Classic picadillo—be it the Mexican version studded with potatoes, the Cuban variety speckled with sweet raisins, or the Filipino style bolstered with diced carrots—is a comfort food classic. While no two picadillos are alike and the components vary among regions, the common thread is ground beef cooked in a spicy tomato sauce. This recipe, which mixes and matches the flavors of various picadillos, swaps out the beef for a heap of black beans and tops it with shredded cheese, turning the meaty classic into a fully vegetarian meal.
Think of this as picadillo meets cheesy black bean bake—a one-pan, no-fuss dinner that will please both vegetarians and meat eaters alike. Black beans swim in a simple-yet-flavorful sauce with tender potatoes, sliced green olives, and plump golden raisins—components borrowed from both the Mexican and Cuban variations of picadillo. It’s fiery, stewy, and ripe for topping with shredded cheese and baking until bubbling.
Make sure to sauté your potatoes until they are just about cooked before adding any additional ingredients. The oven will help carry the potatoes to the finish line, but they need a head start to become perfectly tender. A final flourish of cilantro leaves brightens the whole thing up and it’s ready to eat. Dig in with chips or warm tortillas and dinner is done.