Easy Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja

Discover the magic of Cuban cuisine with this delectable Ropa Vieja recipe, an easy and flavorful slow cooker dish that brings rich tradition right to your table.

• Prep: 15 min
• Cook: 8 hr
• Total: 8 hr 15 min
• Servings: 8
• Cuisine: Cuban
• Difficulty: Easy
• Cost: $6.08/serving

Dietary

• Gluten-Free
• Dairy-Free
• Nut-Free
• Soy-Free
• Egg-Free
• High-Protein
• Low-Carb

Tags

• comfort food
• savory
• slow cooker

Ingredients

• 1.5 pound beef steak (skirt, flank, or top sirloin)
• 1 onion (sliced)
• 1 carrot (sliced into chunks)
• 1 bell pepper (red or orange, sliced into strips)
• 6 clove garlic (minced or pressed)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cumin (ground)
• 2 beef bouillon cubes
• 0.5 cup water
• 16 ounce tomato sauce
• 2 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 0.6666666666666666 cup peas (frozen)
• 0.5 can tomato paste

Instructions

1. Place meat in the bottom of the slow cooker.
2. Add all spices (salt, ground cumin, oregano, black pepper) and bouillon on top of the meat.
3. Add vegetables (onion, carrot, bell pepper) into the slow cooker, reserving the peas for later.
4. Top with tomato sauce and water. Optionally, add up to half a can of tomato paste for a thicker sauce.
5. Cook on low for 8 hours.
6. About 4-5 minutes before serving, boil the frozen peas over medium heat for 4-5 minutes.
7. Add the boiled peas to the slow cooker and stir to combine.
8. Shred the cooked meat and serve the Ropa Vieja over rice.

Notes

Do not add peas or small vegetables too early in the slow cooker, as they can turn to mush. Add them towards the end of the cooking process. Can be adapted for an Instant Pot (approx. 90 mins high pressure) or Dutch oven (approx. 3-4 hours at 350°F after browning). Serve over white rice, with black beans, on tacos, or with fried plantains.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 272
• Protein: 26.4 g
• Carbohydrates: 12.2 g
• Fat: 12.8 g
• Fiber: 3.1 g
• Sodium: 842 mg
• Saturated Fat: 5.1 g
• Sugar: 6 g
• Cholesterol: 68 mg