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Four Cuban picadillo stuffed peppers in an air fryer basket, filled with ground beef, green olives, and raisins

Air Fryer Picadillo Stuffed Peppers (Cuban Style)

5 from 3 votes
Author: Laurie Fleming
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4 Servings

Description

Cuban picadillo stuffed peppers made in the air fryer — ground beef simmered with green olives, raisins, capers, and cumin, then stuffed into bell peppers and air fried until tender and lightly charred. No rice in the filling, which keeps it naturally low-carb and tasting like real picadillo.

Ingredients 

For the peppers:

  • 4 large bell peppers, any color
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, for brushing

For the picadillo:

  • 1 pound ground beef, 85/15
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
  • 1/2 green bell pepper, finely diced (or the diced tops from your peppers)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 8 ounces tomato sauce
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine, or beef stock
  • 1/3 cup green olives, pimiento-stuffed , sliced
  • 1/3 cup raisins
  • 2 tablespoons capers, drained (optional)
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

For serving (optional):

  • 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco, or shredded Monterey Jack
  • Fresh cilantro, chopped
  • Cooked white rice

Instructions

  • Slice the tops off the bell peppers and remove the seeds and membranes. Dice any usable flesh from the tops and set aside. If a pepper won't stand up, shave a thin sliver off the bottom without cutting through.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart, until well browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain the excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan.
  • Add the olive oil, onion, diced green pepper, and garlic. Cook until softened and translucent, 4 to 5 minutes.
  • Add the cumin, oregano, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Stir for 30 seconds to bloom the spices.
  • Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute, until it darkens slightly.
  • Add the tomato sauce, wine or stock, bay leaves, olives, raisins, and capers. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, until thick enough to mound on a spoon with no liquid pooling. Remove the bay leaves. Taste and adjust salt.
  • Preheat the air fryer to 360°F for 3 to 5 minutes.
  • Pack the picadillo into each pepper, mounding slightly. Brush the outside of each pepper with olive oil.
  • Stand the peppers upright in the air fryer basket with space between them. Air fry at 360°F for 15 to 18 minutes, until tender and lightly charred. Work in batches if they don't fit in a single layer.
  • If using cheese, add it during the last 3 minutes of cooking.
  • Let rest 5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve over white rice if desired.

Equipment

  • Air Fryer
  • Large skillet
  • Digital instant-read thermometer

Notes

  • The filling must be thick before stuffing. Watery picadillo steams the pepper and you'll lose the tender-crisp texture.
  • Internal temperature of the filling should reach 165°F.
  • For a softer pepper, air fry the empty cleaned peppers for 5 minutes before stuffing.
  • Picadillo can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated.

Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 415kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 31gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 81mgSodium: 1404mgPotassium: 1231mgFiber: 7gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 5757IUVitamin C: 232mgCalcium: 164mgIron: 6mg