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Vegan picadillo with Spanish green olives and potatoes in a serving bowl.
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5 from 1 vote

Vegan Puerto Rican Picadillo

Bring big flavor to the table with Vegan Puerto Rican Picadillo—spiced vegan “ground beef” with potatoes, tomato sauce, and Spanish green olives.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Latin, Puerto Rican
Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 273kcal
Author: Aly Michell

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons sofrito 
  • ½ teaspoon sazon
  • ½ teaspoon adobo
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder optional, for color
  • 8 ounces tomato sauce
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoon oil
  • ½ cup green Spanish olives
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 bag Gardein Ground Be'f 13.7 ounces, cook from frozen
  • 1 russet potato chopped into small pieces
  • 1 ½ cups water

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, combine the sofrito, sazón, adobo, oregano, chili powder, tomato sauce, and tomato paste. Mix well and set aside.
  • Heat the oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the sofrito mixture and sauté for about 1 minute, until fragrant. Stir in the green olives and bay leaf, and let simmer for another minute.
  • Add the vegan ground beef, chopped potato, and water. Reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
  • Once the potatoes are cooked, remove the lid and turn off the heat. Let the mixture sit for 2–3 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken slightly.

Notes

  1. Because the vegan beef crumbles are drier and less fatty than actual ground beef, we’ll need to compensate by introducing more moisture. This is why tomato sauce and some water will be an important addition to this recipe. 
  2. If you prefer to use a different vegan ground beef brand, that’s fine. Be sure to find something that isn’t overly salty or flavored. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
  3. I HIGHLY suggest making your own sofrito because the pre-made stuff is not even close to being as good.
  4. Optional: I added a teaspoon of chili powder to add some color. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1-serving | Calories: 273kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1012mg | Potassium: 649mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 976IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 6mg