Latin American & Caribbean · Lunch · Dinner
Ropa Vieja
Tender flank steak simmered until it falls apart, then shredded into a cumin-spiced tomato sauce with sweet peppers, onions, garlic and briny green olives. This Cuban classic is hearty and full of flavour, and uses just one tablespoon of oil.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 125 min
- Total
- 145 min
- Serves
- 6
Calories come from: Carbs 22% · Fat 35% · Protein 43%
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Ingredients
For 6 servings- 1.5 lb700 gflank steak, trimmed of visible fat
- 6 cups1,420 gwater
- 2bay leaves
- 2 medium220 gonions
- 1 large165 gred bell pepper
- 1 large165 ggreen bell pepper
- 5 cloves15 ggarlic
- 1 tbsp14 golive oil
- 1 1/2 tspground cumin
- 1 tspdried oregano
- 2 tbsp32 gtomato paste
- 1 can (14 oz)400 gcrushed tomatoes
- 1/4 cup60 gdry white wine (optional)
- 1/3 cup45 gpimiento-stuffed green olives, sliced
- 1 tsp6 gsalt
- 1/2 tspblack pepper
- 2 tbspfresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
Steps
- 1
Cut the flank steak into 3 or 4 large pieces.
- 2
Cut one onion in half; set one half aside for the pot and slice the remaining onion and a half thinly.
- 3
Put the beef, water, bay leaves, the onion half and half of the salt in a large pot.
- 4
Bring to a boil, skim off any foam, then cover and simmer gently for about 1 1/2 hours, until the beef is fork-tender.
- 5
While the beef cooks, slice both bell peppers into thin strips and mince the garlic.
- 6
Lift the beef onto a board and let it cool for a few minutes; reserve 1 cup of the cooking broth and discard the bay leaves and onion half.
- 7
Shred the beef along the grain into thin strands using two forks.
- 8
Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat.
- 9
Add the sliced onions and peppers and cook for 7–8 minutes, stirring, until soft.
- 10
Stir in the garlic, cumin and oregano and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- 11
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
- 12
Pour in the wine, if using, and let it bubble for 1 minute.
- 13
Add the crushed tomatoes, reserved broth, shredded beef, olives, remaining salt and black pepper.
- 14
Simmer uncovered for 15–20 minutes, stirring now and then, until the sauce thickens and clings to the beef.
- 15
Taste, adjust seasoning, and sprinkle with cilantro before serving.
Swaps, storage and make-ahead
Swaps
- Use beef chuck or brisket instead of flank steak if that is easier to find, simmering a little longer until it shreds easily.
- Replace the white wine with an extra 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking broth plus a squeeze of lime juice.
- Swap the cilantro for chopped fresh parsley if you are not a fan of cilantro.
- For a lighter, faster version, use shredded cooked chicken breast instead of beef and simmer it in the sauce for just 10 minutes.
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days, reheating until steaming hot. The beef and sauce also freeze well for up to 3 months; thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Make ahead
Simmer and shred the beef up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate it with the reserved broth, or make the whole dish a day early, as the flavour improves overnight. Slice the onions and peppers a day ahead and keep them covered in the fridge.
Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.
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Allergens and nutrition
Contains: Sulphites
Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.
Full nutrition
| Per serving (531 g) | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 254 kcal | 48 kcal |
| Protein | 27.8 g | 5.2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 13.9 g | 2.6 g |
| of which sugars | 7 g | 1.3 g |
| Fiber | 3.7 g | 0.7 g |
| Fat | 10.1 g | 1.9 g |
| of which saturated | 3 g | 0.6 g |
| Sodium | 715 mg | 135 mg |
Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.
