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Ropa Vieja translates to “old clothes” in Spanish. This authentic Cuban recipe consists of tender braised beef that’s cooked slowly in tomatoes and spices. Serve it over rice with a side of plantain chips with mojo sauce.
While my parents aren’t Cuban, I grew up eating at Cuban restaurants. It’s like a staple in South Florida. Everybody eats at them. I love Cuban food; everything from Picadillo to Pollo Frito a la Criolla. It’s so good!
Let’s start with the basics!
What is Ropa Vieja?
Whenever I go to a Cuban restaurant, I always, always order ropa vieja (direct translation: old clothes). It’s shredded beef in a flavorful tomato-based sauce. They usually serve it with white rice, beans and maduros. (And if you’re me, I always order a Jupiña to drink).
The first step is braising the beef and then you make the sauce. This recipe is incredible for leftovers. And can be frozen (see below for freezing instructions)
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Ropa Vieja
- Meat – See the options above.
- Spices – We need lots of spices like black pepper, allspice, cloves and bay leaf.
- Tomatoes – This is key because this gives us the rich and savory sauce.
For the rest of the ingredients, please see the recipe index card below!
How to Make Ropa Vieja
- Braise the beef. This the first part of the recipe. You cook it slowly with spices, onion and cabbage. The beef cooks to the point where it’s fall-a-part delicious.
- Make the sauce. This is made up of spices, tomatoes, red bell pepper, onion, garlic and more. As a result, this is a delicious sauce that compliments the shredded beef SO WELL.
- Shred the beef. When the beef is done braising, you remove it from the broth and pot and shred it up! There will be some reserved broth that we’re going to save for the sauce.
- Mix in the shredded beef. And then you also add the reserved beef broth.
Simmer for about 20 minutes. We want all the flavors to combine. - And then serve over a bed or rice!
Recipe Tip
To Serve: Serve this ropa vieja with rice, black beans and maduros (sautéed plantains).
To Freeze: This dish freezes really well. Allow it to cool completely to room temperature. Place in a freezer-safe container and freeze up to 3 months.
Recipe FAQs
I used flank steak and I find it to be the best meat for this dish. Other alternatives are as follows:
1. Chunk (this is the most affordable option)
2. Top Round
3. Brisket
Absolutely! Sauté everything using the sauté function and then seal it on cook it on *high* for 45 minutes. You can use the rapid release or the natural release.
More Latin Recipes You’ll Love
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To Make the Braised Beef:
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Place the ingredients for the beef in a Dutch oven with 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to maintain a low simmer and cook, covered, until the beef is tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. If you’re using top round, it’ll take about 2 1/2 hours to be tender.
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Remove the pot from the heat and allow the beef to cool in the broth, so it will stay moist and juicy. Reserve about 3/4 cups of broth. Drain the beef and transfer to a cutting board. Using two forks, shred the beef apart. Set the shredded beef aside.
To Make the Ropa Vieja:
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Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven (you can use the one you used to cook the beef, no need to rinse it out either). Add the onion and red bell pepper and cook until the onion is soft and translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in the minced garlic, salt and spices.
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Add the reserved broth, crushed tomato, lime juice, and bay leaf and return to a simmer. Stir in the shredded beef, reduce the heat to low, and cook, covered, 15 to 20 minutes.
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Give it a taste and adjust the salt according to your liking. Serve over rice and top with a sprinkling of parsley.
Serve this ropa vieja with rice, black beans and maduros (sautéed plantains).
To Freeze:
This dish freezes really well. To freeze this ropa vieja, allow it to cool completely to room temperature. Place in a freezer-safe container and freeze up to 3 months.
Equipment:
Dutch Oven | Tongs | Rice Cooker |
Calories: 99kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 778mg | Potassium: 113mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1251IU | Vitamin C: 52mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 0.4mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
