Portions: 6 servings Calories: 269kcal |
This lovely beef stew from Cuba is the perfect dinner dish if you love Caribbean flavors. Cuban ropa vieja has some great complex flavors but is easy to prepare and will be a rousing success at the dinner table.
By - Revised . Original Jul 12 2022.
Cuban Ropa Vieja Recipe |+Video|.
Why we ❤️ it
- This lovely beef stew from Cuba is the perfect dinner dish if you love Caribbean flavors. Cuban ropa vieja has some great complex flavors but is easy to prepare and will be a rousing success at the dinner table.
- Ropa vieja - a Cuban shredded beef stew - means "old clothes" in Spanish, as the long strands of beef loosely resemble tattered rags. It's a funny name for a scrumptious dish.
Cuban Ropa Vieja Recipe |+Video|
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Utensils and tools
- Dutch oven (cast iron pot with lid) or large skillet
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds flank steak, [700 grams] or chuck roast
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 cups beef broth, or chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika, optional
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste, or 2 cups of tomato sauce
- ½ cup pitted green olives, and/or black olives
- 4 chopped plum tomatoes
- Fresh cilantro to garnish
Video
Preparation
1. Seasoning and browning
Pat the meat with a paper towel to absorb excess moisture. Season the meat with 1 tablespoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper.Heat the oil in the Dutch oven to medium-high heat. Add the meat and cook until it has browned, turn, and brown all over.
2. Cooking the meat
- Lower the heat to medium, and pour in 4 cups of water and broth, scraping the brown bits stuck to the pot. Add the bay leaf, oregano, and cumin.Cover and simmer over low heat until the meat is so tender that you can pull off strands of it with a fork. This takes about 2 hours in a regular pot. Turn the meat, and add water regularly to keep the same liquid level.
3. Cooking vegetables
- Once the meat is tender, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook and stir until the onion has turned translucent. Add the red pepper and cook until it is heated through.Stir in the tomato paste, add the tomatoes or tomato sauce, and olives. Cover and simmer until you shred the meat.
4. Shredding meat
- Remove the meat from the liquid (set the broth aside), and using two forks, shred it into thin strips about the length and size of the pepper strips.Add the shredded beef and broth to the pot, increase heat to medium-high, and let the liquids reduce until the meat is very juicy but not soupy.Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Serving
- Remove the meat from the heat, discard the bay leaf, garnish with cilantro, and serve.
Top tips
- Cooking meat: The meat should be cooked with just enough liquid that it doesn't burn, but we're not going to boil it, so keep an eye on it.
- Cooking time: The total time the meat needs to cook will depend on the quality and freshness of the meat.
- Leftovers: Store the leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Leftovers ropa vieja are great as a filling to make empanadas. - Reheating: Reheat the leftovers in the microwave, or by adding a few spoonfuls of water and reheating in a skillet. This tastes even better the following day!
- Other ingredients: Different homes have different versions of this dish. I have seen some cooked with diced potatoes, some add capers, and some add carrots and even celery. This is the version I prefer.
Serving suggestions
You can serve ropa vieja over white rice. For a full Cuban experience, moros y cristianos (rice and black beans), is the perfect side dish, and if you can find them, some sweet plantains will complete the best Cuban meal.
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Nutrition
Calories: 269kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 785mg | Potassium: 635mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1058IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutrition information.
Learn how to make the popular and flavorful Cuban ropa vieja dish, a lovely, vegetable-rich braised beef that will be your new favorite weekend dish.
Do you have a recipe for empanadas?
Yes, you can use this empanada dough recipe, or this baked empanadas dough recipe.
What beef cut do you recommend for ropa vieja?
Flank steak or chuck roast work great, Vicky
I recently attempted your recipe for Cuban ropa vieja, and it was absolutely delightful! I am definitely planning to make it once more within the next couple of days. It was my inaugural experience with latino food, and it turned out to be scrumptious! 😋😋😁😁
Can’t wait to try this. It looks great. How do I make the white rice?
You can make traditional arroz blanco, or use my recipe for white rice in Instant Pot.
Can I use pork?
Yes, you can, although that is a non-traditional choice. 🙂
During a Cuban holiday, I had the pleasure of being introduced to this delectable dish. Coming across this recipe is truly a lifesaver. I'll be giving it a try very soon. Thank you so much!
The way my family makes Ropa Vieja is a bit different, my grandma was from Cuba and she taught us. I have to try yours to see how it tastes.
Awesome, come back and let me know how you like it.