Brazilian Beef Picadillo with Squash, Toasted Coconut Rice and Lime Vinaigrette

Name: Brazilian Beef Picadillo with Squash, Toasted Coconut Rice and Lime Vinaigrette
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Brasileña
Ingredients: 1.1 lb ground beef; 2 cups squash, small diced; 1 cup long-grain white rice; 2 cups water; 3/4 cup coconut milk; 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut; 1 1/4 cups yellow onion, chopped; 1 cup tomato, small diced; 1 tbsp garlic, minced; 1 cup red bell pepper, diced; 1/3 cup green olives, sliced; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 3 tbsp olive oil; 1 tbsp butter; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp sweet paprika; 1/2 tsp dried oregano; 1 bay leaf; 2 lime, juice and zest; 1/3 cup chopped cilantro; 1 1/4 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper

An original Brazilian home-style inspired dish: sautéed beef with mild spices, tender squash, and olives, served over toasted coconut rice and finished with a fresh tomato, onion, and lime vinaigrette.

25 minPrep

35 minCook

60 minTotal

4Servings

Gluten-FreeHigh Protein

Ingredients

Adjust servings

500 g ground beef (preferiblemente with 10-15% of grasa)
300 g squash, small diced (tipo kabocha or butternut)
200 g long-grain white rice (enjuagado)
480 ml water (for the arroz)
200 ml coconut milk (without sugar)
25 g unsweetened shredded coconut (for tostar)
180 g yellow onion, chopped (divided)
200 g tomato, small diced (divided)
15 g garlic, minced (divided)
120 g red bell pepper, diced
50 g green olives, sliced
30 g tomato paste
45 ml olive oil (divided)
15 g butter (for the arroz)
2 g ground cumin
2 g sweet paprika
1 g dried oregano
1 unit bay leaf
2 units lime, juice and zest (divided)
20 g chopped cilantro (divided)
8 g salt (or to taste, divided)
2 g black pepper (divided)

Nutrition facts

per serving

626 kcal

Calories

27 g

Protein

45 g

Carbs

38 g

Fat

5 g

Fiber

40 g

Net carbs

Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.

Allergens

Dairy

Instructions

1
1. Preheat the oven to 220°F / 105°C only to keep the rice warm at the end if desired. No component needs to be baked.
2
2. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil with the butter over medium heat. Add the shredded coconut and toast for 1 to 2 minutes until golden and fragrant. Stir in the rice and cook for 1 minute to coat the grains.
3
3. Add the water, coconut milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of black pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce the heat, cover, and cook for 16 to 18 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside; if you like, keep warm in the oven at 220°F / 105°C.
4
4. While the rice cooks, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the onion, half of the garlic, and the red bell pepper. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until slightly softened.
5
5. Add the ground beef and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon, until no longer pink and lightly browned. Season with cumin, sweet paprika, oregano, the bay leaf, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
6
6. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the diced squash, half of the tomato, and 60 ml / 1/4 cup water. Cover partially and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender but not falling apart.
7
7. Uncover, add the green olives, and cook 2 minutes more to blend the flavors. Remove the bay leaf. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
8
8. For the vinaigrette, combine the remaining onion, remaining tomato, remaining garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil, the juice of 2 limes, the zest of 1 lime, and half of the cilantro in a bowl. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and let sit for 5 minutes.
9
9. Serve a bed of toasted coconut rice on each plate. Spoon the beef and squash picadillo on top and finish with the lime vinaigrette. Garnish with the remaining cilantro and serve immediately.

Chef tips

For deeper flavor, let the beef brown היט היט before stirring too much. If the squash releases little moisture, add 1 to 2 extra tablespoons of water so it cooks without sticking.

Substitutions

You can swap the ground beef for ground turkey for a lighter version. Butternut squash can be replaced with diced sweet potato. For a dairy-free version, use olive oil instead of butter.

What I used to make it

Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.

Illustrative image
Ninja Professional BL610 Blender
Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Easy-to-wash jar
- Check the power and jar size
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Illustrative image
Cosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
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Illustrative image
TempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
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