Carne Guisada
Carne guisada is a flavorful Latin stew with juicy beef slow-cooked in gravy with tomatoes, jalapeños, and spices. Make it at home in one pot!
Servings: 6 servings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef stew meat like chuck roast or beef sirloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or lard for authenticity
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 1 bell pepper chopped (green is traditional, but red or yellow works too)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 medium tomatoes chopped (or 1 can diced tomatoes, drained)
- 1 jalapeño or serrano pepper optional, minced (for heat)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups beef broth or 2 cups water with 2 teaspoons beef bouillon
- fresh cilantro chopped (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Brown the beef. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot set over medium-high heat. Season the beef with salt and pepper, then brown the cubes in batches. Remove and set aside.
- Sauté aromatics. In the same pot, add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook until softened, about 4–5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes (and jalapeño if using).
- Add spices. Sprinkle in cumin, chili powder, and paprika. Stir to coat the veggies until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Make the gravy base. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables in the pot and stir well, letting it cook for 1–2 minutes to lose the raw flour taste.
- Simmer. Return the beef to the pot. Slowly pour in beef broth while stirring. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1½–2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beef is tender and the gravy is thick. Add more broth if it gets too thick.
- Adjust. Taste the stew for seasonings and add more salt, pepper, or a pinch of cayenne if you want more heat.
- Serve. Carne guisada is traditionally served with warm flour tortillas, Spanish rice, and beans. You can also spoon it over rice or mashed potatoes.
Nutrition
Serving: 10ounces | Calories: 293kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 629mg | Potassium: 872mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1231IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 4mg
