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    Home » Recipes » Mexican Recipes

    Mexican Picadillo Tacos

    Published: Apr 1, 2023 · Modified: Jun 16, 2023 by Renee · 2 Comments · This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe

    Mexican Picadillo Tacos are filled with a savory ground beef, potato, and tomatillo mixture in a crispy homemade taco shell. Top them with a simple tomato salsa, sour cream, and lettuce.

    Up close view of crispy Mexican picadillo tacos on a plate.

    Picadillo is popular in many Latin American Countries, and you'll find wide variations of it. In Spanish 'picadillo' means hash, so essentially it's a ground beef hash.

    I learned how to make this Mexican picadillo from my Mother in law and she serves it in a crispy fried corn tortilla shell.

    These crispy Mexican Picadillo Tacos are a must-try for any taco lover!

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients for Mexican Picadillo Tacos
    • How to Make Mexican Picadillo
    • How to Make Crispy Taco Shells
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Assembling The Tacos
    • Crispy Mexican Picadillo Taco Recipe

    Ingredients for Mexican Picadillo Tacos

    The Ingredients are simple for this dish and can be found at your local store. Here's what you'll need:

    • Corn Tortillas
    • Ground Beef
    • Tomatillos
    • Potato
    • Tomatoes
    • Toppings: Sour Cream and Lettuce
    Ingredients with text labels for picadillo mixture.

    You can substitute ground turkey for the beef if you need a leaner option.

    How to Make Mexican Picadillo

    Peel and dice the potato into small pieces so it cooks quickly.

    Peel and wash the tomatillos well. They have a waxy residue on their skin. I add a splash of vinegar to help remove it. Then dice the tomatillo into small pieces.

    Four image collage on how to make the picadillo filling.

    Brown the ground beef in a large pan with some oil. Once it's cooked add the diced potatoes and tomatillos. I don't drain any of the grease, I think it adds more flavor.

    Season with salt and pepper then place a lid on the pan. Cook until the potatoes have soften and stir the mixture every few minutes. It will take at least 15 minutes.

    Cooked picadillo filling in a white skillet.

    This is what it looks like once the potatoes have softened. The tomatillos cook down and most of the liquid is absorbed. Allow the picadillo mixture to cool slightly.

    How to Make Crispy Taco Shells

    To make homemade crispy taco shells, simply add a corn tortilla to hot oil in a skillet and use tongs to fold it over into a taco shell.

    You can also fill the tortillas with the picadillo mixture, then deep fry the taco all together. This is how I make my Taco Dorados.

    Fried tacos shells on a baking sheet.

    Another option is to bake the tortillas in the oven to make baked shells.

    Spray or brush oil on each tortilla. Then drape them over the oven rungs to form a shell. Bake at 400° F for about 10-15 minutes, or until they are golden and crispy.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can the Picadillo Tacos be made ahead of time?

    The fried shells taste best the day of, but the picadillo mixture can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days or even frozen for up to 2 months.

    Are Mexican Picadillo Tacos Gluten Free?

    If you use a gluten-free corn tortilla for the shell, they will be gluten free!

    Check out these Crispy Tacos:

    • Crispy Taquitos
    • Fried Potato Tacos
    • Salsa Chicken Baked Tacos

    Assembling The Tacos

    I also like to add a simple tomato sauce to the picadillo tacos. It's just blended boiled tomatoes with some salt or garlic salt.

    You can also add a jalapeno to make the sauce a little spicy.

    Three crispy Mexican picadillo tacos on a plate.

    Assemble the tacos with sour cream in the crispy shell, the picadillo mixture, tomato sauce, shredded lettuce, and diced tomatoes.

    If you want it spicy, add some chile de arbol salsa.

    Feature image of Mexican Picadillo Tacos

    Crispy Mexican Picadillo Taco Recipe

    Renee
    Crispy homemade tortilla shells filled with Mexican Picadillo of ground beef, tomatillos, and potatoes. Top them with a simple tomato salsa, sour cream, and lettuce.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Share by Text
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 45 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr
    Servings 12 Tacos

    Equipment

    • Large Skillet

    Ingredients
      

    Picadillo:

    • 1 tablespoon Oil
    • 1 pound Ground Beef
    • 1 Large Russet Potato peeled and diced small
    • 3 Tomatillos husked removed, washed well, and diced.
    • 1 teaspoon Salt
    • ¼ teaspoon Pepper

    Tomato Sauce:

    • 3 Roma tomatoes
    • 1 Jalapeno (for spice)
    • ¼ teaspoon Salt or garlic salt

    Crispy Shells

    • 12 Corn Tortillas
    • Neutral Oil for deep fying

    Toppings: Lettuce, Tomato, and Sour Cream

      Instructions
       

      • Place oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook ground beef until no longer pink. I do not drain the grease.
      • Add diced potatoes and tomatillos to the beef. Season with salt and pepper. Place a lid on and simmer until potatoes become soft, stirring every few minutes. This takes at least 15 minutes. Once the potatoes are softened turn off the heat and all the picadillo to cool slightly.

      Tomato Sauce

      • Wash Roma tomatoes and cut slits on the top making an X. Place them into a small pot with water and bring to a boil for 4 minutes or until the skin starts to peel off.
      • Remove tomatoes from the water and allow them to cool. Peel off the skin and place tomatoes in a blender with salt or garlic salt. If you want the sauce spicy, add a jalapeno here. Blend until smooth and set aside.

      Crispy Tortillas

      • To fry the tortillas, place about an inch of oil in a heavy bottom pan. Heat until the oil reaches 350 degrees F. Using tongs, place the corn tortilla into the oil and fold it in half to create a taco shell. Once the tortilla has some color, flip it over and fry the other side. Place on a baking sheet or paper towel to drain.
      • Oven Method- Spray or brush corn tortillas on both sides with oil and place over 2 rungs in the oven, so they drape over them. Bake at 400 F degrees for 10 minutes or until crispy.

      Assembling the Tacos

      • Assemble the tacos in the crispy shells with the picadillo filling, sour cream, tomato sauce, and top with lettuce and tomato. You can also do a separate spicy salsa like chile de arbol.

      Video

      Notes

      Another option is to fill corn tortillas with the picadillo mixture and then fry them in oil.  Alternatively, if you need a quick fix, use store-bought crispy taco shells.
      Store any leftover picadillo mixture in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. 
      More Ground Beef Recipes:
      Crispy Taquitos
      Crunch Wrap Supreme
      Taco Pasta

      Nutrition

      Calories: 183kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 9gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 281mgPotassium: 287mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 152IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 33mgIron: 1mg

      Nutritional information is provided as an estimate only and depends on ingredients and amounts used. Thai Caliente makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

      Keyword Crispy Picadillo Tacos, Mexican Picadillo Tacos
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      Comments

      1. Brittany says

        May 15, 2017 at 9:15 pm

        Looks delicious and easy!

        Reply
        • Renee says

          May 16, 2017 at 4:57 pm

          Thanks Brittany! Hope you get to try them out 🙂

          Reply

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