Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja (Cuban Beef)
186 Comments May 10, 2024
Updated May 10, 2025
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The moment I saw this Ropa Vieja meal, I knew I must try it in the slow cooker. Shredded beef recipes in the slow cooker are where I shine and I have no doubts you’ll love this flavorful meal as well.
Shredded beef is wonderful in the slow cooker! In addition to this recipe, also try Amish Pot Roast, Slow Cooker Carne Asada, Slow Cooker London Broil, or Mexican Shredded Beef.
Why is it called Ropa Vieja?
If you have never heard of Ropa Vieja, it’s a Cuban national dish that means old clothes. I’m guessing this is because the meat looks like really old shredded clothes. It’s not a great name for a recipe, I know! Let’s move past that strange name and see what delicious ingredients create this beautiful dish.
This recipe is not spicy, but still full of great flavors. The sauce has diced tomatoes, tomato paste, beef broth, apple cider vinegar, turmeric, cumin, oregano, garlic, bell pepper, onion and green olives.
I wasn’t sure if the green olives would overpower this dish, they did not at all. The olives added a bit more vinegar flavor, which lent to the overall character of the sauce. Other cuban recipes we love are Slow Cooker Cuban Sandwiches, or Slow Cooker Cuban Pork.
Recipe Ingredients
- Beef flank steak: I like to use a flank with lots of marbling for good flavor and texture. A chuck roast can be used as well. We also use this cut in our slow cooker flank steak recipe.
- Beef broth: Helps flavor the steak during cooking.
- Canned tomato paste: Creates a nice tomato flavor.
- Veggies: Canned diced tomatoes, one sweet onion, olives, and green and orange bell peppers add flavor and heartiness to the dish.
- Seasonings: Fresh garlic, kosher salt, black pepper, oregano, cumin, apple cider vinegar, and turmeric adds a flavor combo that’s out of this world. (Find the full recipe in the recipe card below the photos).
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One – Add the beef broth, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, turmeric, and apple cider vinegar to the slow cooker and stir.
Step Two – Add the flank steak.
Step Three – Flip the steak around in the sauce.
Step Four – Add on top of the meat the onion, bell peppers, olives, and garlic cloves.
Step Five – Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 9 hours or HIGH for 5 hours.
Step Six – Shred the beef right in the crockpot with two forks, softly stir to combine, and serve. Enjoy!
How to Serve Ropa Vieja
- Yellow rice, either homemade or store-bought, pair well with this recipe. Yellow Rice from Mahatma (pictured below) is impressive. It tastes like chicken, but the flavor is from saffron and turmeric. I highly recommend trying this and get two bags because they are tiny.
- Green salad and dressing and/or cuban black beans are tasty and complimentary side dish options.
- This delicious recipe can be turned into tacos by serving the shredded beef in warm tortillas with your favorite taco toppings like shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, cheese, and salsa.
- You can also use the shredded beef as a filling for bell peppers. Simply stuff the peppers, top with cheese, and bake until the peppers are tender and the cheese is melted.
Recipe FAQs
Try my Slow Cooker Cuban Pork recipe, it has a citrus-based sauce and is just as good as this Ropa Vieja.
Pour any remaining ropa vieja in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Feel free to add other vegetables, such as carrots, celery, or peas, to enhance the flavor. You can also add some spice with chili powder, cayenne pepper, or hot sauce.
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Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja (Cuban Beef)
How to Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 lbs. beef flank steak
- 1 cup beef broth
- 6 oz. can tomato paste
- 14 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
- 1 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 1 tsp. oregano
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 1/2 tsp. turmeric
- 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1 small white onion, diced
- 2 bell peppers (orange and green), diced
- 1 cup Spanish olives
- 3 whole garlic cloves, peeled
Instructions
- Add the beef broth, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, turmeric and apple cider vinegar to the slow cooker. Stir.
- Add the flank steak and flip it around in the sauce so it gets coated. Add the bell pepper, onion, olives and garlic cloves, mix those items together to combine on top of the meat.
- Cover and cook on low for 9 hours on LOW or on HIGH for 5 hours, without opening the lid during the cooking time. Shred the meat with 2 forks right in the slow cooker.
- Serve with yellow rice and enjoy!
Sarah’s Notes
- Pork shoulder can be used instead of flank steak.
- Pour any remaining ropa vieja in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- Feel free to add other vegetables, such as carrots, celery, or peas, to enhance the flavor. You can also add some spice with chili powder, cayenne pepper, or hot sauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
My mother would cut the onions long ways so it would go with the strands of beef when you shred it which is bestly done by using your hands and a fork. Some add green peas, etc etc. olives are fine as well and are seen often, but the ones with peppermint in them, medium sized olives, and not too many.
I.don’t eat any beef but i came across this recipe and the sauce looks delicious. I think I’m going to try it with chicken and chicken stock. Obviously it will be a completely different dish but any thoughts on the flavor combination? Thanks
I made it without tomato paste can. i recook it with the paste to thicken it up?
I don’t see why not, it may only need a half can at this point.
Trying it now
Came out great
My husband and I just made this recipe. We may have cooked it for a little more than 9hours, while it was on warm–the flavor was delicious–but the beef–although easily shredded, was very tough and chewy. We saved it by cutting the strands down with a scissor. What do you think I did wrong—I am wondering how it would turn out with stew beef–cubed or ground?
If you use stewing beef (I wouldn’t recommend ground) it would be just as tasty (I’ve done that). Just don’t call it Ropa Vieja. You may want to try it on high for 6 hours. My preference is a pressure cooker and have never done it in a slow cooker. Good luck
Cara Castiglio, if you use flank steak ,the meat will be tough if you cook it more than 15 min. If you use Brisquet no more than 25 but the truth is that in Cuba we did not use the crock pot for ropa vieja ,we used pressure cooker.
Can u use a londen broil
I think that would be great!
My family small only 4 of us, my kids are 1 and 5. Can I make the portion size smaller of what the recipe calls for? Will it still taste good?
I think so, if it was me I would cut a flank steak in half and freeze the other half. Follow the recipe as written, but less salt. You’ll have extra sauce but it will still be good!
Thank you can’t wait to try it. Never made cuban food before lol
It freezes well
I’m having a hard time finding flank steak what is your best substitute?
Hi Kristi! Any beef roast would do fine, chuck roast you would have to degrease the sauce at the end. Bottom roast may be a good option too. Flank steak lately in my stores has been in plastic packs with black backing. Not packaged by the in house butcher.
Kristy, I recommend a sirloin tip. I use it for my Italian beef and it’s also stringy, tender, shreds well and it’s amazing!
Could this be made in a pressure cooker? Such as an instant pot?
I’m sure it could! Here is a recipe I found. https://fueledbyinstantpot.com/instant-pot-ropa-vieja/
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/79301/cuban-ropa-vieja/
This looks so yummy! Gal from Miami here, but moved to the west coast of FL and miss the Cuban food. In the video, it showed the first bite being an olive… that would be my first bite too! I Love olives!
I knew someone would agree! I made Greek salad yesterday and picked out all the olives to eat. LOL
I made this, had to use 3 pieces of flank steak to make up 3lbs…came out super tough and stringy….maybe 9hrs 9n low is too long?
Did you keep the lid on the entire time? It may of needed longer if you opened the lid. Flank steak will be stringy. Maybe cut up the pieces a bit after it’s done cooking. The strings can be long and hard to eat since flank steak is super long.
that is what happened with my attempt—-but I found a one piece flank steak—-but also wondering if that means I overcooked it. I didnt open the lid at all during 9 hours cooking