Latin American · lunch, dinner
Picadillo de Chayote (Costa Rican Chayote and Beef Hash)
Picadillo de chayote con carne molida
Video by Cocinen conmigo on YouTube, in Spanish · Open on YouTube
- Low carb (6.4 g net carbs) but not keto: 58% of the energy is from fat, and keto meals get about 60% or more
- Gluten-free with a swap: Use tamari instead of soy sauce to keep it gluten-free
- Dairy-free
- Nut-free
Contains: Gluten, Soy. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.
About 21 g protein and 6 g net carbs a serve from beef mince cooked down with chayote, carrot, sweet pepper, onion, celery and tomato in their own juices, a low-carb main that keeps blood sugar steady.
The printable card is ink-friendly, fits on one page and has a QR code back to this recipe.
Ingredients 13
Method
The cook speaks Spanish; every step is written here in English. Tap a time to watch that step in the video. For subtitles, tap CC in the video, then Settings › Subtitles › Auto-translate › English.
- Finely dice the carrot, chile dulce (sweet pepper), red onion and celery (½ cup of each) and chop ½ cup of tomato. 2:06
- In a bowl, mix the beef mince with the soy sauce, the mustard and the chopped tomato. 2:20
- Peel the chayotes (wear gloves if they are the spiny kind) and cut them into small dice, seeds and all. 4:14
- Heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan over medium heat, add the celery, chile dulce, onion and carrot and sauté for about 5 minutes. 5:58
- Add the seasoned mince and cook, breaking it up well (a potato masher helps), until it is no longer pink. 7:50
- Stir in the diced chayote, then season with the turmeric, salt and pepper and mix well. 9:52
- Cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes without adding water (the chayote releases its own juice), stirring now and then, until the chayote is tender. 12:27
Tip. Serves 5, as the cook says. Costa Ricans eat it with white rice or in corn tortillas; for fewer carbs serve it on its own or with a salad. Zucchini can stand in for chayote.
The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.
One serve gives you 1 of 5
Where the energy comes from one serve
- Net carbs 9%
- Protein 29%
- Fat 62%
Very low carb: under 10% of the energy is from carbs.
Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more
Vitamin B12 High84%
2 µg a serve, mostly from beef mince (100%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.
Zinc High48%
5.3 mg a serve, mostly from beef mince (89%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.
Vitamin C High37%
33 mg a serve, mostly from chile dulce (57%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.
Vitamin B6 High31%
0.5 mg a serve, mostly from beef mince (52%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.
Selenium High31%
17 µg a serve, mostly from beef mince (91%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.
Vitamin A Source16%
142 µg a serve, mostly from carrot (76%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.
Iron Source15%
2.7 mg a serve, mostly from beef mince (73%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.
Potassium Source14%
650 mg a serve, mostly from beef mince (39%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.
Vitamin K Source14%
17 µg a serve, mostly from chayotes (33%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.
Folate Source12%
48 µg a serve, mostly from chayotes (45%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.
Vitamin E Source11%
1.7 mg a serve, mostly from garlic-flavoured oil (45%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.
Magnesium Source10%
43 mg a serve, mostly from beef mince (37%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.
Show the other 3
Omega-36%
0.1 g a serve, mostly from beef mince (47%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.
Calcium4%
54 mg a serve, mostly from beef mince (35%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.
Vitamin D0%
0.1 µg a serve, mostly from beef mince (100%). Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.
Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works
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Recipe and video by Cocinen conmigo; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.