This Summer Beef stew with ground beef and fresh veggies is called Picadinho here in Brazil. But since every day feels like Summer here, I like to think of it as Summer Beef Stew! It's a quick cooking stovetop stew you can enjoy it any night of the week!
Picadinho is a traditional Brazilian beef stew that is served with rice. It can be made with ground beef or beef cubes. It's served year round and because it's always like Summer for this girl from New Jersey, I decided to call it Summer Beef Stew.
For this recipe, I went with quick cooking ground beef. It's also loaded with fresh summer veggies, including tomatoes, carrots, and green peppers. It takes only 10 minutes to prep the veggies and about 20-30 minutes to cook the meal.
The flavor of this stew is smokey and savory, almost like a bean-less Brazilian chili. But it also has a tang and depth of flavor from the olives and cilantro. The texture is thick, chucky, and hearty. But I love it most because it uses fresh vegetables and you can add just about any other veggies you love.
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Brazilian Origins of this recipe
In Brazil, the meaning behind Picadinho starts with the Portuguese verb, picar, which means to chop. The word picado means chopped. Picadinho (pronounced peek-a-jeen-yoo) is the name for this traditional dish with chopped beef. Be sure to check out my Cubed Beef Stew Picadinho! I have not been able to locate the origins of this dish, only that you can find it throughout Brazil. Here in Sao Paulo, you will see it on any menu for Brazilian food restaurants. Often, it's served with a fried egg on top! Yum!
Simple Ingredients and Substitutes
Here are the simple ingredients for this recipe.
Ground Beef and Vegetables
- Ground Beef - I used 90% Lean ground beef, but you can use any ground beef. You can also use ground chicken, ground turkey, or ground pork.
- Olive Oil - This is just to help the beef get going in the hot pan without sticking. You can substitute in vegetable oil, canola oil, coconut oil, or other neutral oil.
- Green bell pepper - Green pepper is a common ingredient in Brazilian stews, but you can substitute any bell peppers, such as red bell pepper. Or hot peppers, such as jalapeno or red chilis.
- Yellow onion - I used yellow onion, but you can use white onion, red onion, shallots, or even scallions.
- Fresh Carrot - I used pre-shredded carrots from the store for this recipe. You can dice or shred your own carrots. You could use frozen carrots if you have them too. Simply add them straight from the freezer, do not thaw first.
- Fresh Tomatoes - Any fresh tomatoes will work here...plum, beefsteak, or vine. If you only have canned then diced Tomatoes, drained or whole peeled tomatoes crushed into pieces will work just fine!
- Garlic cloves - You can also buy pre-minced garlic to save time or mince it in bulk and freeze it for use when you need it! You can also substitute in dried garlic flakes or garlic powder.
Other Ingredients for the Stew
- Paprika (I used smoked) – You can use sweet or smoked paprika. A substitute for paprika is chili powder.
- Ground Cumin – Cumin gives a bit more smoky flavor. You can substitute ground coriander or just a bit more smoked paprika or even chili powder.
- All purpose white flour – Flour is for mixing into the veggies and the ground beef to help thicken the sauce. You can substitute with cornstarch.
- Beef Broth or stock – You can also use, vegetable broth or stock or chicken broth or stock. You can also use water mixed with a beef or chicken bouillon cube or beef base or chicken base.
- Olives - I used pitted green olives in this recipe. You can use green olives stuffed with pimento as well.
- Fresh Cilantro leaves - If you don't have fresh, you can use dried cilantro or fresh parsley. You could also substitute fresh basil.
See recipe card for quantities.
Simple Equipment You'll Need with Options
Making beef stew is not complicated, but the time that the old fashioned beef stew takes to cook can be a deterrent.
This version is a stove top beef stew that cooks faster in a large dutch oven. You can use any wide bottom pot.
Oh, and mincing garlic is made super easy with a Garlic Press.
Tips for this Summer Beef Stew Recipe
Tip #1 - Never run out of onion! I always keep diced onion in my freezer ready to add to stews and other recipes.
Tip #2 - Make extra and freeze for later! This recipe freezes, thaws, and reheats so wonderfully.
Tip #3 - Put an egg on it! Yes, as mentioned earlier, Picadinho is often served with a runny fried egg on top. It adds a whole other layer of flavor and creaminess.
How to Make this Summer Beef Stew Recipe
Deseed and dice the green pepper. Peel and dice the onion. Peel and shred or dice the carrot. Dice the tomatoes. Mince the garlic. Chop the olives. Chop the Cilantro.
Preheat a dutch oven or large skillet or frying pan over medium high heat. Add the olive oil and the ground beef. Break the beef up with a spatula and then let it cook to brown and render some of the fat. Cook for 5-8 minutes until all pink is gone. Transfer it to a plate or bowl and leave the fat in the pan.
To the same pan used for the beef, add the green pepper, onion, carrots, garlic, and tomatoes. Also add in the paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and let cook for 5-8 minutes until glistening and starting to soften.
Add the beef back in and sprinkle the flour all over the top. Stir to mix the flour into the beef and veggies.
Then stir in the beef broth and bring to a simmer.
Reduce heat to low heat, cover, and cook for 5-15 minutes (the longer you cook it the more all of the flavors melt together).
Finish with the chopped olives and cilantro. Serve over Brazilian Rice (or any cooked rice).
Picadinho Summer Beef Stew FAQs
Other summer veggies that would be great in this stew are peas, zucchini, green beans, baby spinach leaves, or corn kernels. This is a quick cooking recipe, so all of the veggies, except the spinach, can be added at the same time as the carrots, onions, and tomatoes. Fresh spinach leaves can be be added with the olives.
If your beef stew did not thicken enough after the broth simmers, the simplest way to thicken it is to use a cornstarch slurry. Mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch into ¼ cup cold water. Then add it to the stew and mix in. Bring back to a simmer for it to thicken.
Yes, you can make this Brazilian Beef Stew in a slow cooker. I recommend searing the ground beef on the stove and then adding it to the slow cooker. Then add all of the vegetables to the slow cooker with the seasonings. Mix in the flour to coat everything, mix in the broth and set the slow cooker on high for 6, 8 or 10 hours, depending on your schedule. Add the olives and the cilantro near the end of the time.
You can absolutely make this Brazilian Beef stew ahead! This dish reheats beautifully and is a great meal prep option! To reheat, place it in a microwave safe bowl and warm it for 1-2 minutes. Or you can place it back in a pot covered on the stove and warm it on medium heat. It will take about 10-15 minutes.
You can freeze this beef stew for up to 6 months in an airtight container or freezer bag. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then warm on the stove. Or place the frozen stew in the oven at 400 F degrees for 30-40 minutes until warm.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Summer Beef Stew:
Brazilian Beef Stew with Ground Beef!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 pound Ground Beef
- ½ cup Green pepper, diced
- ½ cup Yellow onion, diced
- ½ cup Carrots, shredded or finely diced
- 4 Fresh Tomatoes, diced
- 3 cloves garlic (about 3 teaspoons)
- 1 teaspoon Smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons All purpose Flour
- 2 cups Beef Broth or Stock (or Chicken Broth/stock)
- ½ cup Olives, pitted and chopped (I used green olives)
- 2 tablespoons Fresh Cilantro, chopped (or 1 tablespoons dry)
Instructions
- PREP. Deseed and dice the green pepper. Peel and dice the onion. Peel and shred or dice the carrot. Dice the tomatoes. Mince the garlic. Chop the olives. Chop the Cilantro.
- COOK BEEF. Preheat a large skillet or frying pan or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the olive oil and the ground beef. Break the beef up with a spatula and then let it cook to brown and render some of the fat. Cook for 5-8 minutes until all pink is gone. Transfer it to a plate or bowl and leave the fat in the pan.
- COOK VEGGIES. To the same pan used for the beef, add the green pepper, onion, carrots, garlic, and tomatoes. Also add in the paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and let cook for 5-8 minutes until glistening and starting to soften.
- MAKE SAUCE. Add the beef back in and sprinkle the flour all over the top. Stir to mix the flour into the beef and veggies. Then stir in the beef broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low heat, cover, and cook for 5-15 minutes (the longer you cook it the more all of the flavors melt together).
- FINISH. Finish with the chopped olives and cilantro. Serve over Brazilian Rice (or any cooked rice).
Notes
- Stew too thin?? If your beef stew did not thicken enough after the broth simmers, the simplest way to thicken it is to use a cornstarch slurry. Mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch into ¼ cup cold water. Then add it to the stew and mix in. Bring back to a simmer for it to thicken.
- Slow Cooker: To make this in a slow cooker, I recommend searing the ground beef on the stove and then adding it to the slow cooker. Then add all of the vegetables to the slow cooker with the seasonings. Mix in the flour to coat everything, mix in the broth and set the slow cooker on high for 6, 8 or 10 hours, depending on your schedule. Add the olives and the cilantro near the end of the time.
- Reheating: To reheat, place it in a microwave safe bowl and warm it for 1-2 minutes. Or you can place it back in a pot covered on the stove and warm it on medium heat. It will take about 10-15 minutes.
- Freezing: You can freeze this beef stew for up to 6 months in an airtight container or freezer bag. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then warm on the stove. Or place the frozen stew in the oven at 400 F degrees for 30-40 minutes until warm.
Chef Mimi
This sounds really good. Are you enjoying your new life?
Carrie Tyler
Thanks, Mimi! Yes, there is so much to explore and enjoy here!!
Lore Dowell
Your recipe sounds really good. I definitely want to make it. I'm a Californian now but grew up in the Chicagoland area and then moved to Florida for 6 years before moving to Southern California. I love California's farm to table fresh cuisine, and ethnic foods.
Carrie Tyler
Hi Lore,
Thank you so much! Yes, California has so many fresh and delicious farm to table options. I grew up in Barrington, IL outside of Chicago!
Happy Cooking!
Carrie