Cuban Ropa Vieja

ropa vieja on a plate with beans and rice

Slow-cooked to perfection on the stove in 3 hours with just 15 minutes of prep, my Ropa Vieja recipe is comfort food at its best!

Course Main

Cuisine Cuban

Keyword cuban ropa vieja recipe, ropa vieja, ropa vieja cuban recipe, ropa vieja slow cooker

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 3 27

Total Time 3 42

Servings servings

Calories 668kcal

Author Isabel Laessig

Equipment

1 Large pot such as a Dutch Oven

Ingredients

2.5 pounds flank steak
3 teaspoons sea salt divided, plus more
4 Tablespoons olive oil divided
2 bell peppers preferably 1 red and 1 yellow, seeded and sliced
½ yellow onion sliced
4 cloves garlic minced
4 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup dry white wine
28 ounce whole peeled tomatoes canned
3 dried bay leaves
½ cup spanish olives
fresh cilantro for garnish optional

Instructions

Slice flank steak into 8 large pieces and season generously with sea salt. Set a large pot (such as a Dutch Oven) over medium-high heat, then add 2 Tablespoons olive oil. Once hot, sear the steak on both sides, approximately 5 minutes total just to brown.
2.5 pounds flank steak, 3 teaspoons sea salt, 4 Tablespoons olive oil
Set the steak aside. In the same pot, add the remaining olive oil. Add sliced peppers and onion and saute until softened, 4-5 minutes. Add garlic, tomato paste, paprika, cumin, and oregano, and cook until softened and well-mixed.
4 Tablespoons olive oil, 2 bell peppers, ½ yellow onion, 4 cloves garlic, 4 Tablespoons tomato paste, 1 Tablespoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon cumin, 2 teaspoon dried oregano
Pour in wine. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and simmer until reduced by half, about 4-5 minutes.
1 cup dry white wine
Add tomatoes with their juices, and the bay leaves. Smash tomatoes in the pot with a wooden spoon to break them up.
28 ounce whole peeled tomatoes, 3 dried bay leaves
Add the steak back to the pot along with water. Cover the pot.
2.5 pounds flank steak
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer until tender enough to shred, approximately 3 hours. Once tender, transfer the steaks to a cutting board and shred with forks.
Add the steak back to the stew and simmer until the liquid reduces to a thick sauce, about 10 minutes.
Mix in olives and season with additional salt and pepper. Spoon over rice and beans, and serve topped with cilantro if desired.
½ cup spanish olives, fresh cilantro for garnish

Notes

Stew the beef until it shreds easily with a fork, about 3 hours.
Use smoked paprika for deeper flavor.
Other than flank steak, you can also use skirt steak, chuck roast, or any stew beef.

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