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    Home » Instant Pot Beef Recipes » Instant Pot Ropa Vieja

    Instant Pot Ropa Vieja

    Published: Jan 12, 2022 by Kate · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Instant Pot Ropa Vieja is the faster, easier take on the traditional Cuban dish. This tasty beef stew can be ready in about an hour.

    Blue plate with ropa vieja and white rice.

    Pressure cookers are such a great way to make long-cooking dishes faster without losing any flavor. This Instant Pot Ropa Vieja is just such a dish.

    Instant Pot Ropa Vieja is the faster take on the traditional Cuban dish because this tasty beef stew can be ready in about an hour. And since it's made in an electric pressure cooker, the meat is tender, and the meat is packed with flavor.

    FAQs

    Why is it called ropa vieja?

    Ropa vieja means "old clothes", and it describes the ragged look of the beef after it cooks.
    One story says that the dish got its name because a poor man once shredded his clothes and cooked them to feed his family.

    What cut of meat is used for ropa vieja?

    Ropa Vieja is traditionally made with flank steak. However, the extra fat in the chuck roast helps to keep the meat tender as it cooks in the Instant Pot.

    How to make ropa vieja in the Instant Pot

    ropa vieja in an instant pot silver pot

    Sear the meat, and transfer to a plate. Cook  the onion and bell peppers until soft.

    Stir in the garlic and seasonings. Deglaze the pot with wine.

    Add the tomatoes, beef, and bay leaf back to the pot. Cook and then quickly release the pressure.

    Shred the meat and stir in the olives.

    Plate of ropa vieja and rice on a wooden background.

    Tips

    • Chuck Roast: Traditional ropa vieja is make with flank steak. If you want to use flank steak, you'll need to add a little extra oil (1-2 tablespoons) to give the dish enough fat as it cooks. If you want to use a different cut of meat, you can also use brisket or boneless rump roast instead of the chuck roast.
    • Oil: Oils like vegetable oil or sunflower oil work well. You can also use avocado oil in this recipe.
    • Wine: If you don't want to use white wine, substitute an equal amount of beef or chicken broth.
    • Olives: Spanish olives are commonly sold as manzanilla olives. If you can't find Spanish olives, another green olive like Castelvetrano Olives make a good substitute.
    Instant pot ropa vieja next to a blue linen napkin.

    How to serve

    Ropa vieja has a stew-like consistency, and it is usually served with with rice or rice and beans.

    More Cuban-inspired Instant Pot recipes! 

    • Plate with white rice, black beans, and mojo pork on it.
      Instant Pot Mojo Pork
    • Shredded mojo chicken in a bowl with black beans and rice.
      Instant Pot Mojo Chicken
    • Plate of beef picadillo over black beans and rice.
      Instant Pot Beef Picadillo
    • Plate of Cuban chicken and rice next to pico de gallo.
      Instant Pot Cuban Chicken and Rice

    If you’ve tried this Instant Pot Ropa Vieja recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below. I love to hear from people who've made my recipes!

    You can FOLLOW ME on PINTEREST or FACEBOOK even more delicious food.

    Blue plate with ropa vieja and white rice.

    Instant Pot Ropa Vieja

    The Instant Pot makes this tasty Cuban dish much faster and easier than traditional versions.
    5 from 9 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Cuban
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 54 minutes
    Time to Pressure: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 14 minutes
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 467kcal
    Author: Kate at Eating in an Instant

    Equipment

    • Electric Pressure Cooker

    Ingredients

    • 2 ½ pounds boneless chuck roast
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 2 tablespoons neutral oil with a high smoke point
    • 1 ½ cups diced yellow or white onion
    • 2 red bell peppers seeded and diced
    • 6 cloves garlic peeled and minced
    • 15 ounce can diced tomatoes
    • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
    • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
    • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
    • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • ½ cup white wine
    • 1 bay leaf
    • ½ cup Spanish olives halved

    Instructions

    • Season roast with salt and pepper.
    • Select SAUTE.
    • When the Instant Pot reads HOT, add the oil.
    • Add the roast, and brown roast on all sides.
    • Transfer meat to a plate.
    • Stir onion and bell pepper into the pot, and cook until soft, about 3-4 minutes.
    • Add the garlic, oregano, cumin, paprika, and cayenne pepper, and cook for 30 seconds.
    • Deglaze the pot with the wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
    • Press CANCEL.
    • Add the tomatoes with their juice, browned beef, and bay leaf back to the inner pot.
    • Close and lock the lid in place.
    • Turn the pressure release valve to SEALING.
    • Select MANUAL and adjust time to 45 minutes and pressure to HIGH.
    • Once the cooking time finishes, carefully turn the pressure release valve to VENTING to release pressure.
    • Remove the lid and discard the bay leaf.
    • Shred the meat, and stir in the olives.

    Notes

    • Chuck roast: Traditionally, flank steak is used in ropa vieja, but chuck roast or rump roast works better in the Instant Pot version. If you want to use flank steak, add an additional 1-2 tablespoons of oil to the recipe.
    • Oil: Oils like vegetable or sunflower work well.
    • Wine: If you don't want to use white wine, beef or chicken broth makes a good substitute.
    • Nutrition values are estimates.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 467kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 130mg | Sodium: 824mg | Potassium: 977mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1815IU | Vitamin C: 61mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 6mg
    Tried this recipe?Leave me a comment below to let me know!
    « Instant Pot Beef Picadillo
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Freddy Uribe

      January 18, 2023 at 1:21 am

      One of my favorite dishes. I treat myself twice a month.
      Two thumbs up!

      Reply
      • Kate

        January 18, 2023 at 2:29 am

        Thank you so much!

        Reply
    2. Emmy

      August 09, 2022 at 3:39 am

      5 stars
      A new favorite!

      Reply
      • Kate

        August 09, 2022 at 7:16 pm

        Thank you!

        Reply
    3. Craig P

      March 27, 2022 at 6:02 pm

      5 stars
      We tried and liked this dish (sans olives) had it with Quinoa (instead of rice) with red kidney beans. Will be doing it again.

      Reply
      • Kate

        April 26, 2022 at 2:38 pm

        I'm glad that you liked it! Thanks for commenting!

        Reply
    4. Bill

      February 03, 2022 at 9:10 pm

      5 stars
      This was good. I liked it.

      Reply
      • Kate

        February 04, 2022 at 3:08 am

        Thank you!

        Reply
    5. Paula

      January 29, 2022 at 8:42 pm

      5 stars
      Love the spices in this dish. Great for leftovers.

      Reply
      • Kate

        January 29, 2022 at 8:48 pm

        Thanks! I'm glad you liked it!

        Reply

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