Carne Guisada or Puerto Rican beef stew is made with chunks of beef and vegetables stewed in a savory sofrito sauce until the meat is juicy and tender. It is loaded with flavor and makes for a deliciously satisfying meal. Carne guisada is one of Puerto Rico’s favorite comfort foods.
What is carne guisada?
Carne guisada is made with chunks of beef, carrots, potatoes, and olives stewed in a rich sofrito and tomato broth. It’s savory and delicious. This beef stew is usually served over white rice. It is especially comforting during cold winter months. A bowl of carne guisada warms the soul.
This dish stirs up nostalgia for me. It reminds me of my childhood when my mom would make carne guisada, at least once a week. Puerto Rican beef stew is a dish that feels like home and always makes my heart happy.
What is the difference between carne asada and carne guisada?
Carne asada is grilled meat and carne guisada is stewed meat. Asada literally translates to “grilled” in Spanish. Guisada means “stewed” in Spanish.
What are the best cuts of beef for carne guisada?
Beef stew is typically made with beef chuck which comes from the large shoulder of a cow. Beef roast, top and bottom round, and tips can be used as stew meat. I especially love using rib eye steak because it’s cooks down super tender and juicy. If using a large piece of steak or chunk of meat, you’ll need to cut it into 2-inch cubes. It’s also important to sear the beef prior to stewing, to enhance the flavor of the overall dish.
Ingredients for making Puerto Rican beef stew:
- Beef chuck or rib eye steak
- Sofrito
- Tomato sauce
- Beef or chicken bouillon, Better than Bouillon
- 32 oz water
- Dry red wine, Merlot or Cabernet
- Adobo, Healthy Rican
- Sazon, Healthy Rican
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Ground oregano
- Bay leaves
- Pimento stuffed olives
- Carrots
- Potatoes
- Onion
- Bell pepper
- Cilantro
- Red wine vinegar
How to make carne guisada?
Season the beef cubes with adobo, sazon, onion powder, garlic powder, and oregano. Place a caldero or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the olive oil and sear the beef for about 5 minutes or until browned on each side. Remove the beef and set aside.
Add the sofrito, tomato sauce and bouillon to the pot. Stir until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Add the water, red wine, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and add the beef back into the pot. Cook on low for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally until the beef is tender.
Add the potatoes, carrots, peppers, olives, onion, and cilantro sprigs. Continue cooking for 30 more minutes or until the potatoes and carrots are tender. Add the vinegar, stir and then check the carne guisada for seasoning. Adjust as necessary. TIP: If the broth is too watery, thicken it with a cornstarch slurry. Mix equal parts of cornstarch and cold water. Start with 1 tablespoon of corn starch + 1 tablespoon of water, and add more if necessary.
What to serve with Puerto Rican beef stew?
Puerto Rican beef stew is typically served with white rice, fried sweet plantains, salad, and avocado. You could of course serve this dish with your sides of choice. Beef stew is a versatile dish and can pair beautifully with anything. It also makes for amazing leftovers the next day! Get creative and make something exciting with the leftover beef like tacos, burritos, enchiladas, or fried rice!
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Carne Guisada Recipe (Puerto Rican Beef Stew)
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 lbs beef chuck or rib eye cubed
- 1/4 cup sofrito
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 1 tbsp beef or chicken bouillon Better than Bouillon
- 32 oz water
- 1/4 cup dry red wine (drinking wine, not cooking wine) Cabernet, Pinot Noir, or Merlot
- 2 tsp adobo Healthy Rican
- 2 tsp sazon Healthy Rican
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp ground oregano
- 2 dry bay leaves
- 1/4 cup pimento stuffed olives
- 1 cup carrots sliced
- 1 cup potatoes diced
- 1 onion whole
- 1/2 green bell pepper sliced
- 1/2 red bell pepper sliced
- 3 sprigs cilantro
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar
Instructions
- Season the beef cubes with adobo, sazon, onion powder, garlic powder, and oregano.
- Place a caldero or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the olive oil and sear the beef for about 5 minutes or until browned on each side. Remove the beef and set aside.
- Add the sofrito, tomato sauce and bouillon to the pot. Stir until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Add the beef back into the pot.
- Add the water, red wine, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and then cover and reduce heat to low for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally until the beef is tender.
- Add the potatoes, carrots, peppers, olives, onion, and cilantro sprigs. Continue cooking for 30 more minutes or until the potatoes and carrots are tender.
- Remove the aromatics (cilantro, onion), if desired.
- Add the vinegar, stir and then check the carne guisada for seasoning. Adjust as necessary.
- TIP: If the broth is too watery, thicken it with a cornstarch slurry. Mix equal parts of cornstarch and cold water. Start with 1 tablespoon of corn starch + 1 tablespoon of water, and add more if necessary.
Video
Notes
TIPS:
If the broth is too watery, thicken it with a cornstarch slurry. Mix equal parts of cornstarch and cold water. Start with 1 tablespoon of corn starch + 1 tablespoon of water. Add it to the broth and stir while the flame is on medium. The heat will help the cornstarch thicken the broth nicely. This is usually enough but add a little more slurry, if necessary. Use drinking wine, not cooking wine. Cooking wine contains salt and additives that can ruin the flavors of this dish. Drinking wine will enhance the flavors and take this dish to a new level! I recommend dry red wine like Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, or Merlot.HEALTHY RICAN DISCOUNT:
I love to use Healthy Rican seasonings because they are free of harmful ingredients like MSG and dyes. Use my code: madewithsazon for 10% off your Healthy Rican order!Check out more Latin recipes!
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Puerto Rican Corned Beef (Carne Bif)
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I just tried the Carne Guisada recipe from Made with Sazon, and it’s an absolute delight! The beef was so tender and juicy, and the sofrito sauce added a depth of flavor that was out of this world. Highly recommend this recipe to anyone looking to bring a taste of Puerto Rico to their table.
Thank you for sharing this, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I love carne guisada with rice or pasta yours looks so delicious 🤤 💕
Thank you for your great feedback! I really appreciate it and I’m so happy you liked this recipe!
Recipe was absolutely amazing 🇵🇷
Thank you Manesha for your great feedback! I’m so happy you enjoyed this carne guisada recipe!
Thank you for this recipe!! It’s the first time my husband devoured something I made that was authentic. This is a keeper!
Thank you so much Joann, that makes me so happy to hear! Thank you for visiting my site and leaving amazing feedback. I hope you will be back for more recipes!
This was my first time making this dish and it came out perfect.. thanks for the recipe!
I am so happy you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for your amazing feedback, Luis!