Cuban · lunch, dinner
Ropa Vieja (Cuban Shredded Beef in Tomato Sauce)
Ropa vieja cubana
Video by Receta Cubana on YouTube, in Spanish · Open on YouTube
- Gluten-free ingredients
- Dairy-free
- Nut-free
Contains: none of the common allergens in the listed ingredients. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.
About 36 g protein and 12 g net carbs a serve from flank steak cooked tender, shredded and braised with peppers, onion and tomato, a protein-rich main that keeps blood sugar steady.
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Ingredients 17
Method
The cook speaks Spanish; every step is written here in English. Tap a time to watch that step in the video. The video’s English subtitles come on by themselves.
- Put the flank steak in a pot, cover with water and add the cumin, oregano, ½ tbsp salt, bay leaves, a quarter onion and a garlic clove. Cook until very tender: about 25 minutes in a pressure cooker. 0:38
- Meanwhile cut the red and green capsicum into thin strips, slice half a large red onion and crush the garlic. 1:23
- Lift the beef out, keeping the broth. Drain it and pull it apart along its grain into thin shreds with two forks. 2:10
- Heat 3 tbsp oil in a wide frying pan and gently fry the garlic, onion and capsicum over medium heat for about 5 minutes, without letting the garlic burn. 2:55
- Add the shredded beef and fry it with the vegetables for about 2 minutes so it takes on their flavour. 3:19
- Pour in the tomato sauce, 1½ cups of the cooking broth and the red wine, then add the paprika, salt and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes over medium-high heat until the sauce is as thick as you like, then rest 10 minutes before serving. 3:37
Tip. Serves 4 (our estimate from 600 g beef). In an ordinary pot, simmer the flank 1½–2 hours. Tomate frito is already salted, so season at the end. Cubans serve it with rice and black beans; cauliflower rice keeps it lower in carbs.
The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.
One serve gives you 1 of 4
Where the energy comes from one serve
- Net carbs 12%
- Protein 36%
- Fat 52%
Low carb: under 26% of the energy is from carbs.
Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more
Selenium High70%
38 µg a serve, mostly from beef flank steak (94%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.
Vitamin B12 High66%
1.6 µg a serve, mostly from beef flank steak (100%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.
Vitamin B6 High62%
1.1 mg a serve, mostly from beef flank steak (64%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.
Zinc High56%
6.1 mg a serve, mostly from beef flank steak (92%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.
Vitamin C High49%
44 mg a serve, mostly from red capsicum (54%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.
Vitamin E High34%
5.1 mg a serve, mostly from marinara sauce (44%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.
Iron High25%
4.4 mg a serve, mostly from beef flank steak (53%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.
Vitamin K High22%
27 µg a serve, mostly from marinara sauce (48%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.
Potassium Source19%
910 mg a serve, mostly from beef flank steak (40%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.
Magnesium Source15%
65 mg a serve, mostly from beef flank steak (43%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.
Vitamin A Source12%
105 µg a serve, mostly from sweet paprika (41%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.
Folate Source10%
40 µg a serve, mostly from marinara sauce (30%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.
Show the other 3
Omega-39%
0.1 g a serve, mostly from oil (55%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.
Calcium6%
81 mg a serve, mostly from marinara sauce (30%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.
Vitamin D1%
0.1 µg a serve, mostly from beef flank steak (100%). Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.
Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works
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Recipe and video by Receta Cubana; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.