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Instant pot ropa vieja on a plate with yellow rice.

Instant Pot Ropa Vieja

Tressa Jamil
Tender, juicy shredded beef stews in a tomato and sofrito base flavored with warm spices and salty green olives to make easy Instant Pot ropa vieja.
5 from 4 votes
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine Cuban
Servings 8 Servings
Calories 352 kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
  
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 medium white onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 6-8 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2½ tablespoons ground cumin
  • 2½ tablespoons ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 can whole tomatoes, 28-ounce, peeled, and drained except for ¼ cup
  • 2 pounds skirt steak
  • 1 cup green olives with pimento, sliced
  • lime juice, 2-3 limes
Instructions
 
  • Warm olive oil in the Instant Pot in saute mode. Then, add the onions and bell pepper. Saute until the onions become translucent and soften, for about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and saute for another minute.
  • Add the tomato paste, ground cumin, ground coriander, black pepper, and oregano; cook for 30 seconds until aromatic.
  • Deglaze the pot by crushing the canned tomatoes with your hand and adding them to the Instant Pot with ¼ cup of the sauce.
  • Nestle the skirt steak into the Instant Pot. Secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to manual high pressure for 20 minutes with a 20-minute natural release.
  • Remove the lid and use two forks to shred the beef, moving the onions and peppers aside. Then, stir in the sliced olives and fresh lime juice. Simmer in saute mode for about 15 minutes.
  • Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl and garnish with lime wedges.
Notes
Expert Tips: 
  • Depending on the size of the skirt steak you use, pressure cook our Instant Pot ropa vieja on manual high pressure for about 40 to 60 minutes before simmering it with the other ingredients on saute mode; this will result in tender and easily shredded beef.
  • Once the meat cooks, carefully remove it from the Instant Pot and let it rest for 10 minutes so the juices have time to redistribute. Then, use two forks to shred the beef. If it's not easily shredded, I recommend pressure cooking it for an additional 10 minutes. 
Nutrition Disclosure:
  • The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 Serving | Calories: 352 kcal | Carbohydrates: 15 g | Protein: 22 g | Fat: 22 g | Saturated Fat: 5 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3 g | Cholesterol: 65 mg | Sodium: 825 mg | Potassium: 691 mg | Fiber: 5 g | Sugar: 6 g | Vitamin A: 45 IU | Vitamin C: 77 mg | Calcium: 6 mg | Iron: 21 mg
Did you make this recipe? Let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and follow @thejamilghar or tag #thejamilghar on Instagram!