This easy and delicious Carne Guisada is a flavorful Latin beef stew made with chunks of beef, onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, and warm and smoky spices.
You are going to love this tasty stew. It is just that darn good! Serve with warm tortillas, refried beans, black beans, or cilantro lime rice.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients on the recipe card below.
- Beef stew: You can also use a chuck roast, which is the most common cut for precut beef stew. I trim it up and cut it into bite-sized pieces.
- Bell pepper: Green bell pepper is more authentic, but you can use any color bell pepper.
- Tomatoes: I use fresh ripe Roma tomatoes. You can substitute a 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes.
- Smoked paprika: Not to be confused with sweet paprika. The red peppers are smoked over an oak fire before grinding.
- Beef broth: Preferably low-sodium.
- Bay leaves: Don’t forget to remove the bay leaves before serving.
How To Make Carne Guisada
This is a summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please refer to the recipe card below.
- Salt and pepper the beef stew.
- Brown it in a bit of olive oil over medium heat. Remove the browned beef to a plate.
- Add the bell peppers and onions. Cook over medium-low heat. Add the tomatoes, garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, and cayenne pepper. Cook for 1 minute while stirring.
- Sprinkle in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Stir in the beef broth, bay leaves, and browned beef.
- Cover and simmer over low heat for 1-1½ hours or until the meat is fork-tender. Remove the bay leaves. Garnish with cilantro.
Preparation Tips
- If using a Dutch oven, you can cover and bake it in the oven instead of simmering.
- To peel tomatoes, add them to boiling water for a minute. Then, using a slotted spoon, move them to an ice bath. The tomatoes will peel so easily.
- There will be brown bits in the pot after browning the meat. In culinary terms, this is called fond. After adding the vegetables and beef broth, scrape the bottom of the pot to collect the browned bits. They are loaded with flavor.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve this with Mexican rice, pinto beans, or ranch-style beans. Other great choices are skillet cornbread, sweet potato cornbread, corn fritters, or flour tortillas.
More Mexican Recipes
Carne Guisada
This easy and delicious Carne Guisada is a flavorful Latin beef stew made with chunks of beef, onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, and warm and smoky spices.
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Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 399kcal
Ingredients
- 3 lbs beef stew
- salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2-3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 2 Roma tomatoes, peeled and chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 pinches ground cayenne
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 2 bay leaves
- chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Generously salt and pepper the beef stew. Heat 1½ tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Brown the beef in batches, adding more oil if needed. Move the browned beef to a plate.
- Add more oil if needed. Cook the onions and bell peppers over medium-low heat until soft. Add the tomatoes, garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, and cayenne pepper. Cook for 1 minute while stirring.
- Sprinkle in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Slowly stir in the beef broth. Add the bay leaves and browned beef. Cover and simmer over low heat for 1-1½ hours or until the meat is fork-tender.
- Remove the bay leaves. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Garnish with chopped cilantro.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in the microwave at reduced power for short intervals until warm.
- Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Nutrition
Calories: 399kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 54g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 141mg | Sodium: 362mg | Potassium: 1172mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 759IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 6mg
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Barbie R
This stew looks amazing and I want it because it sounds so delicious. It’s giving total yummy, yummy, yummy vibes and yes, I’m all about that this for this time of year.
Beth Pierce
I agree 100%
Kat
That carne guisada looks so comforting and homey. Great share for those cozy dinner nights.
Jocelyn
I just had this same exact dish at our Mexican dinner out last week. One of my faves! I’ll be trying out your recipe.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Jocelyn! Enjoy!
Alejandra
I’m a fan of carne guisada, but this was my first time making it at home. The recipe worked perfectly!
Catalina
I made this for dinner and the meat came out so tender. The gravy was rich and full of flavor!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Catalina! We love it too!
Tammy
Oh this will definitely warm you up this winter! It brings the flavor and the heat! Such a delicious meal…was a huge hit with the family.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Tammy! So happy that you enjoyed it.
Ben
I’ve never had beef stew like this before. I really liked it. It has a great flavor.
Terri
I’m a Southern California girl who now lives in Texas, so I really appreciated this stew. It’s so good and so full of flavor.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Terri! We love it too!
Kristin
This might be the best beef stew I’ve ever made. We all loved it so much, even the kids.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Kristin! So glad that you liked it.
Maria
This is one great recipe. I really enjoyed the tender meat and all those spices. YUM!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Maria!