Carne Guisada is a hearty, comforting stew made with tender beef and potato chunks slow-simmered in a rich, flavorful gravy of tomatoes, garlic, peppers, and spices. Perfect for homemade tacos or with rice!
This Carne Guisada recipe was inspired by a spicy beef dish I had at a Mexican restaurant we went to one time for lunch. I previously planned to post it on my other blog, but since it's similar to our Filipino cooking style, I think the recipe would be a good fit here on Kawaling Pinoy. It has the same rich flavor profile as our tomato-based classics, such as mechado, but with added earthy notes from the herbs and spices.
Ingredient notes
- Tough cuts like beef chuck roast, which are well-marbled and collagen-rich, are perfect for low-and-slow cooking, resulting in very tender meat and a nice, thick sauce. Brisket, beef round, or boneless beef shanks are also good options.
- Like in our picadillo soup, this beef stew's base is the holy trinity of Filipino flavors: onions, garlic, and tomatoes, while bell peppers are also a common addition to our classic dishes such as afritada and pork menudo.
- Cumin, chili pepper, and oregano are the backbone of Tex-Mex cooking, adding warmth, earthiness, and aroma.
- Beef broth and tomato paste provide the base for the sauce. A generous sprinkling of flour gives it a velvety gravy consistency.
- I like to add potatoes to stretch the dish, an inexpensive and tasty way to bulk up the meal and increase servings
How to make carne guisada
Pat the meat dry, and do not overcrowd the pan so the meat sears and browns properly. Cook in batches as needed so they develop a nice crust instead of steaming in the pot.
No need to wash the pan in between searing the meat and sautéing the aromatics. Those browned bits left at the bottom of the pan, called fond, bring amazing flavor and color to the stew.
Do not rush! This recipe takes about 1 ½ to 2 hours. By cooking at a gentle heat, you prevent the proteins from seizing, ensuring the meat stays moist and juicy rather than drying out.
Cook tip
Sauce too thick? Loosen it with more broth or water. Sauce too thin? Mix a tablespoon of flour or cornstarch with cold water, slowly whisk in the slurry to the bubbling pot, and simmer for a few more minutes to the desired consistency.
How to serve and store
- Give this easy yet flavorful Mexican-style braised beef for dinner tonight. It's traditionally served with Spanish rice and beans, but it's just as amazing, sandwiched between warm tortillas for a taco dinner. I li
- Store leftovers in a container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
- Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat to 165 F or microwave at 2- to 3-minute intervals until completely heated, stirring well between intervals.
More beef recipes
Ingredients
- 3 pounds beef chuck eye roast cut into 1-inch cubes
- salt and pepper to taste
- oil
- 1 large onion peeled and chopped
- 1 large bell pepper seeded, cored, and diced
- 6 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 4 large Roma tomatoes diced
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 large potatoes peeled and cubed
Instructions
- Season the beef with salt and pepper to taste.
- In a Dutch oven or wide pan over high heat, heat oil. Sear the beef in batches until browned. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add more oil to the pan as needed. Add onions and bell peppers until softened. Add garlic and continue sauteing until fragrant.
- Add tomatoes and cook, mashing with the back of a spoon, until softened and release juice.
- Sprinkle in flour and stir.
- Slowly pour in the broth, whisking to prevent lumps. Bring to a boil until slightly thickened.
- Add tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Return the beef and stir to combine.
- Lower heat, cover, and simmer for about 1 ½ to 2 hours or until the meat is very fork tender, adding more water in ½ cup increments if needed.
- Add potatoes and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes or until tender and the sauce is thickened.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.
Nutrition Information
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
Kathy says
I didn’t care for this
Lalaine Manalo says
I'm sorry the recipe didn't suit your tastes. May I ask what you didn't like about the dish?
Dominique Romine says
Loved this. I cut down cook time by cooking potatoes in microwave for 4 minutes before adding to the meat and sauce. Complete meal in 30 minutes
Kay says
I'm going to try this.
Lalaine Manalo says
Let us know how it goes, Kay.
Joann says
I added Hungarian paprika and cumin to mine and was excellent!
Liz says
Wow Im Mexican and I’m going to try this! Sounds so much easier than my mom teaching me to cook lol thank you!🙈
Lalaine Manalo says
Liz! Let us know how it goes 🙂
Chros says
I'm confused on one part of the recipe. It says it only takes the cubed potatoes 8 min to fully cook and be ready?
Lalaine Manalo says
The potatoes are cut into cubes and shouldn't take long to cook, but the recipe does say 8 to 10 minutes OR until tender. Feel free to cook it longer as needed.
Esther says
Thank you for sharing easy to follow directions but most important a delish meal! My house smell soo good and it taste amazing!
Lalaine Manalo says
Esther, I agree! The aroma from this dish makes me even hungrier!
Felicia says
This turned out amazing! I’m Mexican and this was very close to my moms home cooking. Comfort food! I served it with rice, beans, and tortillas.
Lalaine Manalo says
Thank you, Felicia! Rice, beans and tortillas always make things better 🙂
JoAnn Call says
Made it and it was delicious. Even my husband loved it and he is not much of a soup or stew person. I am going to try 3 jalapeno's next time. Also, going to try it with a different cut of meat. Maybe those stir-fry slices that they sell in the store. All in all this is a keeper for me.
Lalaine Manalo says
Thank you, Joanne, for the 5 stars. I am glad you and hubby enjoyed the recipe 🙂
Carla G Ulloa says
I made it with three jalapeños and it came out just perfect. Awesome recipe!
Lalaine says
Thank you for the 5-rating, Carla! I am glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
Ellen says
Is it okay to freeze this?
Lalaine Manalo says
Yes, you can freeze it. 🙂
Lisa Diggs says
Can you make it in a crock pot or instead pot
Lalaine says
I am sure you can. I haven't personally tried it, though, so I am not sure how many hours it would take and what adjustments to make.
Riots Phillips says
Thank you so much!!!
Lalaine says
You're welcome 🙂
Noemi says
Thank you for the recipe! My mom makes carne guisada all the time! This turned out very tasty and tender. My only problem was with the potatoes. They took an extra long time to soften. I believe the problem was that my liquid had reduced too much. I ended up adding a bit more broth so that the potatoes would cook. This is definitely a recipe I will be making again.However, it was a bit time intensive with all the prep and cooking that I probably save it for weekends.
KathyF says
We don't have jalapeno pepper here in Singapore. Anything that I substitute it with?
Lalaine Manalo says
You can substitute any type of chili peppers to add heat such as Thai chili peppers.