Savory beef, tender potatoes, and a richly spiced sauce make this Colombian Beef Stew recipe a new twist on an old classic. Topped with creamy avocado-cilantro sauce, this satisfying dinner will quickly become a family favorite!
I love, love, love making stew.
I love how the comforting aroma of this Colombian stew floats through the house. I love how it practically cooks itself.
I love curling up on the couch with a steaming bowl of beef, potatoes, and rich broth.
I love this Colombian recipe, in particular, because it has a wonderful Latin flavor and is topped with an unexpected creamy avocado-cilantro sauce.
You can eat this Colombian Beef Stew straight out of the pot, or serve it with rice and beans if you like to mix things up a little bit. It also pairs well with this Brazilian cheese bread (pao de queijo).
This is a great carne guisada recipe to prepare when you’re expecting company because it happily simmers away on the stove while you “clean” the house (a.k.a. hide the messy stuff).
It does take a few hours on the stove, but it doesn’t need to be babysat so you are free to take care of that daunting pile of laundry.
Or, you know, just drink wine and browse Pinterest for hours at a time.
You don’t need any fancy equipment to make this delicious Colombian dinner; as long as you have a sharp knife and a good, lidded pot you should be all set.
If possible, I’d highly recommend preparing this in a Dutch oven.
I’m a little bit obsessed with mine and cook everything but pancakes in it.
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Ready to get cookin’ this latin beef stew?
Colombian Beef Stew Recipe (Carne Guisada Recipe)
RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS
Ingredients
For the Carne Guisada
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 1/4 pounds stew beef
- 3 cups chopped ripe tomatoes - about 4 tomatoes
- 2 cups chopped yellow onion - about 2 medium onions
- 4 tablespoons minced garlic
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 pound baby red potatoes - cut into uniform bite-sized pieces
For the Creamy Avocado-Cilantro Sauce
- 1/2 of a large - ripe avocado
- Juice of half of one lime
- 1/2 cup cilantro leaves and stems
- 1 scallion - green onion
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a 5-quart or larger Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the beef in a single layer and let cook, undisturbed, until the meat is browned and releases easily from the bottom of the pan (3-5 minutes). Turn the beef and repeat process to brown on each side.
- Add the tomatoes and onion to the pot. Toss well and use a wooden spoon to scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the garlic, cumin, and cayenne pepper and cook for 30 seconds. Pour the beef broth and vinegar into the pot and allow the contents of the pot to come to a boil. Turn the heat down to low, cover, and simmer until the beef is tender (90-120 minutes).
- Add the potatoes and cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 30-60 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
- Meanwhile, prepare the creamy avocado-cilantro sauce by placing the avocado, lime juice, cilantro, scallion, and salt into the bowl of a small food processor or blender. Pulse a few times, then slowly add the olive oil and continue to process until creamy and smooth.
- Serve the stew warm topped with the creamy avocado-cilantro sauce.
Nutrition
This is delicious. I couldn’t find my ground cumin in the moment, so sizzled cumin seeds before mixing with the tomato. I was just out of paprika so added in Mexican chili powder. I added salt with the tomatoes. I added cubed Colombian squash (ahuyama), cauliflower florets and 1″ squares of green bell pepper instead of potato to make low carb. I think the amount of beef called for in this recipe is perfect. We loved the sauce too, but could have made double recipe.
I made this recipe tonight. Followed it exactly. My husband and I loved it.! So excited that we have leftovers for another night! Thank you!
Hi Tammy,
I’m so happy to hear you loved it!
– Linda
Love, love, love this recipe! I switched the potatoes with cauliflower because we are watching our carbs and it’s still amazing! So glad I found on Pinterest!
What a great idea, Cat!! Thanks for suggesting that, I’ll have to give it a shot 🙂
I love this idea! Beef stew is one of my favorites and this is a fun twist to try. It looks like the last comment I posted never went through, but I’ve been reading your blog for a while now and LOVE your recipes. I’m a Portlander too so its fun getting to follow your blog knowing you’re in the same city, especially with this amazing weather we’re having. Hellooo early summer. 🙂
I know, right!? I’m loving this weather sooo much. It inspired me to make a fun cocktail today. Can’t wait to share it tomorrow – it’s Portland themed! 🙂