Cuban Ropa Vieja
Cuba's national dish: flank steak braised in a cumin-scented tomato sofrito with peppers and onions, pulled into long strands and finished with green olives and capers.
Nutrition per serving
about 1¼ cups- Net carbs
- 6.6g
- Calories
- 417kcal
- Protein
- 44g
- Fat
- 23g
- Total carbs
- 9.5 g
- Fiber
- 2.9 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient (optional ingredients excluded). Brands vary — check your labels if you track closely.
Ingredients
With chuck roast: Chuck is fattier than flank, so it braises up even more tender and juicy, with shorter, softer shreds.
- Braise 2½–3 hours, until the chuck falls apart, and skim any fat from the surface before adding the olives and capers.
Chicken (ropa vieja de pollo): Boneless chicken thighs simmered in the same sofrito with chicken broth — ready in under an hour.
- Brown the thighs 3 minutes per side, then simmer covered in the sauce 35–40 minutes, until they shred easily and reach at least 165°F (74°C).
- Beef
- Sofrito & sauce
- To finish
- Nice to have (optional)
- Beef
- Sofrito & sauce
- To finish
- Nice to have (optional)
- Beef
- Sofrito & sauce
- To finish
- Nice to have (optional)
Estimated cost $38.58 for 6 servings ($6.43 each) · how we estimate
Instructions
-
Pat the steak dry and season with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown the pieces in two batches, 3–4 minutes per side. Set aside on a plate.
-
Lower the heat to medium. Add the onion and both peppers and cook 6–8 minutes, scraping up the browned bits, until soft. Stir in the garlic, cumin, oregano and paprika and cook 1 minute.
-
Pour in the wine, if using, and simmer until reduced by half. Stir in the tomato sauce, tomato paste, broth and vinegar and add the bay leaves. Return the beef and its juices, nestling the pieces into the sauce.
-
Bring to a simmer, cover and cook over low heat for 2–2½ hours, turning the beef once, until it pulls apart easily with a fork.
-
Lift out the beef and shred it along the grain into long, ragged strands. Return it to the pot with the olives and capers and simmer uncovered 10–15 minutes, until the sauce is thick and clings to the meat. Discard the bay leaves and taste for salt.
-
Serve over cauliflower rice, scattered with cilantro.
Tips for success
-
Shred with the grain, not against it. The long, tattered strands are the "old clothes" the dish is named for. - In Cuba it comes with white rice, black beans and fried plantains. Cauliflower rice and a simple avocado salad keep the plate keto.
- Slow cooker: brown the beef and cook the sofrito on the stove, then cook everything on low for 8 hours. Shred and stir in the olives and capers at the end.
Nice to have, not needed
- A Dutch oven is ideal; a slow cooker or a pressure cooker (45 minutes on high) works too.
- Sliced avocado alongside is a cool, creamy contrast — nice, not needed.
Storage & meal prepMeal-prep friendly
- Keeps 4 days in the fridge
- Freezes up to 3 months
Reheat: Warm in a covered saucepan over medium-low heat with a splash of broth, or microwave 2–3 minutes, stirring halfway.
Prep tip: Freeze in portions with plenty of sauce; it thaws overnight in the fridge and reheats in minutes.
Refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. The flavor gets even better overnight.
Variations
2 variations, each with its own ingredients and macrosWith chuck roast
ProteinChuck is fattier than flank, so it braises up even more tender and juicy, with shorter, softer shreds.
- flank steak → boneless beef chuck roast
6.6 g net · 576 kcal · 40 g protein · 42 g fat · ≈$5.36 per serving (same net carbs as the original)
Chicken (ropa vieja de pollo)
ProteinBoneless chicken thighs simmered in the same sofrito with chicken broth — ready in under an hour.
- flank steak → boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- beef broth → chicken broth
6.6 g net · 329 kcal · 39 g protein · 15 g fat · ≈$2.70 per serving (same net carbs as the original)
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