Ropa Vieja is a beloved Cuban classic made with tender, slow-cooked shredded beef simmered in a flavorful tomato-based sauce with onions, peppers, olives, and bold spices like cumin and oregano. It’s rich, comforting, and perfect served over rice.
Ropa Vieja Recipe
Ropa Vieja is one of Cuba’s most iconic comfort foods and one of my personal favorites. Made with tender, slow-cooked shredded beef simmered in a rich tomato sauce with peppers, onions, olives, and warm spices, it’s a dish full of bold, satisfying flavor. Traditionally served over white rice with black beans, it’s a staple at family gatherings and celebrations across Cuban households. The name means “old clothes” in Spanish, inspired by the way the shredded meat resembles torn fabric—but trust me, it tastes like anything but leftovers. And speaking of leftovers, they’re amazing. Turn them into tacos, bowls, or even spooned over crispy fries. If you love Latin-inspired beef recipes like Picadillo, Carnitas and Mexican Beef.
Why You’ll Love This Ropa Vieja Recipe
Living in a home with a Latin mom, we ate Ropa Vieja quite often! There’s many ways to make this, and it may be slightly different in each home. My cousin had a food truck in Orlando and this was the Ropa Vieja recipe she made for her truck, and it’s delicious! She uses the Instant Pot but if you don’t have one, you can do it on the stove (which will take more time).
More reasons to love this recipe:
- Big batch, big payoff: It makes enough that leftovers are inevitable (in a good way). It’s great for meal prep or feeding a crowd, and it often tastes better the next day.
- Deep flavor profile: The meat is seasoned with cumin, sazon, oregano, garlic powder, etc., cooked with peppers, onions, olives, and tomato paste, plus a splash of white wine if you like.
- Texture + shredded beef goodness: The meat becomes so tender it falls apart in your mouth.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s the ingredients to make this Cuban beef recipe. See recipe card below for exact measurements.
- Beef: I use flank steak which is a lean cut of beef. You can also use skirt steak or chuck beef if you prefer. To help in fit into the pressure cooker, cut it into large pieces.
- Beef Spices: Salt, sazon, dried oregano, garlic powder, cumin, black pepper
- Tomato Paste: You’ll need a whole can of tomato paste to make the sauce.
- Broth: If you don’t have chicken broth, vegetable or beef broth will work too.
- Wine: Choose a good-quality dry white wine.
- Vegetables: Yellow or white onion, green and red bell peppers are traditional. I also added carrots, which is not traditional, but adds great flavor to the broth.
- Garlic: Cut four to six garlic cloves into quarters depending on the size of the cloves and how much garlic you like.
- Olives: Slice a half cup of pitted green olives, this adds a briny pop of flavor to the meat.
- Bay Leaves impart flavor as they simmer in the broth.
- Cilantro: If you don’t like cilantro, don’t fret – it’s optional!
How to Make Cuban Ropa Vieja
Here’s the step-by-step directions. See recipe card below for printable directions.
- Season the beef with salt, Sazón, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, and pepper.
- Tomato Sauce: Whisk the tomato paste, wine, and broth in a medium bowl. If you’re cooking this dish on the stove, use 3 cups of broth – you’ll need more since some of it will evaporate on the stove.
- Sauté: Heat the Instant Pot by setting it on the sauté button. Add the oil and then the onions, bell peppers, and garlic and cook for three to four minutes until softened. Then press cancel. (On the stove, do the same thing but in a large Dutch oven on medium-high heat.)
- Nestle the meat into the onions so half are on the bottom and half above the meat. Add the carrots, olives, bay leaves, and cilantro (if using). Pour the tomato sauce over the mixture.
- Instant Pot Ropa Vieja: Put the lid on the pressure cooker and cook on high for 45 minutes. Once done, unplug the pot and do a natural release.
- Stove Method: Bring the pot to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the meat easily shreds. It should take about one and a half to two hours. Add more water if it gets too dry.
- Shred the beef, discard the bay leaves, and top with more cilantro if desired.
Serving Ideas
My cousin has a food truck in Florida and makes this ropa vieja recipe pretty much every day. She serves loaded fries, where she tops fries with this shredded beef, cheese, and all the fixings. I personally prefer traditional ropa vieja served over rice with Cuban style black beans. Some people like it with sweet plantains on the side, but I think a cabbage slaw or avocado is also great. You can also add the meat to tacos, quesadillas, or burritos.
Variations
- Flank Steak Substitutes: Skirt steak or chuck beef will also work but will have more fat.
- Protein: I have made this ropa vieja recipe with chicken thighs instead of beef.
- Wine: If you don’t like cooking with wine, sub more broth.
- Bell Peppers: Feel free to use whichever color bell peppers you have.
- Other Ingredients: You can also add capers and raisins.
Storage
Ropa vieja will last for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. After that, if you still have leftovers, freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months. To thaw, put it in the fridge the day before and reheat it in the microwave or on the stove.
More Cuban Recipes You’ll Love
Ropa Vieja Recipe (Instant Pot or Dutch Oven)
Equipment
Ingredients
Beef Seasoning:
- 2 pounds flank steak, cut into large pieces
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Sazon, or 1 store bought packet Goya or Badia Sazon con culantro & achiote
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the pot:
- 1/2 cup tomato paste, from 1 can
- 1/3 cup dry white wine, or use more broth
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 large yellow or white onion, not sweet, sliced
- 1/2 green bell pepper, sliced thin
- 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced thin
- 4-6 garlic cloves, cut into quarters
- 1 large carrot, cut into 1” inch pieces
- 1/2 cup green pitted olives, sliced
- 2 large bay leaves
- 3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped (optional)
Instructions
Instant Pot Method:
- Season the beef with salt, sazon, cumin, dried oregano, garlic powder and black pepper.
- In a medium bowl whisk together tomato paste, white wine and chicken broth.
- Press saute and add the oil in the instant pot, add the onions, bell peppers and garlic. Saute 3 to 4 minutes stirring, until softened then press cancel.
- Nestle the meat into the onions so that half are on the bottom and half are above the meat. Add the carrots, olives and bay leaves (and cilantro, if using).
- Pour the tomato sauce over the meat, cover and close the pressure cooker.
- Set to sealing and cook high pressure for 45 minutes. Then unplug the instant pot and do the natural release.
- Shred the beef in the pot and discard the bay leaves.
- Serve with rice, over bowls, tacos, etc. topped with more cilantro, if desired.
Stove Top Method:
- Season the beef with salt, sazon, cumin, dried oregano, garlic powder and black pepper.
- In a medium bowl whisk together tomato paste, white wine and 3 cups of chicken broth (you’ll need more on the stove with evaporation than the Instant Pot).
- Heat a large Dutch oven and add the oil, onions, bell peppers and garlic. Saute over medium-high heat 3 to 4 minutes stirring, until softened.
- Nestle the meat into the onions so that half are on the bottom and half are above the meat. Add the carrots, olives and bay leaves (and cilantro, if using).
- Pour the tomato sauce mixture over the meat, bring to a boil and cover.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer until the meat shreds easily with 2 forks, 1 1/2 to 2 hours, adding more water if it gets too dry.
- Shred the beef in the pot and discard the bay leaves.
- Serve with rice, over bowls, tacos, etc. topped with more cilantro, if desired.
This ropa vieja was absolutely amazing! Coming from a Cuban household, I can honestly say this tasted like home. I especially loved that you skipped the canned tomato sauce and used tomato paste with chicken broth instead—that made such a difference and gave it a rich, authentic flavor without overpowering the dish.
My whole family loved it and went back for several servings. There was barely anything left by the end of dinner! This is definitely going into our regular meal rotation. Thank you for sharing such a delicious recipe!
Thanks Jenne! So glad you all enjoyed it!
Made this and absolutely loved it. Question, most recipes call for capers. Any reason why you leave them out?
Could top sirloin steak be used for this recipe?
I have a bunch of 6oz steaks but have braces now so can bite into it like I used to. This shredded beef dish looks so tasty.
Came out perfect and was so simple!
I added all ingredients to a crock pot and slow cooked it all day. It was delicious.
Could it be made in a slow cooker?
I was wondering the same thing,
She has a recipe for her slow cooker in her cookbook. It is AMAZING! It is a bit different from this one. I literally just ate some leftovers for lunch and my coworker asked for the recipe. I got online and found this. I don’t have experience with this one, so I will get the slow cooker one to pass on. (I have not made a recipe from her that was not wonderful, so this probably is too!)
That’s how I made it. Five (high) to eight (low) hours is perfect!
I followed the recipe and it was perfect! So tasty. I will be making this again. I also made the Cuban style black beans , the combo was awesome.
I made this last night and received rave reviews from family. I had to use chuck due to cost of flank steak but it came out amazing. Great recipe! I made the instant pot version. This will be made for company!
I made this last night and received rave reviews from family. Great recipe! I made the instant pot version. This will be made for company!
I’ve made this recipe enough times that I should probably comment. lol It’s basically a staple in my meal prep now. The flavor is great, and the meat just falls apart, it’s so tender. Thanks!
So glad you enjoy it!
Tastes as good as my mom’s and much easier to make in the Dutch oven. Flavor was really deep and delicious, thank you!! My daughter and grandsons loved it too!
We have never had this dish before so nothing to compare it to but it was absolutely lick the bowl delicious!
Absolutely fantastic! Made in the Instant Pot. Meat was so tender – loved it as a bowl with beans, rice, meat and sauce all together. Will definitely make again.
I had never heard of this until I saw it mentioned on a show. Let me tell you, this is SO FLAVORFUL. I did the stove top directions. I had to make broth out of Better than Bullion and do the 50/50 of water and white wine vinegar. I cooked it for about 4 hours and it is so tender. I am SO HAPPY that I came across your recipe. I will absolutely be making this again!!
Glad you enjoyed it!
This was excellent. My mother was born in Cuba. This was a dish that she had told me about. I made it for her birthday; she is 77. She said that I “…out-did myself…”
She had mentioned that her mother would boil the meat, and then have a broth to make another meal later, and would cook the red sauce and seasoning to add the meat in. However, she said that it was good, like what she remembers of her childhood. I used the flat part of a brisket and trimmed the fat, and cut it into smaller sections to help it cook faster. I used the sazon seasoning recipe that you linked. I added fire roasted red peppers too, cos that is what her mother used for everything.
Thank you so much for sharing your recipe that helped me to give my mother a lovely birthday to remember.
Thank you so much for sharing that! Happy belated birthday to your mom!
Love this meal, thank you for the recipe! I used Sicilian olives and they were perfect
This is so delicious! My whole family loved it.
Another winner winner Skinnytaste dinner. Thank you for sharing these amazing recipes!
Made as written and it was DELICIOUS. Simmered for 2 hours in a Dutch oven because I don’t have an instant pot. Subbed turmeric in the homemade sazon recipe, and used homemade chicken stock. Will put this recipe into our regular rotation for sure!!
how long would I cook this on a crockpot?
This is absolutely one of favorite meals. Didn’t alter it in any way except to use chuck roast instead of flank steak. Slow cooked 4 1/2 hours.
There are different types of green olives. Which kind did you use?
So very delicious! I’ve made your recipes almost exclusively for over a year and this one will be on repeat! Perfect paired with your cool crunchy Quick Cabbage Salad!
Thanks Dee!
amazing recipe, got me wanting more
I dont like Cilantro!
youŕe nuts bro
I also dont like nuts
Then don’t use it! Awful reason to give 1 star
this was amazing!! thank you so much, I followed the directions exactly and it was really good.
This recipe is amazing!
Thank you!
One of my favourite recipes!!! I love love love it.
Prepared this recipe in the slow cooker, minus the olives. Sauteed the veggies on stovetop, prior to adding a layer of veggies to the cooker, the flank, and topped the steak with the remaining veggies. Family members thought it was great!! Will definitely prepare it again.
Can you use a crock pot instead of stove
Awesome recipe. Taste is exceptional. Forgive spelling. Meat is nice and tender! Ty
This was SO GOOD! I am already planning to make it again. It did have too much liquid so I removed the meat and reduced the sauce considerably. The flavor was outstanding.
This recipe was very easy to follow and the finished product was delicious. The ingredient list called for tomato paste but then the recipe called for tomato sauce. I ended up using tomato sauce and it made the meat super juicy. I would recommend buying pre-sliced olives to save some time. Otherwise, I wouldn’t change a thing. My husband loved it. I served it with plantains, white rice and avocado. Thank you @skinnytaste for another great latin recipe.
Just delicious and I made it with chuck beef, however I trimmed the fat as much I could and my family loved it.
Did you cook for the same amount of time,
This was delicious. My husband had this dish at the famous Cuban restaurant “The Columbia” in Tampa’s Ybor City and loved it. When I saw you had a recipe for it, I knew I had to try it. It did not disappoint. Thank you!! We will definitely make this again.
Great!!
Great flavor! I used our elk shank meat as the base. I did feel the initial seasoning base was a bit bland, so I jazzed it up with additional heat and chili powder. I’m sure it will freeze beautifully!
We enjoyed this but I used the stove top method and needed much longer that 1 1/2 to 2 hours to get tender and shred. The next time I make it I will plan to let it simmer 5-6 hours. I will also add additional spices as it was a bit bland for our taste preference. Will definitely try it again. Served it with jalapeño black beans and rice. Yummy but needs a bit more heat.
I prepared the recipe with certain changes, for example, I didn’t have achiote so I omitted it, I didn’t have white wine and I replaced it with white wine vinegar and I put the meat to cook first with the caldillo, before adding the vegetables. Everyone at home liked the dish, very good recipe!
Mine did not look like the photo, but it was delicious. I cooked it in the instant pot and had a lot of juice, so I thickened it with cornstarch. I just left the meat in tender chunks and served over rice with black beans as a side.
OMG❣️ This Native Tampa Girl is delighted with this Cuban recipe. It’s so authentic, very tasty and well worth the investment in ingredients. It cooked while we hung out in the pool. We’re taking the leftover liquid and adding ground beef with raisins & capers and making a pseudo Piccadillo leftovers. MMMUAHH for this treat. How do I post a photo?
Delicious. We had as tacos and will have leftovers with cauliflower gnocchi. The olives were a great addition. We ate as soon as the instant pot timer went off and did quick release and it still turned out amazing.
AMAZING! So flavorful and easy! Thanks for another amazing dish!
I made this tonight for dinner. It was fabulous and I will definitely be making this again.
Can a pork shoulder be used instead?
Im sure it would taste great!
This is tasty ! Made it with some rice, really enjoying it.
Can this be made with chicken ?
https://www.skinnytaste.com/chicken-ropa-vieja/
Followed this to the letter and it was a delight. I served it with Spanish rice and it was a hit with every member of the family, which is rare! We will absolutely make this again.
Your recipe and picture look great. However, I am of Cuban descent and I have made and eaten this dish many times. You will never see a Cuban add carrots, cilantro or chicken broth to this dish. Also, Spanish style tomato sauce works better than the paste.
As I mentioned, there’s many ways to make this dish and this is how my cousin makes hers. The beauty of cooking is we can all put our own spin on it 🙂
Cono girl(Anna)! You sound like an Italian grandma 😉lol
I am curious about the mention of Spanish tomatoe sauce instead of paste.
Could I substitute tomato paste for a jar of Sofrito ( I knew sofrito is more Puerto Rican)? Would I use more than 1 jar?
Thank you
I tried it in my slow cooker and it was absolutely delicious! I’m Colombian and the flavors in this dish were amazing and WW friendly! Love!
I’m using thin sliced sirloin tip that im hoping won’t overcook. I’m hoping this works.
Everybody loved it.
This was soooo good! We were a little skepitcal because we don’t always love flank steak. We made it in the Instapot and the meat was very tender and the whole dish was tasty. THis is a must make!
made this today. it was delish! I did not make any changes except I used more chicken broth than using wine.
Can this be made in a slow cooker?
Sure see my comments above
Oops – missed that response! Thanks!
tomato sauce is not included in the ingredients. is it one can?
oops it’s the tomato sauce mixture I see now. my bad.
Could you substitute the beef for chicken? Would the cooking time be the same on the stove?
Sure, I have a chicken version on my website
I would like to try this recipe, but I do not eat beef. Would the cooking time in the Instant Pot be different if using chicken breast? Would there be any other variations to this meal?
I would probably cut the cook time in half
Would short ribs work with this recipe?
Sure!
Looks delicious! Can this be made in a slow cooker as well?
Sure, cook 8 hrs on low
Can’t wait to try! Would
The crock pot work as well? If so, how long would you suggest? Thanks!
Sure I would saute the vegetables first. It will come out more watery in the slow cooker so I would add a little less liquid, but 8 hrs low is fine.
This looks great! If you were to cook this with a slow cooker, how long would you cook the beef for? (Or an Instant Pot on slow cook mode)
I never heard of this. Can’t wait to try it. Thank you.
Such a coincidence I was thinking of making this recipe soon. I’m Cuban living in Spain and every so often get a hankering for some childhood meals. I was wondering if the meat could not also be made in a regular pressure cooker? I normally just do it stove top but you got me thinking 🤔…
totally!!
Slow cooker method/timing?
How long would you cook this in a slow cooker?
Thank you
This is very good. I will definitely make this again.
Great!