Slow-Cooked Beef Ropa Vieja with Sofrito and Bell Peppers
Tender shredded beef braised with a vibrant sofrito base and colorful bell peppers, embodying rich Cuban flavors. This Spanish-inspired beef recipe, ready in about 495 minutes, pairs Beef chuck roast, Olive oil, Yellow onion for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 420 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, trimmed and cut into 2-inch chunks Beef chuck roast
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 medium, diced Yellow onion
- 1, sliced into thin strips Green bell pepper
- 1, sliced into thin strips Red bell pepper
- 4, minced Garlic cloves
- 1 cup Canned crushed tomatoes
- 2 tbsp Tomato paste
- 1 cup Beef broth
- 1 tsp Ground cumin
- 1 tsp Dried oregano
- 1 Bay leaf
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black pepper
- 2 tbsp, chopped Fresh cilantro
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 lb beef chuck roast chunks and brown on all sides for about 6-8 minutes, then transfer to a slow cooker.
- Step 2: In the same skillet, sauté 1 diced yellow onion, 1 sliced green bell pepper, 1 sliced red bell pepper, and 4 minced garlic cloves over medium heat for 5 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Step 3: Stir in 1 cup crushed tomatoes, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper; cook for 2 minutes to meld flavors.
- Step 4: Pour the vegetable and tomato mixture over the beef in the slow cooker, add 1 cup beef broth and 1 bay leaf, cover, and cook on low for 8 hours until the beef is tender enough to shred.
- Step 5: Remove bay leaf, shred the beef with two forks, mix well with the sauce, and sprinkle 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro before serving.







