Family Pack Beef Picadillo Burritos

Name: Family Pack Beef Picadillo Burritos
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 lb (900 g) ground beef (80/20); 1 (150 g) yellow onion, medium, finely diced; 4 (20 g) garlic cloves, minced; 1½ tsp (3 g) ground cumin; 1 tsp (1 g) dried oregano; ¼ tsp (½ g) ground cinnamon; ½ cup (85 g) raisins; ¾ cup (120 g) pitted green olives, roughly chopped; 1 can (8 oz) (227 ml) tomato sauce; to taste kosher salt; to taste black pepper; 8 flour tortillas (10-inch/25 cm), warm; 1 cup (240 ml) sour cream (optional); ½ cup (15 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped (optional); 1 (100 g) lime, cut into wedges (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Hearty flour tortilla burritos filled with spiced ground beef picadillo—a Spanish-influenced mixture of seasoned meat, sweet raisins, briny olives, and warm spices. This family-sized batch yields 8 generous burritos, each stuffed with tender, flavorful filling and topped with sour cream and cilantro. Perfect for weeknight dinners, meal prep, or feeding a crowd.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 25 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 45 min
Makes: 8 burritos

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Steps

Before you start

Warm the tortillas by wrapping in a damp kitchen towel and heating in a 325°F (163°C) oven for 5 minutes, or over a gas flame for a few seconds each.
Dice the onion and mince the garlic while the beef cooks.
Have all spices measured and ready before you start cooking.

1
Brown the beef
- Heat the large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the 2 lb (900 g) ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, for 6–8 minutes until no pink remains and the meat reaches an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) when checked with a meat thermometer.
- The beef should be crumbly and browned throughout.
- Pour off excess fat if there's more than 2 tablespoons remaining in the pan.
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Ready when: No pink visible in the meat; internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C)
Tip: Don't press down hard on the beef—let it cook undisturbed for the first few minutes so it browns rather than steams.
2
Add aromatics and spices
- Reduce heat to medium.
- Stir in the diced onion and cook for 2 minutes until softened slightly.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Sprinkle in the cumin (1.5 tsp), oregano (1 tsp), and cinnamon (¼ tsp).
- Stir constantly for 30 seconds so the spices bloom and coat the meat evenly.
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Ready when: Spices release a warm, toasted aroma; onion is translucent
Tip: Toast the spices for just a few seconds to release their flavor oils, but don't let them burn or they'll taste bitter.
3
Add tomato sauce and olives
- Pour in the 8 oz (227 ml) tomato sauce and stir to combine.
- Add the ¾ cup (120 g) chopped green olives and ½ cup (85 g) raisins.
- Season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and a pinch of black pepper.
- Stir well to distribute evenly.
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Ready when: Sauce coats the meat and raisins begin to plump slightly
Tip: Chop the olives roughly so they remain visible in each burrito—large pieces add texture and visual appeal.
4
Simmer the picadillo
- Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- The mixture should bubble gently and reduce slightly as excess moisture evaporates.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
- The filling should be moist but not saucy—most liquid should have reduced by about half.
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Ready when: Filling is thick and clumpy, not soupy; raisins are plump
Tip: If the mixture looks too wet after 8 minutes, simmer uncovered for 2–3 minutes longer. Too much sauce will make the tortillas soggy.
5
Cool the filling slightly
- Remove the skillet from heat and let the picadillo cool for 5 minutes.
- This prevents the filling from being too hot to handle and helps the tortillas stay pliable when you fill them.
- Give it a final stir.
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Ready when: Steam no longer rises from the pan; filling is warm but not piping hot
Tip: Filling that's too hot will cook the tortilla unevenly and cause them to tear when rolling.
6
Warm the tortillasOven 325°F / 165°C
- If you haven't already, warm the 8 flour tortillas.
- Wrap them in a damp kitchen towel and warm in a 325°F (163°C) oven for 5 minutes, or hold each tortilla over a gas flame for 1–2 seconds per side until pliable.
- Warm tortillas are less likely to crack and easier to roll.
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Ready when: Tortillas are warm and slightly softened
Tip: Don't overheat or the tortillas will dry out and become brittle. Just warm them enough to make them pliable.
7
Assemble the burritos
- Place a warm tortilla on a clean work surface.
- Add about ⅜ cup (90 ml) of the picadillo filling slightly off-center toward the nearest edge, leaving about 2 inches (5 cm) clear at the top and bottom and 1 inch (2.5 cm) on the sides.
- Fold the bottom edge up and over the filling, then fold in both sides, and finally roll tightly away from you to create a sealed burrito.
- Transfer to a serving plate seam-side down.
- Repeat with the remaining 7 tortillas and filling.
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Ready when: Burritos are tightly rolled with the seam secured on the underside
Tip: Don't overfill—too much filling makes the tortilla tear and leak. The filling should fit snugly but leave room for folding.
8
Serve with toppings
- Arrange the warm burritos on a serving platter.
- Dollop each with a spoonful of sour cream, scatter with fresh cilantro, and serve with lime wedges on the side.
- Guests can squeeze lime over their burrito and add more sour cream to taste.
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Tip: Serve immediately while the burritos are still warm and the tortillas are pliable. Cooled burritos can be reheated wrapped in foil in a 350°F (176°C) oven for 8–10 minutes.

Good to know

Tips

Toast your spices in the hot pan for just a few seconds after adding them to bloom their flavors and deepen the picadillo's complexity.
Don't skip the cooling step—filling that's too hot will wilt the tortillas and make them impossible to roll cleanly.
For a spicier version, add ½ teaspoon of chipotle powder or a diced jalapeño to the onion and garlic mixture.
Serve lime wedges alongside so guests can squeeze fresh citrus over their burritos, which brightens the rich, savory filling beautifully.

Make ahead

The picadillo filling can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat gently in a skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through (about 5 minutes). Assemble the burritos just before serving for the best texture and warmth.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: Wrapped burritos will keep for up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: Store assembled burritos in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat wrapped in foil at 350°F (176°C) for 8–10 minutes until warmed through. Freezer: The picadillo filling freezes well for up to 2 months in an airtight container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat before assembling. Do not freeze assembled burritos, as the tortillas become tough upon thawing.

Substitutions

pitted green olives → Kalamata olives or a mix of pitted green and black olives. Use the same weight. Kalamata olives are darker and slightly more peppery, adding a different but equally delicious flavor.
raisins → Dried currants or diced dried apricots. Use the same weight. Currants are smaller and tangier; apricots add a brighter sweetness. Both complement the savory spices beautifully.
ground beef (80/20) → Ground pork or a 50/50 blend of ground beef and ground pork. Use the same weight. Pork creates a lighter, slightly sweeter picadillo. The cooking time and method remain the same.
tomato sauce → 1 can (14.5 oz / 411 g) diced tomatoes, drained and roughly chopped. Diced tomatoes add texture and a slightly chunkier consistency. You may need to simmer an extra 2–3 minutes to reduce excess liquid.