Ropa Vieja
Flank steak braised until it falls into strands, with pepper ribbons, olives and a slug of wine.
Ingredients
- 220 g Beef flank steak
- 20 ml Extra-virgin olive oil
- 70 g Onion
- ½ Green bell pepper
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 150 g Canned tomatoes
- 1 tsp Ground cumin
- ⅛ tsp Salt
- ¼ Red bell pepper (optional)
- 15 g Manzanilla olives (optional)
- ½ tbsp Capers (optional)
- ½ tsp Dried oregano (optional)
- 40 ml White wine (optional)
- 1 Bay leaves (optional)
- 8 g Cilantro (optional)
Method
- Pat the flank dry and rub it all over with the salt and the cumin.
- Sear the steak in the oil over a high flame until a dark crust sets on both faces, then lift it out onto a plate.
- While the steak sears, cut the onion and both peppers into long thin ribbons and slice the garlic.
- Drop the ribbons into the fat left behind and cook them down, adding the garlic once they slump, until the whole pan smells sweet rather than sharp.
- Pour in the wine and scrape the base clean, then tip in the tomatoes with the oregano and the bay leaf.
- Lay the steak back in with its resting juices, cover, and braise at the barest tremble until the meat parts into strands when you push it.
- Pull the beef apart in the pot with two forks, stir in the olives and capers, and let it bubble uncovered until the sauce clings to the strands.
- Spoon it out and tear the coriander over the top.
Tap “Start cooking” for live timers that flag what to get ahead on while something simmers.
About Ropa Vieja
Ropa Vieja is a Cuban lunch or dinner that comes together in about 83 minutes and serves 1.
Ropa Vieja: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Ropa Vieja?
A serving has about 729 calories — 50.5g protein, 32.3g carbs, 43.3g fat, 9.2g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is it high in protein?
Each serving has about 50.5g of protein, roughly 28% of its calories.
Is Ropa Vieja gluten-free?
Based on its ingredients, Ropa Vieja has no gluten-containing components, so it's naturally gluten-free — as always, check that any packaged ingredients you use are certified gluten-free to be safe.
How long does Ropa Vieja take to make?
About 83 minutes start to finish, but only around 32 of those are hands-on — the rest is largely unattended cooking time you can step away from. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
Do I need every ingredient to make Ropa Vieja?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out red bell pepper, manzanilla olives, capers — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Ropa Vieja make?
This recipe makes 1 serving. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.