Name: Black Bean Picadillo Skillet
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 1 hour
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil; 1 small green bell pepper, halved, seeds and ribs removed, finely chopped; 1 small onion, finely chopped; 8 oz. russet potatoes (1 very large or 2 small), peeled, cut into ½" pieces; 6 garlic cloves, finely grated; ⅓ cup tomato paste, preferably double-concentrated; 1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour; 1 Tbsp. ground coriander; 1 Tbsp. ground cumin; 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt; 2 15.5-oz. cans black beans, rinsed and drained; 1 cup finely chopped cilantro, plus leaves for serving; ½ cup sliced pitted green olives; ½ cup golden raisins; 1 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. Tabasco; 8 oz. Monterey Jack, coarsely grated (1–1½ cups), divided; Tortilla chips or warm tortillas (for serving)

Black beans golden raisins green olives potatoes and tomatoes covered in Monterey Jack cheese and topped with cilantro...

Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Stevie Stewart

Classic picadillo—be it the Mexican version studded with potatoes, the Cuban variety speckled with sweet raisins, or the Filipino style bolstered with diced carrots—is a comfort food classic. While no two picadillos are alike and the components vary among regions, the common thread is ground beef cooked in a spicy tomato sauce. This recipe, which mixes and matches the flavors of various picadillos, swaps out the beef for a heap of black beans and tops it with shredded cheese, turning the meaty classic into a fully vegetarian meal.

Think of this as picadillo meets cheesy black bean bake—a one-pan, no-fuss dinner that will please both vegetarians and meat eaters alike. Black beans swim in a simple-yet-flavorful sauce with tender potatoes, sliced green olives, and plump golden raisins—components borrowed from both the Mexican and Cuban variations of picadillo. It’s fiery, stewy, and ripe for topping with shredded cheese and baking until bubbling.

Make sure to sauté your potatoes until they are just about cooked before adding any additional ingredients. The oven will help carry the potatoes to the finish line, but they need a head start to become perfectly tender. A final flourish of cilantro leaves brightens the whole thing up and it’s ready to eat. Dig in with chips or warm tortillas and dinner is done.