Filipino-style Picadillo Bowls is a classic comfort food in the Philippines, also known as Giniling — my version is chock-full of bright, colorful vegetables and made in under 30 minutes. It's perfect for busy weeknights, and the whole family will love it!
1/2cupwater or low sodium beef stockadd more if you prefer the stew soupier
1bay leaf
Dashes of hot sauce or srirachato taste, plus more for serving
1 1/2cupsbell pepperI use a combination of red, orange and green
1cupyellow squashabout 1 medium squash, diced
Brown ricefor serving
Chopped cilantrofor serving
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Instructions
In a deep sided saute pan or pot, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic, stirring periodically.
When the onions have softened and are translucent (about 3 minutes), stir in the tomatoes and cook for another 3-5 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft.
Increase the heat to medium-high and add the ground beef, using a wooden spoon to break it up into crumbles.
Season with soy sauce, fish sauce, and ground pepper.
When the ground beef is no longer pink, stir in the water, bay leaves, hot sauce, and bell peppers, and bring to a simmer. Lower heat, cover, and cook for about 5-7 minutes.
Stir in the yellow squash, and cook for about 3-5 minutes more, or until the squash is fork tender.
Serve picadillo over rice, garnish with cilantro and hot sauce, if desired, and enjoy!
Notes
A traditional picadillo, also called Guisado or Ginisang Giniling, usually has potatoes. I leave it out in this version to lighten it up a bit. Some variations also include peas, raisins, and olives. Feel free to play around with what you have available — part of the beauty of this hash is that you can vary it up, based on what you have in the fridge!To make this even lighter, I use 93% lean/7% fat ground beef, which makes it extra lean, but if you’re craving a little more flavor and wish to use 85% lean/15% fat ground beef, that works just as well and is just how my mom used to make it!