Ropa Vieja Recipe (Instant Pot or Stovetop) – Kalyn’s Kitchen

This Ropa Vieja recipe is my version of a well-known Cuban dish with shredded beef, tomatoes, peppers, onions, and spices. And when I was researching the recipe I found that many recipes include green olives which was definitely a winner for me, but you can omit those if you prefer!

Pin the Ropa Vieja Recipe to try it later!

In April I went on a wonderful trip to Cuba with my friends Cristina and Carol. We traveled with Holbrook Travel, who did an amazing job of organizing everything (and they are not giving me free trips or paying me to mention them!) On the trip I met some lovely people, toured Old Town Havana, learned a lot about the history of relations between the U.S. and Cuba, saw interesting wildlife like the Bee Hummingbird and Red Crabs, visited an amazing all-organic farm and farm-to-table restaurant, and got to ride in the famous old cars!

And of course I enjoyed trying some authentic Cuban food! I had visited Little Havana in Miami several times, and always had delicious food in the restaurants there. It was interesting to compare those memories to the actual food I tried in Cuba, and in general I’d say the authentic Cuban food was more simply prepared and not as strongly-flavored as the Cuban American food I’d had in Miami.

But the famous Cuban dish called Ropa Vieja was one thing I had in Cuba where it seemed like the Cuban restaurants in the U.S. had captured the same flavors I enjoyed when I tried this at two different restaurants in Cuba. Of course this is one of those classic recipes (like beef stew in the U.S.) where every Cuban cook has their own variation of the recipe. But I loved it so much when I got to try this dish in Cuba that I decided to try creating a Ropa Vieja recipe that would be easy to make at home.

I spent a few weeks researching and comparing the recipes I found in cookbooks and on the web, and then Kara and I tried it a few times to get a version of Ropa Vieja that we absolutely loved! We did think the Instant Pot was the perfect method to make the tender shreds of beef that this dish is known for, but I’m also giving you stovetop instructions for people who don’t have an Instant Pot. And this recipe is also very low in carbs for my readers who care about that and has over 50 grams of protein per serving; I hope you enjoy trying it!

What ingredients do you need?

(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

What does the name Ropa Vieja mean?

The literal translation of ropa vieja is “old clothes” and it refers to the way the beef shreds apart. I’m pretty sure that before I went to Cuba and then researched this recipe I used to call it Ropa Viejo, but the correct spelling is firmly in my mind now!

What other cuts of beef could you use for Ropa Vieja?

This traditional Cuban dish is often made with flank steak, but I prefer using chuck roast which gives shorter shreds of beef. Use whichevr cut of beef you prefer.

How low in carbs is this Ropa Vieja Recipe?

My recipe for Ropa Vieja has only 7 net carbs per serving and over 50 grams of protein!

Do you have to use green olives in Ropa Vieja?

The Ropa Vieja I had in Cuba didn’t have green olives, which are probably expensive and hard to get for the people there. But when researched the recipe it often contained green olives. I’m a green olive fan so I love the extra pop of briny flavor they added, but you can definitely leave them out if you prefer.

What side dishes are served with Ropa Vieja in Cuba?

There’s no doubt that in Cuba this would be served with black beans and white rice, or maybe the famous Cuban dish Moros y Cristianos (Moors and Christians) which combines black beans and rice in a dish where they’re usually cooked together. (I saw lots of recipes for this online but most of them had ingredients like green bell pepper, red bell pepper, or bacon which I don’t remember being in the black beans and rice I had in Cuba.) Most of the Cuban food we had was also served with what we started calling Cuban Salad which is simply thinly sliced cucumbers, thinly sliced tomatoes, and shredded cabbage layered on a plate and the drizzled with oil and vinegar.

How to make this Ropa Vieja Recipe:

(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe made in the Instant Pot; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe. Look after the complete recipe below for stovetop instructions.)

1. Trim chuck roast and cut into pieces as needed. Combine garlic powder, kosher salt, dried oregano (or Mexican oregano), ground cumin, and black pepper and rub meat with that mixture.
2. Heat olive oil in large frying pan and brown meat well. (You can brown meat in the Instant Pot if you prefer, but I think meat browns better in a pan and this might need to be browned in two batches in the Instant Pot.) 
3. Remove meat and deglaze pan with beef broth, scraping off any bits that are stuck to the pan. (Deglaze instant Pot if you used that.)
4. Arrange meat in Instant Pot, in a single layer. Add beef broth, one cut onion, garlic cloves, and bay leaves.
5. Lock lid on Instant Pot, make sure pressure valve is closed, and set Instant Pot to MANUAL (PRESSURE COOK), HIGH, 40 MINUTES.
6. Let pressure release naturally and when all pressure has released, remove meat to a cutting board.
7. While pressure releases, cut onion, red bell peppers and green pepper into slivers and cut green olives into slices.
8. After you remove meat, add those ingredients to liquid in Instant Pot with petite diced tomatoes and tomato paste. 
9. Set Instant Pot to SAUTE, HIGH HEAT, and let peppers, onions, and olives cook until peppers are starting to soften and liquid has slightly reduced. 
10. As soon as meat has cooled enough to handle, shred meat apart with two forks.
11. When peppers are softened and liquid has reduced slightly, reduce heat to MEDIUM and add shredded beef and lime juice into Instant Pot. Cook a few minutes longer, until meat is hot.
12. Taste, then season as needed with salt and fresh ground black pepper.
13. Serve hot, with cut limes to squeeze on at the table if desired.
14. Scroll down to complete recipe to see stovetop instructions if you prefer that method.

Make it a Low-Carb Meal:

If you’re watching your carbs, you probably don’t want to eat black beans and rice with your Ropa Vieja! When Kara and I tested the recipe we thought it was absolutely delicious over Pureed Cauliflower, which is what you see in these photos. I think it would also be great with Easy Cauliflower Rice, Pesto Spaghetti Squash, or Roasted Turnips. And when my sister Sandee and my niece Jennica got to try this at my house, they both thought it would be great served in low-carb tortillas.

More Ropa Vieja from Around the Web:

Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Everything in this Ropa Vieja recipe is perfect for low-carb or Keto diet plans. If you use well-trimmed beef this recipe would be suitable for the original South Beach Diet as well.

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Instant Pot to find more recipe made in the Instant Pot. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.

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