Recipe

Havana-Style Lentil Picadillo with Potatoes and Olives

Name: Havana-Style Lentil Picadillo with Potatoes and Olives
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 250 g dry brown lentils (pardina); 800 ml water, plus more as needed depending on absorption; 1 bay leaf; 250 g peeled potatoes, cut into 1 cm dice; Enough water to cover the potatoes; 30 ml olive oil; 150 g onion; 100 g green bell pepper; 3 cloves garlic; 1 level teaspoon cumin; ½ teaspoon dried oregano; 250 g crushed tomatoes; 60 g pitted green olives, chopped; 100 ml water for the sofrito, if needed; Salt to taste; Pepper to taste

A plant-based take on Havana-style picadillo with whole lentils, diced potatoes and olives in a tomato, cumin and oregano sofrito.

CiberCubaNovember 7, 2026

AI-generated image.CiberCuba

Preparation15 min
Cooking35 min
Total time50 min
Servings4 servings
DifficultyEasy

Havana-style picadillo combines ground beef with a tomato sofrito, olives and potatoes, and is usually served with white rice and ripe plantains. This plant-based adaptation keeps those flavors and replaces the meat with brown lentils (pardina).

The lentils are cooked separately and drained well before going into the sofrito. That keeps them whole, so the picadillo turns out loose and juicy, with a thick sauce and no broth pooling at the bottom.

Method

Lentils and potatoes

Put the lentils in a strainer, rinse them under cold running water and remove any small stones or bad lentils.
Put them in a pot with the 800 ml of water and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil, lower to a gentle simmer and cook for the time indicated on the package, roughly 20-30 minutes, until tender but whole. If the water drops so low that the lentils are exposed, add a little more hot water. Stir little and gently so they don't break.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
While the lentils cook, chop the onion and green pepper into small dice, mince the garlic and chop the olives if they didn't come chopped. Set each aside in bowls.
In another pot, cover the diced potatoes with water, add a pinch of salt and cook over medium heat for 8-12 minutes, depending on size, until tender but firm. Drain and set aside.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba

Sofrito and picadillo

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and pepper and sauté for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and the onion is translucent.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
Add the garlic, cumin and oregano and stir for just 30 seconds, long enough to release their aroma without burning the garlic.
Add the crushed tomatoes, stir and let reduce over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring often, until the sofrito is thick and glossy. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
When the lentils are ready, drain them very well in a strainer and remove the bay leaf. Don't mash them: they should stay whole.
Add the lentils, potatoes and olives to the skillet. Mix gently and cook everything together for 5 minutes over medium-low heat so the flavors come together. If it sticks, add water a little at a time (100 ml at most). It should be loose, moist and thick, with no broth.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Serve hot, with white rice and fried ripe plantains on the side.

Tips and variations

Alternative with pre-cooked lentils: use about 600 g of cooked, well-drained lentils (canned or homemade) instead of the 250 g of dry lentils. You skip the rinsing and the initial cooking, you don't need the cooking water or the bay leaf, and the total time drops to about 35 minutes. If using canned, rinse and drain them well, and taste before salting because they usually contain salt.

Keeping them from turning to mush: brown lentils (pardina) hold up well whole, but every package has its own cooking time. Start tasting them at 20 minutes and take them off when they are tender but the skins are intact. Stir gently when mixing.

Final consistency: if you see liquid at the bottom at the end, leave it a few more minutes over medium heat, uncovered. If it sticks, add water a little at a time; it should not be soupy.

To serve: white rice and fried ripe plantains on the side, like traditional picadillo (they are not included in the ingredients or the servings).

Storage: let cool at room temperature for no more than 2 hours and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator, below 4 °C (40 °F), for up to 3-4 days. It can be frozen for up to 2-3 months, although the potato may turn a bit floury when thawed. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat in a skillet with a splash of water until piping hot.