My Healthy Ropa Vieja Recipe
OK, so “ropa vieja” may have a funny translation (it’s Spanish for “old clothes” lol), but it is DELICIOUS! In fact, so much so that it’s one of the national dishes of Cuba and super popular in other parts of the Caribbean like Puerto Rico and Panama. This is one of my favorite family dinners to make so I’m excited to share my healthy Ropa Vieja recipe with you!
The simple description of this dish is “shredded stewed beef with vegetables.” But, it’s so much more than that. Beef and tomatoes are the key ingredients. Red and green bell peppers and onions add amazing flavor to a dish that is full of protein and nutrients.
Traditionally, Ropa Vieja is made with flank steak. This is a great option if you’re a healthy eater as it’s a lean cut of meat. Don’t worry about flavor because the veggies work together to make this dish extremely flavorful without the fat!
I make this healthy Ropa Vieja every so often—cooking it overnight in my slow cooker. And, the BEST news is that it’s totally compliant with the Portion Fix/21 Day Fix eating plan! I have to say that it sorta does look like a pile of old clothes when I open up the slow cooker, but it definitely smells WAY better. 😉
- 1 LEAN cut of beef flank steak, etc.
- 1 white onion chopped
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- 1 can stewed tomatoes I like to use the big ones and cut them in quarters
- 3 bay leaves
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 cup cilantro chopped
- Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low overnight (or high for several hours)
- When done, shred the beef with two forks.
- Serve over brown rice IF you want!
