Pabellón Venezolano: Shredded Beef with Black Beans and Fried Plantains

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-27 · Updated 2026-05-27

Venezuela's iconic dish featuring tender shredded beef stewed with spices, served alongside black beans, white rice, and sweet fried plantains. This Latin American-inspired beef recipe, ready in about 140 minutes, pairs beef flank steak, onion, garlic cloves for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 550 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 lb, cut into chunks beef flank steak
• 1 medium, diced onion
• 4, minced garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 1/2 cups black beans (canned, drained)
• 1 cup uncooked white rice
• 2 cups water
• 2 large ripe plantains
• to taste salt and black pepper
• 2 tbsp, chopped (optional) cilantro

The pan we’d use for this → Best Nonstick Cookware for 2026: Top 5 Skillet Picks + Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 diced onion and 4 minced garlic cloves; sauté for 4 minutes until fragrant and translucent.
2. Step 2: Add 1 lb beef flank steak chunks, 2 tbsp tomato paste, and 1 tsp ground cumin; cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently to brown the beef.
3. Step 3: Pour in 1 cup beef broth, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until beef is fork-tender and shreds easily.
4. Step 4: Meanwhile, rinse 1 cup uncooked white rice under cold water. In a saucepan, bring 2 cups water to boil, add the rice and a pinch of salt, reduce to low heat, cover, and cook for 18 minutes until water is absorbed and rice is fluffy.
5. Step 5: Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Peel and slice 2 large ripe plantains diagonally into 1/2-inch slices. Fry for 3 minutes per side until golden and caramelized; drain on paper towels and season lightly with salt.
6. Step 6: Warm 1 1/2 cups canned black beans in a small saucepan, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Step 7: Shred the beef with two forks and stir in 2 tbsp chopped cilantro if desired. Serve shredded beef alongside white rice, black beans, and fried plantains on a large plate for a traditional Venezuelan meal.