Keto Cuban Picadillo Breakfast Hash: A Low-Carb Spin on a Cuban Dish

If you love Cuban dishes and want to start your day with something filling and flavorful, this Keto Cuban Picadillo Breakfast Hash is perfect.

It combines the bold taste of the traditional Cuban picadillo recipe authentic with ingredients that fit a keto lifestyle.

This recipe uses ground beef and spices familiar in Cuban cuisine, but swaps out starchy potatoes for low-carb vegetables, making it a great breakfast or brunch option.

In this article, you’ll learn how to make this easy dish step-by-step, plus tips on how it connects to other popular recipes like cuban empanadas recipe ground beef and dominican ground beef recipes.

Whether you want to explore Cuban ground beef recipes or find keto versions of classic meals, this recipe is a great start.

What Is Picadillo? 

Picadillo is a dish made with ground meat, tomatoes, peppers, and spices. It’s a staple in many Latin American countries with regional differences. In Cuba, picadillo usually includes ground beef cooked with onions, garlic, olives, and sometimes raisins or capers to add a little sweet and salty contrast.

This version of picadillo, the cuban picadillo recipe authentic, often serves as a filling for beef empanadas recipe Puerto Rican style or paired with rice and beans in cuban ground beef recipes.

It’s a comfort food with deep roots in Cuban cuisine but also appears in other places like Mexico and Puerto Rico with their own twists — for example, the picadillo recipe puerto rican or the picadillo recipe Mexican authentic.

Why Make This Recipe Keto-Friendly?

Traditional picadillo dishes often serve with rice or potatoes, which are high in carbs. To follow a keto diet, you want to keep carbs low and focus on fats and protein. This breakfast hash swaps out carb-heavy sides for a mix of low-carb veggies, making it a perfect dish for mornings or anytime you want a hearty meal without the carbs.

It’s also a way to enjoy the taste of Spanish picadillo recipe or crock pot picadillo without breaking your diet.

Ingredients for Picadillo Breakfast Hash

This recipe uses simple ingredients, many of which you might already have:

• Ground beef (or substitute with ground turkey for a leaner version, like in picadillo recipe cuban ground turkey)
• Bell peppers (red, green, or yellow)
• Onion
• Garlic
• Tomatoes (fresh or canned diced)
• Green olives (for that salty Cuban touch)
• Spices: cumin, oregano, smoked paprika
• Salt and pepper
• Low-carb vegetables such as cauliflower rice or zucchini (to replace traditional rice or potatoes)
• Olive oil or avocado oil for cooking

Step-by-Step Guide to Making Keto Cuban Picadillo Breakfast Hash

Step 1: Prepare the Vegetables

Chop your bell peppers, onions, and garlic. If you’re using fresh tomatoes, dice those as well. If you prefer canned diced tomatoes, drain some of the liquid to keep the dish from getting too wet.

Step 2: Brown the Ground Beef

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned. Use a spatula to break up the meat as it cooks. If you want a leaner dish, try swapping with ground turkey, which fits well in a picadillo recipe cuban ground turkey style.

Step 3: Add Aromatics and Spices

Once the beef is browned, add onions, garlic, and bell peppers. Cook until the veggies are soft, about 5 minutes. Then stir in your spices: cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. This spice mix brings out the flavor that makes this dish part of Cuban ground beef recipes.

Step 4: Add Tomatoes and Olives

Stir in diced tomatoes and chopped green olives. Let it simmer for 10 minutes so the flavors meld. The olives add a briny punch that’s classic in Cuban picadillo recipe authentic.

Step 5: Mix in the Low-Carb Veggies

Add cauliflower rice or diced zucchini. Stir well and cook for another 5-7 minutes. These veggies soak up the savory juices, creating the perfect hash texture without the carbs.

What Makes This Recipe Stand Out?

Unlike other ground beef dishes, this recipe doesn’t rely on starchy sides. It’s filling, flavorful, and versatile. You could even use it as a filling for low-carb cuban empanadas recipe ground beef if you want to switch up your meals.

It also shares similarities with other Latin recipes like dominican ground beef recipes and beef empanadas recipe Puerto Rican, showing how versatile ground beef dishes are across cultures.

How to Serve Keto Cuban Picadillo Breakfast Hash

Serve this dish with a fried egg on top for extra protein and fat—perfect for keto. You can add sliced avocado or a dollop of sour cream if you want more creaminess.

This hash is also great alongside sautéed kale or spinach for extra greens.

Variations to Try

• Use ground turkey instead of beef to keep it lighter, inspired by the picadillo recipe cuban ground turkey.
• Add black beans if you’re not strict keto. You’ll get a taste close to black bean picadillo but with slightly more carbs.
• Make a slow cooker version, like a crock pot picadillo, by cooking all ingredients low and slow for several hours.

More Recipes Like This

If you enjoy this hash, try exploring these recipes:

• Cuban empanadas recipe ground beef — Use the picadillo as filling for delicious empanadas.
• Dominican ground beef recipes — Similar spices but often served differently.
• Picadillo recipe Puerto Rican — A sweeter take on picadillo with raisins and sometimes cinnamon.
• Picadillo recipe Mexican authentic — Includes potatoes and sometimes peas.
• Spanish picadillo recipe — Often includes hard-boiled eggs mixed in.

This compared to Other Latin American Foods

This dish fits into the larger family of Latin American cooking, from Colombian food to Cuban and Puerto Rican styles. Each country uses ground beef in its own way, making dishes like picadillo a great way to explore Latin culture through food.

For example, ground beef dishes are very popular in Colombia, often paired with rice and plantains. Meanwhile, the Cuban and Puerto Rican versions highlight olives and peppers.

Tips for Perfect Keto Cuban Picadillo Breakfast Hash

• Use fresh spices for the best flavor.
• Don’t overcook the low-carb vegetables; keep them tender but not mushy.
• Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
• Experiment with different peppers for a mild or spicy dish.
• If you want a little sweetness, a tiny pinch of cinnamon or a few raisins works, just sparingly for keto.

Why This Recipe Works for Breakfast and Beyond

Most people think of picadillo as a lunch or dinner dish, but making it into a hash brings breakfast into the picture. It’s hearty and satisfying. Plus, it can be prepped ahead and reheated, saving time on busy mornings.

How Keto Cuban Picadillo Breakfast Hash Fits Into Cuban Cuisine

Cuban cuisine values strong flavors and simple, wholesome ingredients. This hash reflects that spirit, updated for modern diets. It respects traditional cuban picadillo recipe authentic while making it accessible for those cutting carbs.

Conclusion

This Keto Cuban Picadillo Breakfast Hash is a tasty, nutritious way to enjoy classic flavors from Cuban dishes with a keto twist. It uses ingredients found in many cuban ground beef recipes but adapts for a low-carb lifestyle. Whether you’re into crock pot picadillo versions, black bean picadillo, or want to explore other ground beef dishes from the Caribbean and Latin America, this recipe offers a solid base.

Try it out, and enjoy the mix of spices, olives, and veggies that make Cuban food so beloved.

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