My Steak Picado recipe is made with small pieces of steak cooked with onions, peppers, tomatoes, garlic, cumin, oregano, and a little jalapeño. It is a simple Mexican-style beef dish you can serve with rice, beans, potatoes, or warm tortillas.
This is a great recipe to have in hand for days when you want something quick that requires a few ingredients. The steak cooks in a tomato and pepper mixture until tender, with just enough sauce to spoon over rice or tuck into tortillas.
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You may also know this dish as Bistec Picado or Carne Picada. The name refers to chopped or finely cut beef, and there are many home-style versions made with different cuts of steak, peppers, tomatoes, and spices. Some recipes are more like a quick stir-fry, while others are simmered longer in a tomato-based sauce, depending on the cut of the meat.
This version is made in a skillet or Dutch oven and has a light tomato-based sauce. It is not too spicy, but you can easily add more jalapeños, dried chilies, or chili flakes if you prefer more heat.
Why This Recipe Works?
- It is a quick and easy beef dinner you can make in one pan, without needing a slow cooker or a long cooking time.
- The recipe uses simple everyday ingredients, but still gives you a proper meal with plenty of flavor.
- It is flexible enough to serve in different ways, so you can make it work with rice, tortillas, beans, potatoes, or salad.
- It is a good recipe for using steak cuts like sirloin, skirt, or flank, especially when you want something different from plain pan-fried steak.
- The finished dish has enough sauce to spoon over rice, but it is not so watery that you cannot use it for tacos or wraps.
- Leftovers are great the next day for tacos, burritos, quesadillas, rice bowls, or loaded nachos.
Ingredients You'll Need
Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.
- Steak - Sirloin, skirt steak, or flank steak all work well. Cut the beef into small bite-sized strips across the grain when possible. Avoid cutting it too tiny, as it can dry out quickly.
- Peppers - Green bell peppers are very common in steak picado, but you can use red, yellow, or a mix of peppers.
- Tomatoes - Both fresh tomatoes and canned tomatoes are great options for creating the flavor base for this delicious steak dish.
- Jalapeño peppers - They add gentle heat. Use more or less depending on how spicy you want the dish.
- Onion - Red onion adds a little color, but white or yellow onion works just as well.
- Olive oil - I use a little mild olive oil for browning the steak and cooking the vegetables. If your steak has a little fat, you may not need the full amount.
- Garlic - Fresh garlic gives the best flavor. Chop it finely or grate it so it blends into the sauce.
Best Cut of Beef for Steak Picado
Sirloin is a good choice for a quick steak picado because it cooks fast and stays fairly tender. Skirt steak and flank steak also work well, especially if you cut them across the grain into small pieces.
Chuck steak or chuck roast can also be used, but it needs a longer cooking time to become tender. If using chuck, simmer it gently for much longer and add more liquid as needed.
For this recipe, I keep the cooking time shorter because it is written for steak cuts like sirloin, skirt, or flank. Cooking those cuts for too long can make them dry or chewy.
How to Make Steak Picado
Cut the steak into small, bite-sized strips. If using flank or skirt steak, slice across the grain so the pieces stay more tender.
Slice the onion and bell peppers. Finely chop the garlic and tomatoes if using fresh tomatoes.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, Dutch oven, or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the steak pieces in a single layer if possible. If your pan is small, brown the steak in two batches so it does not steam.
Cook until the steak is browned on the outside, then stir and continue cooking for another minute or two. Add the sliced onion and cook for a few minutes until it starts to soften.
Stir in the bell peppers and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. The peppers should soften slightly but still keep some texture. Add the garlic, chopped tomatoes, salt, dried chilies, chopped jalapeños, black pepper, cumin, and dried oregano.
Stir everything together and let the tomatoes cook down for a few minutes. Add the water if you want more sauce, or if the mixture looks too dry. Lower the heat, cover the pan, and simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the steak is tender and the sauce has come together.
Remove the pan from the heat and sprinkle with chopped cilantro or parsley. Serve the steak picado hot with rice, refried beans, potato wedges, or warm tortillas.
How to Keep the Steak Tender
Cut the steak into strips, but do not cut them too small. Medium bite-sized pieces work best because they cook quickly but still hold their shape.
If using skirt or flank steak, cut across the grain. This shortens the muscle fibers and makes the beef easier to chew.
Brown the steak over medium-high heat, but do not crowd the pan. If too much meat goes into the pan at once, it releases liquid and steams instead of browning.
Once the tomatoes go in, keep the heat low and simmer gently. A hard boil can make steak pieces tough.
Recipe Tips From the Chef
- Use sirloin, skirt steak, or flank steak for a quicker version of steak picado.
- Cut the steak into small bite-sized strips so it cooks evenly and works well in tacos or over rice.
- Brown the steak before adding the vegetables for better flavor.
- Do not overcrowd the pan when browning the beef, as the steak will steam instead of sear.
- Add the water only if you want a saucier steak picado or if the tomatoes cook down too much.
What to Serve with Steak Picado?
Steak Picado is great with rice, refried beans, tortillas, potatoes, or salad. It has enough sauce to spoon over a bowl of rice, but it also works really well tucked into warm flour tortillas.
Serve it with Turmeric Rice, Turkish Rice, or plain white rice. For a Mexican-style plate, add refried beans, avocado, lime wedges, and warm Homemade Wheat Tortillas.
You can also use steak picado for tacos, burritos, quesadillas, or loaded nachos. If you have leftovers, this is one of the easiest ways to use them the next day.
For a fresh side, serve it with Mango Pico de Gallo - Fresh Mango Salsa, a simple tomato salsa, shredded lettuce, or a green salad.
Storage and Reheating
Let leftovers cool completely, then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
Reheat steak picado in a skillet over medium-low heat until hot. Add a small splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.
You can also reheat it in the microwave in short intervals, stirring between each one.
Freeze leftovers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Can You Make Steak Picado Ahead of Time?
Yes, you can make steak picado ahead of time. The sauce often tastes even better after it has had time to sit.
For the best texture, reheat it gently and avoid boiling it for too long. Add a splash of water if needed to loosen the sauce.
You can also slice the steak and vegetables ahead of time and keep them covered in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook.
Variations
You can use poblano peppers instead of some of the bell peppers for a slightly deeper flavor.
For a spicier steak picado, add extra jalapeños, serrano pepper, dried chilies, or a little chipotle in adobo.
For a saucier version, add a little more water or beef broth and simmer gently until the sauce thickens.
For steak picado with potatoes, add small diced cooked potatoes near the end and let them warm through in the sauce.
Recipe FAQs
They are very similar. Steak Picado usually refers to chopped steak cooked with vegetables and sauce, while Carne Picada means chopped beef and can also refer to the cut of meat used for similar dishes.
Yes, steak picado is great for tacos. Spoon it into warm tortillas and add cilantro, avocado, salsa, lime juice, or shredded cheese.
Absolutely! If you enjoy spicy food, you can increase the number of dried chilies or add some additional jalapeno peppers to amp up the heat.
Adjust the spiciness according to your personal preference.
Related Recipes
For more delicious Mexican-inspired recipes why not try:
Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.
I hope you enjoy the process of making this delicious Mexican-Inspired Steak Picado as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂
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Steak Picado
Ingredients
- 1 lb sirloin, skirt, or flank steak (500 grams)
- 2 tablespoon good quality olive oil
- 1 red onion (sliced)
- ½ lb bell peppers (sliced) (250 grams)
- 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
- 14 oz chopped tomatoes (use fresh or tinned) (400 grams)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 dried chilies
- 1 tablespoon jalapeños (chopped)
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ cup water (optional)
- chopped parsley or cilantro (to garnish)
Instructions
- Cut the steak into small bite-sized pieces. If using skirt or flank steak, cut across the grain.
- Slice the onion and bell peppers, finely chop the garlic, and chop the tomatoes if using fresh tomatoes.
- Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven, large skillet, or frying pan over medium-high heat.
- Add the steak pieces and cook until browned on the outside. Work in batches if needed so the pan is not overcrowded.
- Add the sliced onion and cook for a few minutes until softened.
- Stir in the bell peppers and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the garlic, chopped tomatoes, salt, dried chilies, jalapeños, black pepper, cumin, and dried oregano.
- Stir everything together and let the tomatoes cook down for a few minutes.
- Add the water if you want a saucier steak picado or if the mixture looks too dry.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the steak is tender and the sauce has come together.
- Remove from the heat and garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley. Serve hot with rice, refried beans, potato wedges, or warm tortillas.
Notes
- Sirloin, skirt steak, and flank steak work well for a quick skillet Steak Picado.
- Cut the steak into small, bite-sized strips so it cooks evenly.
- If using skirt or flank steak, cut across the grain for a better texture.
- Brown the steak before adding the vegetables for better flavor.
- Do not overcrowd the pan when browning the steak, as it will steam instead of sear.
- Add the water only if you want more sauce or if the tomatoes cook down too much.
- Simmer gently after adding the tomatoes and spices. Do not boil hard, as this can make the steak tough.
- For a spicier version, add extra jalapeños, serrano pepper, dried chilies, or chipotle in adobo.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
- Freeze leftovers for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Lucy says
It was so delicious and easy to put together in no time. I will definitely be making it again soon.