Instant Pot Ropa Vieja Recipe

White bowl of Instant Pot Ropa Vieja surrounded by cilantro, lime slices, blue gray napkin, a stack of 3 white plates, and partial view of a white bowl of white rice.

Instant Pot Ropa Vieja Recipe

Instant Pot Ropa Vieja is a delicious braised beef recipe that has been made easier and faster by cooking it in the Instant Pot! Shredded beef in a savory, beefy au jus with sliced onions, peppers, and the flavors of adobo, olives, and spices, make this dish exquisite!

Course Main Dishes

Cuisine Cuban

Keyword Cuban Beef, Cuban Ropa Vieja, Instant Pot Cuban Beef, Instant Pot Ropa Vieja, Ropa Vieja

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Marinating Time 8

Total Time 9

Servings

Calories 567kcal

Author Michele @ Flavor Mosaic

Ingredients

Marinade Ingredients For Ropa Vieja

1 cubanelle pepper (or 1/4 green bell pepper or 1/2 jalapeno)
1 teaspoon salt (May need to reduce if other ingredients are not reduced sodium)
2 teaspoons soy sauce (Recommend low sodium)
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons Adobo seasoning (See note below.)
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon beef bouillon (or Sazon. Recommend low sodium beef bouillon)
1 teaspoon cumin
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon minced garlic (about 1 clove garlic)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 onion, diced

Beef Ropa Vieja Ingredients

3 pounds chuck roast (cut into large chunks)
1/4 cup oil
1 cup beef broth (recommend low sodium version)
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
1/2 cup white onion, sliced
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 green pepper, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
1 cup Spanish olives, with juice
1 tablespoon cilantro, minced

Instructions

How To Make The Marinade For Ropa Vieja

Combine all the marinade ingredients and pour them over the chunks of beef.
Cover with plastic wrap and marinate for 1 to 24 hours.

Ropa Vieja Beef Recipe for Instant Pot

When the meat has marinated, remove from the refrigerator and let it sit for 10 minutes before cooking. Remove from the marinade, but keep the marinade to cook with.
Heat the oil in the instant pot on saute. Brown 4 to 5 pieces of meat at a time on all sides. Remove and repeat till all the meat has been browned.
Add the marinade back into the pan and all the meat. Place the lid on the pan and seal.
Set the instant pot for Meat and set for 45 minutes.
When the meat has finished cooking, remove and add all the remaining EXCEPT the cilantro.
Stir to combine and set to Saute for 30 minutes.
Shred the meat and add it back into the pan. Saute for an additional 10 to 30 minutes. You want the sauce to cook down to thicken.
Remove and serve with rice.

Video

Notes

Cook Time. The cook time does not include the time for the Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker to come up to pressure and to de-pressurize. This can add a total of roughly 20 to 30 minutes to the total cook time.
Marinade the Beef. Don't skip this step. I realize it takes some planning and time, but it is well worth it because it adds so much flavor. You can marinade the beef for a minimum of an hour and up to 24 hours. However, I recommend marinating overnight.
Reduced Sodium Ingredients. I highly recommend using reduced sodium versions of the bouillon beef and beef broth. If you don't use the reduced sodium versions, then I recommend reducing or eliminating the added salt.
Adobo Seasoning. If you don't have store-bought Adobo Seasoning, then make your own by combining 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon cumin in a bowl.
Brown The Beef In Batches. It is important to brown the beef in batches because you don't want to crowd the beef because what will happen is that the beef will end up being steamed instead of browned.
Serve The Next Day. This is one of those dishes that tastes better the next day after the flavors have had additional time to combine and fully develop. This makes it a perfect make ahead dish.

Nutrition