When I think of childhood homemade meals, Picadillo Con Papas comes to mind. My mom used to cook ground beef often and serve it in tacos, sopés, and burritos. I recently came across Gardein's Beefless Ground at my local food mart, so I took a shot at making a Mexican dish with it using the same seasonings and ingredients my mom would use. I couldn't believe how close the flavor came to mom's cooking. The taste and texture came so close, I almost felt guilty eating it. I cooked the beefless ground again on a different night with spaghetti noodles and tomato pasta; another big hit. The flavor of the vegan beef is neutral, so it allows flexibility to play with different seasonings and ingredients. My favorite seasoning is a small yellow can of Mexican tomato sauce called El Pato Tomato Sauce; it's mild and not too spicy. Now that I have found the perfect vegan ground beef, I’m eager to get back into the kitchen to create more homemade Mexican dishes.
YIELDS
4-6 servings
PREP TIME
COOK TIME
TOTAL TIME
- 1/2 package Gardein Beefless Ground
- 1/4 white onion, chopped
- 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 7oz El Pato tomato sauce
- 1/2 Tbs. olive oil
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. black ground pepper
- 2 medium sized potatoes, cubed into 1/2" pieces
- 1/4 cup water
Directions
1. Drizzle olive oil in skillet at medium-low heat.
2. Add onions and potatoes, and sauté for a few minutes until onions begin to get translucent.
3. Add bell peppers, garlic, tomato sauce, water, pepper, salt, and vegan beef.
4. Cover and let it simmer for 8-10 minutes or until potatoes are softened.
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Photo: Cristina Nidome
