about 10 to 15 minutes mixing from time to time.
Adjust with salt to taste and keep cooking until almost no juices are left on the pan.
Top tip: Let the filling dry out just enough so it doesn’t splatter when frying — this little detail makes all the difference.
Warm up your tortillas on a hot comal or skillet for 20–30 seconds per side, and keep them wrapped in a clean kitchen towel so they stay soft and pliable.
Spoon some picadillo onto each tortilla, fold it in half, and press gently so it sticks a bit. Repeat with all the tortillas.
Heat a generous amount of oil in a frying pan and fry the tacos carefully, pressing the edges down with a spatula so they don’t open.
When they’re golden and crispy on both sides, transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate.
Open the tacos slightly and fill them with lettuce and tomato slices.
Drizzle with cream, add your favorite salsa, and finish with a sprinkle of queso fresco or your favorite cheese.
And there you have it, tacos de picadillo just like we make them back home.
Mari’s Notes & Tips
- If a little filling escapes while frying, don’t worry, that happens to all of us! Just make sure it’s not too much. You can also secure the tacos with toothpicks, but remember to remove them before garnishing.
- Want a bit of spice? Use jalapeños instead of bell peppers (remove veins and seeds if you prefer it mild).
- A few diced potatoes go great in the picadillo for extra heartiness.
- No corn tortillas? Use flour ones, but keep an eye on them as they brown much faster.
Toppings Variations
No taco is complete without a variety of delicious toppings. Although there are several ingredients you can use, here are a few that go well with those picadillo tacos:
- Avocado: It adds a perfectly soft and creamy texture.
- Cabbage: This Mexican cabbage salad not only brings in freshness but adds a satisfying crunch too.
- Salsa: Spice things up with your favorite salsa like this fake guacamole salsa, or this peanut chili salsa.
- Add freshness: With some chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime.
Storing
Picadillo is the perfect make-ahead meal because it freezes beautifully, so you can have it ready whenever a taco craving hits. Here’s how to store it:
- Fridge: Once it cools to room temperature, transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate. It will stay fresh for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Place the cooled mixture in a resealable bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Thaw overnight in the fridge, then warm it up in a pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until heated through.
More Taco Recipes
If you make my picadillo tacos recipe, I’d love to see it! Tag me on TikTok, Pinterest, Intagram, Facebook, and YouTube so I can share your delicious creations! Nothing makes me happier than seeing my recipes come to life in your kitchens.
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Picadillo Tacos
Ingredients
- 20 corn tortillas
- 1.1 lb ground beef
- 2 medium tomatoes (diced)
- 1 large green bell pepper (diced)
- 1 medium onion (chopped)
- cooking oil (as needed)
- 2 cloves garlic (chopped)
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 Tablespoon paprika
- salt and pepper
Toppings
- lettuce (shredded)
- tomatoes (sliced)
- cheese (use your favorite cheese)
- Mexican crema (or sour cream)
- salsa (read notes)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a pan or a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers and sauté for one minute.
- Add onions and sauté all together for 3 minutes or until onions become translucent and peppers are a bit softened.
- Add the meat, cumin, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix well and cook until the meat is no longer pink.
- Stir in tomatoes, cook for one more minute then cover the pan and set heat to low, allowing to cook for about 10 to 15 minutes mixing from time to time.
- Cook until almost no juices are left on the pan, adjust the seasonings, and turn off the heat.
Make the tacos
- Heat a cast iron skillet or a comal over high heat. Warm up the tortillas from both sides (about 20-30 seconds per side) and wrap them with a kitchen towel to keep them warm and pliable.
- Place two or three tortillas on a plate and spoon the picadillo in the middle.
- Fold in half, pressing a little bit to stick the tortilla with the meat mixture. Repeat until you’ve used all tortillas.
- Heat a generous amount of oil in a frying pan. Fry tacos placing them carefully into the oil and, using a spatula, firmly press down the edges (read notes).
- Once they are nicely crispy on both sides, remove them from the oil and place them onto a plate lined with kitchen paper towels.
- Carefully open the tacos de picadillo and garnish with lettuce and tomato slices.
- Drizzle with a tablespoon of cream and with your favorite salsa and finish topping with cheese.
Notes
- Make sure to allow the moisture to dry as much as possible so that when you fry the tacos it won’t come out and make the oil splatter all over.
- You can also use tooth sticks and secure the edges of tacos to prevent the mixture from coming out while frying the tacos.
- You can serve your tacos with any of these salsas:
- Salsa roja
- guacamole salsa
- peanut sauce
- fake guacamole
The filling was delicious! I’ve been making tacos dorados for several years, but I really wanted a better beef recipe. This hit the spot. One thing I do that is different about the frying process is that I sprinkle a little cheese on the meat before frying. The cheese does a good job of stopping the taco from losing its filling.
The recipe card has disappeared?! I can’t see it anywhere on the page.
I love this recipe and make it often, using vegan ingredients :)
Thank you so much for letting me know! I don’t know why it disappeared…but I fixed now. Enjoy your vegan tacos de picadillo :)
One word. AWESOME!
I’m thrilled to have found your blog, wonderful recipes and videos. Your picadillo tacos look so good and will be made your way. I’ve never had them fried with the meat inside them and they sound terrific.
Yes, that’s the way we do it in Mexico :) Thanks for stopping by!