Name: What To Serve With Picadillo
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 9 min
Total time: 14 min
Ingredients: 1 portion picadillo

Table of Contents

If you’re wondering what to serve with your picadillo, you’ve come to the right place.

In this article, I list 33 of the most popular side dishes for picadillo.

In a rush? Here’s the short answer.

The best dishes to serve with picadillo are cilantro lime rice, sopes, grilled avocado, skillet cornbread, and tostones. You can also serve roasted spaghetti squash, corn on the cob, or classic coleslaw. For salad options, go for Mexican chopped or a tomato and onion salad.

Ready? Let’s jump right in.

Cilantro lime rice

Plain white rice is the standard side dish for picadillo, but I like going the extra mile and making cilantro lime rice.

It’s just as quick as making regular rice, but gives you a refreshingly zesty bite to contrast the richness of your picadillo.

Psst… not a fan of cilantro? Swap it for parsley or a combo of chives, dill, mint, and basil.

Why we love this recipe: everything comes together in one pot.

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Cilantro lime rice
Make it low-carb
Cilantro lime cauliflower rice
Change the flavor
Coconut rice

Classic coleslaw

There are so many versions of coleslaw, but you can’t beat the classics.

This recipe mixes mayo, sour cream, lemon juice, and vinegar to achieve a light but creamy dressing.

This, combined with the fresh, crisp veggies, is the perfect cooling side for your picadillo.

Why we love this recipe: it’s way better (and healthier) than pre-made coleslaws.

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Classic coleslaw
Skip the cabbage
Broccoli slaw
Make it dairy-free
Mayo-free cilantro lime slaw

Roasted spaghetti squash

This simple recipe is a game-changer for spaghetti squash.

It suggests cutting the squash widthwise into rings, instead of lengthwise.

This results in longer strands and reduces moisture so the faux noodles don’t turn out watery.

Serve these faux noodles mixed in your picadillo and make sure every strand is coated with some of the delicious tomato sauce.

Why we love this recipe: it’s got instructions for how to make spaghetti squash in the microwave!

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Roasted spaghetti squash
Make it cheesy
Spaghetti squash casserole
Another low-carb alternative
Zucchini noodles

Tostones

Take inspiration from Latin American cuisine and whip up these tostones to go with your picadillo.

These golden chips are fried twice. After the first fry, you need to smash chips (great for stress relief), then fry them again.

This technique results in extra crispy and sturdy tostones, making them perfect for scooping up your meaty picadillo.

Why we love this recipe: who doesn’t love crispy chips?

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Tostones
Make it sweet
Puerto Rican maduros (fried sweet plantains)
Make it familiar
Homemade tortilla chips

Mexican chopped salad

In the mood for Mexican food but trying to stay healthy? This chopped salad is the way to go.

It’s loaded with colorful, crisp, and juicy elements like corn, tomatoes, black beans, avocado, and red onion.

Then everything is tied together with a vibrant and zesty cilantro lime yogurt dressing that will help cut through your picadillos’ bold flavors.

Why we love this recipe: it’s a feast for the eyes and taste buds.

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Mexican chopped salad
Make it fusion
Tex-Mex Caesar salad
Make it hearty
Black bean and corn quinoa salad

Marinated tomato onion salad

Not a fan of leafy green salads? Try this simple tomato onion salad instead.

You don’t have to cook anything – just let the tomatoes and onion soak in the oil and vinegar mixture for at least four hours to infuse them with a zippy bite.

It’s that easy.

Psst… want a bit of a fiery kick? Add some crushed red peppers.

Why we love this recipe: it’s transforms an everyday ingredient into something special.

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Marinated tomato onion salad
Make a salsa
Pico de gallo
Go Southern
Fried green tomatoes

Buttermilk skillet cornbread

My favorite way to cook cornbread is to use a good old cast iron skillet.

It gets hot quickly and retains this heat, which means the cornbread forms a deliciously crisp crust and crunchy edges.

Save a piece of this buttery quick bread to soak up all the goodness from your picadillo’s sauce. YUM.

Why we love this recipe: it strikes a balance between sweet and savory.

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Buttermilk skillet cornbread
Add veggies
Cheesy broccoli cornbread
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Cheesy cornbread drop biscuits

Grilled avocado

Add a pop of creaminess to your picacdillo with avocados.

But not just any avocado… try these grilled avocados. The grilling adds a smoky flavor, and of course the famous grill lines.

Or if you want to get really fancy, make smoked guacamole to spoon on top of your piacdillo. YUM.

Why we love this recipe: it’s a summer side that only takes 5 minutes to make.

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Grilled avocado
Make gauc
Smoked guacamole
Make it different
Grilled zucchini

Sopes

Tortillas are the usual vessels for Tex-Mex food, but it’s time to give sopes some love!

This traditional snack is made with masa harina, like corn tortillas, but is shaped into a thick disc with borders, forming a well in the middle.

You can top sopes with anything, but I especially like picadillo with a generous sprinkle of cheese,

Why we love this recipe: it has visuals to help you make this classic dish.

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Sopes
Preheat the oven
Baked tostada shells
Make a sandwich
Cuban bread

Mashed cauliflower and spinach

Looking for something light and healthy?

This recipe has your back – cauliflower is a great low-carb alternative to potatoes and spinach is a nutritional powerhouse.

Serve your picadillo over this mash for a complete and highly nourishing meal.

Why we love this recipe: you can indulge in this guilt-free.

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Mashed cauliflower and spinach
Make it different
Mashed plantains
Make it indulgent
Gouda mashed potatoes with caramelized onions

Boiled corn on the cob

You might think boiled corn on the cob sounds boring. But not when you boil it in a milk-butter bath (with garlic of course).

The milk and butter mixture infuses the kernels with creamy goodness right from the get-go.

Psst… save the leftover broth to use as a base for a soup.

Why we love this recipe: you probably have all the ingredients on hand already.

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Boiled corn on the cob
Make it Cajun-inspired
Corn maque choux
Add more veggies
Succotash

The best side dishes to serve with picadillo

Cilantro lime rice
Classic coleslaw
Roasted spaghetti squash
Tostones
Mexican chopped salad
Marinated tomato onion salad
Buttermilk skillet cornbread
Grilled avocado
Sopes
Mashed cauliflower and spinach
Boiled corn on the cob