Ropa Vieja
Growing up in Miami, I was surrounded by amazing Cuban restaurants. Ropa Vieja, translates to Old Clothes, but boy is this dish delicious!!
Servings
6
Ready In:
6hrs 30min
Heritage:
Cuba
Noms For:
Dinner
Intro
About this Recipe
By: Viv
Ropa Vieja is a traditional Cuban dish – its name literally translates to “old clothes” in Spanish because it’s a messy, but delicious and colorful, combination of ingredients: meat, peppers, onions, all thrown together like a pile of old clothes!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Beef flank steak
- 1 tsp Cilantro, fresh
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 Green bell pepper
- 1 Red bell pepper
- 1 onion (small)
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 can tomato paste (6oz)
- 1 can tomato sauce (8oz)
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 tbsp Vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp White Vinegar
- 2 tsp Cumin, ground
- 1 tsp Black pepper, ground
- 1 packet of Sazón Goya (bonus)
I tried a LOT of recipes from pinterest, and this one is by far the best one. I am adding the link here to give them credit, but I have altered the recipe so that it is Viv & Mat approved. I also really love garlic, so I have increased the amount and you can definitely alter it to your taste buds as well. I made this recipe in my instapot, and it came out fantastic! This recipe is super simple, it just takes take to cook in your instapot.
If you don’t have a packet of Sazón Goya, just add more cumin to taste. You can also add salt to taste if you feel that it needs it.
What is Sazón Goya?
Packing a powerful punch of coriander, garlic, cumin and annatto, this small packet of Sazón GOYA® with Coriander & Annatto instantly makes your dish more delicious by quickly adding an appealing flavor and vibrant color. Latin cooks refer to it as the foolproof way to create great-tasting dishes. Think of it as a little magic in little foil packets.
*NOTE* – these little packets have MSG in them, if you prefer not to add MSG to your food, just add more cumin, coriander, and garlic powders to your dish.
If you want the same spices without the MSG, you can get the Badia brand Sazón Tropical, that has the same spices mixed in.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
Set your instapot to “SAUTE” mode and heat vegetable oil.
Step 2
Brown the flank steak on each side, about 4 minutes per side.
Step 3
Change your instapot settings to be on “pressure cooker”. Pour in the beef broth and tomato sauce, then add the onion, bell peppers, garlic, tomato paste, cumin, black pepper, sazon goya (if you have it), cilantro, olive oil and vinegar. Stir until well blended. Cover, and cook on High for 2 hours.
Step 4
Once your 2 hour timer goes off, safely release the pressure valve and open the lid. Take this time to check the flavors and to see how your beef is doing. Feel free to add more seasonings if you feel that it needs it. Set your instapot to “slow cooker” , cover, and cook on High for 4 hours, or on Low for up to 10 hours.
Step 5
Once your 2 hour timer goes off, safely open the lid and check how tender your beef is. By now you should be able to pull it apart with 2 forks and mix it with the delicious sauce you have created. If you feel that it is not soft enough, you can place it back in “pressure cooker’ mode for another 40 minutes. Repeat if necessary.
Step 6
Now that your ropa vieja is done, you can pair it with white rice and make sure you get lots of the delicious sauce to add on top! This dish is traditionally also served with black beans and fried plantains, but if you don’t have them on hand, you can just enjoy it with the side of rice. Enjoy the NOMS!
Dietary Restrictions
- Glutten Free 100%
- Lactose Free 100%
- Vegetarian 0%
- Healthy 70%
