Picadillo de Papa with Corn Tortillas and Achiote

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-10-14 · Updated 2026-10-14

Finely diced potatoes and ground beef cooked down with sweet peppers, achiote and cilantro, then spooned into warm corn tortillas. It's a homestyle Costa Rican picadillo that's ready in about half an hour. This Costa Rican-inspired quick recipe, ready in about 32 minutes, pairs lean ground beef, white onion, finely chopped, red bell pepper, finely chopped for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 480 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1/2 lb lean ground beef
• 1 white onion, finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp achiote paste
• 1 tbsp Salsa Lizano
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup water or chicken broth
• 12 small corn tortillas
• 1/2 cup queso fresco, crumbled
• to taste salt and black pepper

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Parboil the diced potatoes for 5 minutes until just tender, then drain.
2. Step 2: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for 4 minutes until soft. Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds.
3. Step 3: Add the ground beef and break it up finely. Cook until browned, about 5 minutes.
4. Step 4: Dissolve the achiote paste in the water or broth and add it to the skillet with the cumin and Salsa Lizano. Stir to coat.
5. Step 5: Fold in the potatoes. Cook, stirring and lightly mashing some of the potato, until the mixture is cohesive and the liquid is absorbed, 8-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in most of the cilantro.
6. Step 6: Warm the tortillas on a dry comal or skillet, about 30 seconds per side.
7. Step 7: Spoon picadillo onto the tortillas and top with queso fresco and the rest of the cilantro.