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Instant Pot Ropa Vieja

Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
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Big Kids Plate
Toddler Plate

Let Your Friends Try This Recipe!

Why we love it:

Ropa Vieja translates roughly to “old clothes” because of the way the beef shreds apart into flavorful juicy strips. This is definitely a recipe to double (or triple!) and store in batches in the freezer. It’s incredible for a party spread and is a hit with kids and adults alike. This Instant Pot version is so easy to prep and really speeds up the process.

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds Skirt Steak (or flank steak)
  • 112 teaspoons Kosher Salt (divided)
  • 12 teaspoon Black Pepper
  • 2 teaspoons Dried Oregano
  • 112 teaspoons Paprika
  • 112 teaspoons Ground Cumin
  • 3 cloves Garlic
  • 1 Onion
  • 1 Red Bell Pepper
  • 1 Green Bell Pepper
  • 2 Limes (zest and juice)
  • 1 15-ounce can Diced Tomatoes
  • 13 cup Water (or stock)
  • 1 cup Basmati Rice (White)
  • 2 Bay Leafs

Cooking Instructions

  • 1. INSTANT POT

    Set up your pot.

  • 2. CHOP

    Slice the steak into 2 - 3" pieces. Toss with 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper, and spices (2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1 ½ teaspoons paprika, 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin).

    Mince the garlic. Slice the onion into half-moons. Slice the peppers into long strips. Add all to the pot. Add the zest and juice of 1 lime.

    Add the can of tomatoes and 1/3 cup water (or stock/broth if you have some and prefer to use it).

  • 3. SEAL

    Seal and cook at high pressure for 30 minutes. When the timer is done, allow for a natural pressure release (you can try quick release if needed but the meat will cook a little longer with the slower, natural release and we like that).

  • 4. RICE

    Bring 1 cup white rice and 1 ½ cups water to a boil with ½ teaspoon of salt. Once simmering, stir well and reduce to the lowest heat and cover. Steam for 17 minutes. Turn off the heat and fluff with a fork (add a knob of butter if desired). You can drape the top of the pot with a clean towel and replace the lid; the rice can sit like this for about 30 minutes before serving.

  • 5. SIMMER

    Remove the beef to a casserole dish or bowl. Turn the Instant Pot on to simmer and reduce the juices by about 1/3rd or so. Meanwhile, shred the beef with a fork and return it to the Instant Pot (it’s ok to add it back in while it’s still simmering).

    Taste and add a pinch more salt as needed.

  • 6. SERVING

    Serve over rice or with tortillas. If you have some cilantro you can add it on the top. Serve with the remaining lime cut into wedges.

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Substitutions

  • STEAK:
    this is a wild sub because ropa vieja is ALWAYS steak, but if you make this with chicken thighs or even a whole chicken in the pot, it will taste amazing
  • PEPPERS:
    again, important to the real dish, but if you left them out, it will still taste good
  • OLIVES:
    some recipes call for olives or capers - add them if it makes you happy!
  • RICE:
    great over roasted potatoes or just with tortillas too

Kid Friendly Version

Big Kids Plate
Toddler Plate

How to Tweak This Recipe for Kids:

  • Chop their meat into small pieces if needed; the longer strings can be hard for little kids
  • Roll up in tortillas with some rice and cheese for a familiar setting

For Toddlers

  • Chop meat and peppers up finely so it’s more of a mash. Mix with rice or serve it on the side

For Choosy Eaters

  • If they don’t see you make it, it’s fairly easy to pull the meat out of the sauce and even “dry” it off a little on a paper towel. If they like seared steak at all, you can put a few pieces in a sauté pan which dries it out further and gives it crispy edges
  • Rolled up in or next to a cheese tortilla, it will look familiar
  • Leave some bell pepper slices for nibbling on the side
  • Try with mashed avocado or sour cream/ yogurt on the side

Prep Ahead & Use It Up

  1. Make the dish entirely – it tastes even better the next day
  2. Make the rice ahead and microwave to serve
  3. Leftovers are fantastic for days. Wrap some in a jar or tupperware and freezer it. Defrost in the fridge and reheat in a pot to serve
Rate this recipe:
2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 52 votes, average: 5.00 out of 52 votes, average: 5.00 out of 52 votes, average: 5.00 out of 52 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5 (2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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