Easy Puerto Rican Beef Stew Recipe

This Puerto Rican Carne Guisada is the best beef stew! Savory chunks of beef are simmered in a sofrito gravy until melt-in-your-mouth tender. The potatoes and carrots soak up all the flavor…this is Puerto Rican comfort food at its best!

Visits back to the States are rare, but I recently got to go home for a few weeks this year and Puerto Rican carne guisada is one of the first dishes I requested from mom!

Throw in some potatoes to thicken the stew, a little hint of sweetness from the carrots and a pop of salty flavor from green olives.

Puerto Rican Carne Guisada Recipe

Unfortunately, plantains are hard to come by in Japan. If anyone wants to send some I’ll be your best friend forever. 😊

Sofrito is a cooking base used in Puerto Rican cuisine. It’s a blend of vegetables and herbs like garlic and recao that gives every dish a punch of distinctly Puerto Rican flavor.

I like to cook this in my caldero. It’s essential for making Puerto Rican rice, but it also has a lot of other great uses.

Mom's Puerto Rican Beef Stew With Homemade Sofrito (carne Guisada)

Cover with water and simmer until tender. This can take 1-2 hours depending on the cut of beef and size of the pieces.

I should also note that you can leave these out, or feel free to add other veggies such as yuca or calabaza.

Once again, make sure everything is covered with enough water and then simmer until the vegetables are fork tender (about 30 minutes).

Sancocho (puerto Rican Beef Stew)

Enjoy with rice, aguacate and tostones if you’re lucky enough to get them! Finish the meal off with a slice of flan de queso or flancocho.

Hi, I’ve made this so many times and it always comes out super delicious!! Thank you ever so much for sharing this recipe…I do have a question??? Do you have a recipe for Puerto Rican Mondongo ??? Thx I look forward to your response.

@Millie, did you mean Mofongo? With the mashed fried plantain, crispy fried pork cracklings (chicharon) and tons of garlic? Usually made using a huge motar and pestle?? So good my fav!! Very good w large shrimp as well

Easy, No Fuss Puerto Rican Inspired Beef Stew

Sorry I don't. My family always makes menudo (husband and I are half Mexican) so I'm no stranger to tripe but I've never cooked it myself!

You can but I just pop the lid back on and let it do its thing. It should go back to a simmer pretty quickly.

I like to cook the meat like 2 hours but then the potatoes get too soft. Also I like to add calabasa so what’s the best time to add the veggies ?

Puerto Rican Carne Guisada

I’m vegan and change meat recipes to vegan at times. I couldn’t find vegan Beef tips; Can I use extra firm tofu in place of the beef?

@Lisa, I make this vegan all the time using soy curls or vegan tvp beef that you rehydrate and I use the vegan beef broth for that and the vegan chicken broth for the soy cutely and it always comes out amazing!! Make your own Goya products since the dried ones have msg and the liquid ones mostly contain bacon fat or some animal products.

Enjoy with rice, aguacate and tostones if you’re lucky enough to get them! Finish the meal off with a slice of flan de queso or flancocho.

Hi, I’ve made this so many times and it always comes out super delicious!! Thank you ever so much for sharing this recipe…I do have a question??? Do you have a recipe for Puerto Rican Mondongo ??? Thx I look forward to your response.

@Millie, did you mean Mofongo? With the mashed fried plantain, crispy fried pork cracklings (chicharon) and tons of garlic? Usually made using a huge motar and pestle?? So good my fav!! Very good w large shrimp as well

Easy, No Fuss Puerto Rican Inspired Beef Stew

Sorry I don't. My family always makes menudo (husband and I are half Mexican) so I'm no stranger to tripe but I've never cooked it myself!

You can but I just pop the lid back on and let it do its thing. It should go back to a simmer pretty quickly.

I like to cook the meat like 2 hours but then the potatoes get too soft. Also I like to add calabasa so what’s the best time to add the veggies ?

Puerto Rican Carne Guisada

I’m vegan and change meat recipes to vegan at times. I couldn’t find vegan Beef tips; Can I use extra firm tofu in place of the beef?

@Lisa, I make this vegan all the time using soy curls or vegan tvp beef that you rehydrate and I use the vegan beef broth for that and the vegan chicken broth for the soy cutely and it always comes out amazing!! Make your own Goya products since the dried ones have msg and the liquid ones mostly contain bacon fat or some animal products.