Cuban Ropa Vieja (Instant Pot or Slow Cooker)

Ropa Vieja, a dish famous in Cuba and in some of the Caribbean, features thin strands of shredded beef in a rich and flavorful sauce of peppers, tomatoes, onions and spices.

It’s 2023 – who doesn’t have an Instant Pot? 

I don’t know ANYONE who doesn’t. In fact, I own two of them and have used them both religiously for the last 8 years.

Not only can it make some of the best, family friendly meals in record time, it can be such a wonderful way for me to save money!  Being able to make delicious meals at home in a fraction of the time (and price!) is definitely a wonderful thing.

One of the best reasons to pick up an Instant Pot is to be able to make a roast faster than that of a slow cooker. Before the Instant Pot, I’d toss (literally!) a roast in the slow cooker in the morning and let that baby cook all day.

The house smelled quite incredible as the day progressed.  However, the kids knew that they would have to wait hours before it was finished and ready to eat.

This roast cooked up quickly as I cleaned the house on a random Saturday morning. The mixture of spices, tomato paste and fire roasted tomatoes made my house smell incredible!

Cuban Ropa Vieja

This is one of my kiddos favorite meals that I make in the Instant Pot – dump it over rice for the ultimate meal.

Ropa Vieja specialty translates to “old clothes’ in English.  The shreds of meat, peppers, cilantro and onions give the appearance of colorful rags. 

It’s definitely a keeper!

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4.50 from 4 votes

Ropa Vieja

This flavorful and rich Ropa Vieja cooks up easily in the Instant Pot. This Cuban specialty translates to "old clothes' in English, because the shreds of meat, peppers, cilantro and onions give the appearance of colorful rags.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Cuban

Keyword Ropa Vieja

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 372kcal

Equipment

• Pressure Cooker

Ingredients

• 2 lbs beef chuck roast
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt or more, to taste
• 2 Tbsp garlic minced
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 6 oz tomato paste
• 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 28 oz diced tomatoes fire roasted, drained
• 1 C. beef broth
• 2 ea bell peppers seeded and sliced into strips (we chose 1 red and 1 green, for variety)
• 1 ea onion sliced thin
• 1/4 C. cilantro chopped

Instructions

• In your empty Instant Pot, use the saute feature and your olive oil to sear the chuck roast for 2-3 minutes on each side, seasoning with pepper as you go.
• Once complete, turn the saute feature off. Add the minced garlic, tomato paste, red wine vinegar, cumin, chili powder, tomatoes, beef broth, peppers, and onion right in the pot with the beef.
• Place the lid on the Instant Pot, and seal the valve. Push the meat feature, and set the clock for 105 minutes.
• It'll take the pressure cooker about 15-20 minutes to come to pressure; then it will count down from 105 minutes. Once done, allow the Instant Pot to release naturally for 15-20 minutes (do not release early!)
• Use a tong and fork to shred the meat right there in the pot. Add your salt - more or less to taste.
• Serve on top of steamed white rice and top with fresh, chopped cilantro.
• Refrigerate any leftovers.

Notes

To make in your crock pot: Sear the meat in olive oil on the stovetop for 2-3 minutes per side, seasoning with pepper as you go. Transfer to your crock pot, and add the remaining ingredients (with the exception of salt & cilantro). Cook on high, 5 hours, or low for 8-9 hours until meat is tender and shreds easily. Add salt, and serve over rice. Garnish with cilantro.

Nutrition

Calories: 372kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 104mg | Sodium: 907mg | Potassium: 1136mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1415IU | Vitamin C: 22.4mg | Calcium: 94mg | Iron: 5.9mg

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