Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja (Cuban Beef)
198 CommentsUpdated Jan 23, 2026
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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, and Slow Cooker Cuban Picadillo (similar to this recipe)
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.
More comfort food recipes
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.
This is delicious.
Amazing dish. Loved it.
This is my go to ropa veija recipe. Everyone loves it and I never have any leftovers.
Thank you, for the great dinner idea!!
I would love to make this however a little confused on the measurement of salt. Is it 1/2 tsp or 1 1/2 tsp? Thanks
1 1/2
Ropa vieja is not cooked in slow cooker but in a pressure cooker. Should not take 9 hrs. Then let it cool off, shred, make the sofrito with chopped onion, bell peppers, garlic, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper to taste, and vino seco (Spanish cooking wine) and tomato sauce. Cook dorito until onion and peppers are soft.Place meat in same skillet and simmer in the sofrito until meat absorbs some of the juice. Serve with white rice, black beans if desired, and can’t leave out the ripened fried plantain.
That’s the Cuban way.
Chill, your way is not the ONLY WAY. Just cuz its the way ur family did it doesnt mean its written in stone. Try it you may like it and of not…oh well. Its cooking not rocket science.
I am making it again today. Received a thumbs up from family and friends the first time.
Pressure cooker? This is a centuries old dish. It’s roots are in the “slow cooked” braises that the Sephardic Jews of Southern Spain made to slow cook in the dying embers of fires as they could not light a fire and cook on their Sabbath. The modern slow cookers were invented to create the perfect environment for such braises. Pressure cooker? In 15th century Cuba?? nonsense
Did this person really come on someone’s slow cooker site to say “don’t use a slow cooker?” Please. I am making this in the AM for dinner tomorrow and am very excited!
I think you will enjoy it!
Delicious recipe! Thanks for sharing!!!
This recipe is delicious, the family loves it. I have a hard time finding flank steak, but it is worth the effort. I wonder what other veggies I could add to it though? Green beans, corn?
I love this dish! It is absolutely delicious! Flank steak turned out very tender, shredding was no problem. The gravy was so good over Basmati rice. It’s a keeper.
Hi, Sarah. This was SO easy to put together and the flavors are incredible. I love it with the saffron rice, too. I didn’t have any bell peppers and did not feel like going to the store so found some sliced carrots and sliced up some celery and used that instead. It is fine with that, too, though the next time I make it I will make sure I have the peppers. Also, we like it so much, we want more “gravy” or “sauce” with it so we are going to increase the beef broth-probably double it and maybe double the tomatoes and increase the apple cider vinegar just a little bit and see how that works out. May have to adjust some other ingredients to make it right. Maybe I should just double all the liquidy stuff but for the paste…hmm, that’s a thought. I don’t know if I should double the herbs/spices though-probably not since I am not planning to double the meat. Also, we will double the olives, or more. We LOVE olives and the flavor they add to this dish. So good! Thanks for the recipe! Sally
I think all your additions will be great next time. In fact I never make anything the same twice!
I forgot to put earlier do you think 6 hours on high would be ok?
I think so!